It's hard not to be intrigued by Hong Kong; the vertical city continues to grow in size and population, and it seems that every day brings another announcement of a new hotel, restaurant or celebrity chef entering Hong Kong.

But there's more to this city than what's being built up.

The intricacies and delicacies that Hong Kong is famous for have fast become the best-kept secrets of locals - until
now.

Starting Sept. 1, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong is inviting guests to experience the "Insider Hong Kong" package, designed to lead tourists through the culture, shopping and of course, culinary aspects of Hong Kong.

There will be four different four-hour tours to choose from: a Food Tour, which takes guests around to Hong Kong's famous food markets; a Culture Tour, which visits highlights including the Bird Garden, Flower Market, and Gold Fish Street; an Art Tour, which focuses on the up-and-coming art scene and highlights local artists in the region; and the Shopping Tour, which will include all the luxury shopping points, including the one-of-kind Jade markets.

The tours are available in English, Mandarin, German, French, Spanish, and Italian, and include complimentary breakfast and a minimum booking of two nights.

But that's not all the Mandarin Oriental is doing to introduce the local flavors of their region to their guests.

Hop on a long-haul flight from the U.S. to Japan, courtesy of Japanese-carrier ANA, and you'll enjoy meals from Mandarin Oriental Tokyo's Michelin-starred French restaurant Signature, the Mandarin Oriental's French-inspired restaurant. Business class flights will enjoy special menus from December through February.

While it might not the ambiance, service and atmosphere you'd expect from the fine dining establishment, it's still better than any other in-flight food you'll likely be served!

Melanie Nayer is a hotel reviewer and expert on luxury travel around the world. She has covered all aspects of hotels including corporate restructures, re-branding initiatives, historical aspects and the best of the best in luxury hotels around the world.

Melanie writes a weekly exclusive column for 4Hoteliers.com