19 JANUARY 1991, Page 21

Room at the top

ONE of Hong Kong's new hotels got off to a poor start — so poor, indeed, that the owners, shattered by disastrous figures, decided to call in consultants. Their advice was prompt: 'This place stands no chance without a rooftop bar.' But, said the owners, we have plenty of bars, and the view from the rooftop is terrible, so why should we put a bar there — just because our competitors do? 'No', said the consul- tants — 'to give your lady customers an alternative explanation for being seen going up in the lift.'