Snap happy visitors to 1881 Heritage just can’t help themselves. On every corner, people are posing, smiling and clicking their cameras. Multiple bridal parties vie for Kodak backdrops in the outdoor area – under arched doorways, or by majestic trees. And who can blame them? Every angle seems to offer a more beautiful scene of pristine colonialism, a pleasing blend of old Victorian structures and new glass and steel facades.

1881 Heritage is where the Former Hong Kong Marine Police Headquarters once stood, its new name a reference to the approximate year the complex was built. Most of the buildings in the original compound were officially declared monuments by the government in 1994, but the site had stood vacant since 1997. Transforming it into an attractive, usable space has been no small feat, involving a team whose members range from preservation specialists to tree experts, and costing $1 billion over six years.

The landmark is the latest to have been carefully converted from a rundown historical structure into a luxury shopping and dining destination. The revitalisation project succeeded in finding a perfect balance, at once retaining the valuable pieces of Hong Kong’s colonial heritage while developing the site into a brand new space that can be enjoyed by the public. The updated arches, pillars and piazza now stand out from the high rises and modernity of Tsim Sha Tsui, transforming it from the neglected and timeworn compound it had become.

The complex houses a number of luxury jewellery and clothing shops as well as restaurants, and surrounding the shopping arcade are original structures and artefacts. The most unusual historical structure, the Time Ball Tower, sits prominently atop the shopping arcade, facing Canton Road. The squat tower once helped ships in the port tell the time: a large time ball mounted on a pole was raised and dropped at 1pm every day to help ships set their chronometers.

Search carefully to find objects such as cast-iron fireplaces, gas lampposts and the trapdoor to an underground space that serve as unique reminders of Hong Kong’s colonial past. An unexpected set of pigeon houses is mounted on the Main Building, which is believed to have housed carrier pigeons that aided in 19th century communication. The exhibition hall offers plenty of information on the landmark’s historical features.

The last part of the project to be completed is the boutique hotel Hullett House, which just opened its doors last month. The hotel comprises only 10 suites, each with its own uniquely themed design, and has instantly become one of the most exclusive accommodation choices in town. Couldn’t get, or afford, a room? Then a visit to one of Hullett House’s five ultra stylish restaurants and bars will have to suffice.

1881 Heritage, 2A Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. Tel: 2926 8000