Sparkling harbour views from the lobby at The Regent Hong Kong.
Hong Kong’s highly anticipated The Regent hotel has finally unveiled its new look after a 22 year absence.
The Regent Hong Kong originally opened in 1980 on the harbourfront at Tsim Sha Tsui, but was rebranded as the InterContinental Hotel after international hospitality group IHG bought the building in 2001.
In 2018, IHG bought The Regent brand and plans were made to bring back The Regent Hong Kong. However, the global pandemic meant the InterContinental shut quicker than expected and over the last two years, as Hong Kong languished under strict travel restrictions, the builders got to work transforming The Regent back to its former glory.
Guest room serenity overlooking bustling Kowloon.
Ranking alongside The Peninsula and the Mandarin Oriental, The Regent was one of Hong Kong’s premier hotels, entertaining celebrities, actors and royalty and renowned throughout the city for its harbourside buffets and Rolls Royce Phantoms. Its infamous ‘handover’ party in 1997 - one country, two parties - is remembered fondly by many who were resident in Hong Kong at the time. The hotel famously ran out of champagne after the first night.
World-renowned architect and Hong Kong local Chi Wing Lo is behind the redesign, transforming the hotel after its two-year closure.
Lo has employed calming aesthetics as a juxtaposition to the bustling streets of one of Hong Kong’s busiest districts outside.
“My vision for the hotel was to provide a sanctuary rather than simply a place to stay,” says Lo. “I wanted my design to embody the spirit of The Regent and provide a sense of peace, serenity and balance amidst the bustling metropolis.”
The new-look historic Calcutta marble stairway in the hotel's lobby.
Elements of the former hotel have been preserved, such as the fountain in the driveway and the Regent Ballroom’s Calcutta white marble stairway, which forms a focal point in the lobby area. It has been complemented with a perforated metal surround in the form of a round lantern tower through which can be seen the harbour and Avenue of Stars.
Dining facilities at The Regent are a mix of new and old. The Steak House and Harbourside have been retained and refurbished and contemporary Japanese restaurant Nobu which opened in the then InterContinental in the noughties has also returned. A new bar, Regent Club, has been introduced and will open later this year. The Regent Spa & Wellness is also slated to open in the second half of 2023.
The Steak House and Harbourside restaurants are now open for bookings. A limited number of guest rooms will be released for reservation this month.
More Hong Kong hotel openings
The hotel is part of Hong Kong's largest entertainment hub opening this year.
Hong Kong's 'country' hotel has opened following an 18-month refurbishment.
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