Expanded in 1994, the hotel combines colonial and modern elements, and is notable for its large fleet of Rolls-Royces painted a distinctive "Peninsula green".

[4] In his book God Is My Co-Pilot, Colonel Robert Lee Scott Jr., USAAF, commander of the 23rd Fighter Group, China Air Task Force, described in detail an aerial raid he led on the Japanese shipping anchored in Hong Kong harbour, conducted 25 October 1942, and the lone attack he personally made in his Curtiss P-40K Warhawk (nicknamed Old Exterminator) upon the famous Peninsula hotel: "So, I looped above Victoria Harbour and drove for the Peninsula Hotel.

The decor of the rooms is in pared-down Oriental chic, with plain cream upholstery, vintage luggage-inspired drawer handles and Chinese ink painting-inspired ornaments.

The lobby's design is a combination of Edwardian and Second Empire styles and includes ornamental stained glass, woodwork, and carpets and draperies dating from 1928.

[9] The hotel's food and beverage outlets include the gourmet French restaurant Gaddi's, which has one of the first chef's tables in Hong Kong, and the Philippe Starck-designed 'Felix'.

Throughout the years, it has housed international luxury brands such as Chanel, Dior, Hermès, Chrome Hearts, Gucci, Prada, Shiatzy Chen, Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Piaget, Roger Dubuis, Goyard, Franck Muller, Bvlgari, Tiffany & Co., Baccarat, ST Dupont, Harry Winston, Davidoff, Van Cleef & Arpels, Jacob & Co., and Ralph Lauren.

Apart from international fashion houses, it was also home to Hong Kong brands, such as Betty Charnuis Clemos in the 60s, Dickson Poon in the 70s and Joyce Boutique in the 80s.

In the 1974 James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun starring Roger Moore, the hotel's fleet of Rolls-Royce Silver Shadows is mentioned.

In 2007, The Peninsula was used for a scene in the superhero film The Dark Knight, involving actors Morgan Freeman and Chin Han, who played Lucius Fox and Lau, respectively.

[13] In 2015, The Peninsula was featured in the eleventh episode of the 27th season of The Amazing Race, serving as the location of the first route marker of the Hong Kong / Macau leg.