From TVB dramas to American television series such as Dynasty, the 1980s was a decade that took gilt and excess as its first and second names. The Regent, Hong Kong would, of course, have been its surname, as the Adrian Zecha-formed hotel that made a statement with its double-sink bathrooms, showers, and bathtubs was considered the ultimate in luxury back in the day. But the era of gold-plated bath fittings is long gone as is the heart-palpitating heady-ness that spawned over-the-top properties around the world such as the Hemsley (remember those advertisements in Newsweek and Asia magazine, the latter publication of which Zecha founded?) and a former US President’s eponymous hotel chain.
Half a century later, as new-gen globetrotters with increasingly fine-tuned needs, wants and expectations develop a renewed thirst for travel, The Regent, Hong Kong takes another stab at a star turn. This took place after a three-year transformation of the InterContinental, which replaced the original Regent. So what can potential guests expect from this new-old brand that’s rapidly regaining its property footprint around the world? From Phu Quoc to Cannes, the IHG-owned Regent chain, one that most likely originally coined the term ‘five-star’, finds itself blending past, present, and future when it comes to presenting its luxury manifesto for the decades ahead.
Firstly, The Regent, Hong Kong retains its high room count (presumably in competition with the Rosewood next door) totalling 497—still reflecting the 1980s trend of big and brash properties created with business travellers in mind. Chi Wing Lo, an architect and interior designer born in Hong Kong and thus innately understanding that space in this most cramped of cities is in itself an aspect of luxury, helmed the hotel’s redesign and rebirth. The rooms, starting at 38 square metres (rates start from HKD3,700 ++ per night), are the height of minimalism. The generously sized interiors adopt a definite Zen countenance, with an exacting palette of light beiges and caramel tones along with a more masculine grayscale exterior, stretched by extra-sized windows depicted as canvases that frame one of Hong Kong’s main claims to renown—Victoria Harbour.
“If you get too much of something, you will forget it is there, and will not appreciate it,” says Lo, a wisened Mr. Miyagi-type character who generously offers design, and life, advice to those willing to listen. As if to complement this view and as a reminder to never forget the billion-dollar vistas, Lo also incorporated art installations outside the rooms that resemble cute bonsai trees. IHG’s premise behind the present incarnation of this 17-storey property was to conjure a personal sanctuary for guests to return to after a harried day in a still-buzzy Hong Kong. The idea, and a good one at that, was also to create a Japanese-style bath in which one could unwind, together with a range of 1990s bath amenities from Perricone MD, while downing a bottle or two of Gweilo ale or a ready-made negroni in the process. And, for those particular with room flow, Lo and his team have created corners and areas in rooms where guests instinctively know where to perch. A cushy couch lines the entire stretch of windows, providing ample space in which to sit and stare at the continuous loop of Star ferries bopping on the harbour and yachts darting to the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club in time for dinner.
As The Regent, Hong Kong triumphantly returns to a city it once called home, it’s probably interesting to note that Hong Kong is no longer the same place as it was in the 1980s or even as recent as 2021. How does The Regent hold up with its 2020s interpretations of luxury? Well, most boxes are easily ticked. It boasts the grandest of harbour view lobbies and a sense of arrival that would still intimidate even the most jaded travellers. There are also standout restaurants such as the legendary Nobu and the more relaxed Steakhouse. And, best of all, for the warmer months, a refurbished charcoal slate outdoor pool and terrace that still retains its gracious 1980s proportions.
But you know what would make all the difference and push the property from ‘good’ to ‘sublime’? Providing the hotel’s staff, mostly efficient Gen Z’s, with a deeper understanding of The Regent, Hong Kong’s heritage, glamour, mystique, and style of hospitality. The trick would be to bring back all of these elements of the past that Adrian Zecha made famous to the present, conveyed in a more defined and personality-led service that back in the day, as those old enough would remember, was the stuff of legend.
