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Luxury travel inspiration from the Asia-Pacific region

DestinAsian

<h2><strong>Why stay?</strong></h2>
<p>Astounding views of Victoria Harbour and thoughtful, pared-back luxury unite at Regent Hong Kong, which occupies prime waterfront real estate on the southern tip of the Kowloon peninsula. The hotel originally opened in 1980 as part of the now-demolished New World Centre, drawing high-profile jetsetters like Frank Sinatra, Angelina Jolie, and fashion mogul Calvin Klein—not to mention a handful of American presidents. But those glory days were followed by changes of ownership that saw almost all Regents parceled out to other five-star operators. The Hong Kong flagship was no different: it became an InterContinental in the early aughties and remained so until 2020. Now, fresh from a three-year transformation overseen by locally born designer Chi Wing Lo, this storied property has returned to its roots as a showcase for the rejuvenated Regent brand.</p>
<h3><strong>The neighborhood</strong></h3>
<p>Regent Hong Kong completes the last missing piece of a revitalized precinct on the Tsim Sha Tsui harborfront. It overlooks both the Avenue of Stars—which was given a makeover by James Corner Field Operations, the studio behind New York’s High Line—as well as the expanded and renovated Hong Kong Museum of Art. Adjoining the hotel is the Victoria Dockside development, successor to the New World Centre, and a direct link runs from the Regent’s lobby area to the glitzy K11 Musea mall. The skate ramp–like Hong Kong Cultural Centre and Kowloon Star Ferry Pier are but a quick walk away.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-136138 size-full" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Regent-Hong-Kong-The-Lobby-Lounge-1.jpg" alt="Breathtaking harbor views can be enjoyed from The Lobby Lounge at Regent Hong Kong." width="1200" height="800" srcset="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Regent-Hong-Kong-The-Lobby-Lounge-1.jpg 1200w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Regent-Hong-Kong-The-Lobby-Lounge-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Regent-Hong-Kong-The-Lobby-Lounge-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Regent-Hong-Kong-The-Lobby-Lounge-1-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p>
<h4><strong>The feel</strong></h4>
<p>The tall arrival ramp and elevated drop-off area, set well back from Salisbury Road, are the first hint that the Regent is a serene refuge from the frenzied activity of Tsim Sha Tsui around it. Ribbed aluminum panels have replaced the red stone cladding on the facade, but some of the hotel’s original features, like the feng shui fountain at the entrance and the “Fred and Ginger” grand staircase in gleaming Calacatta marble, have been retained. Lo’s interiors are purposefully subdued, employing different textures and natural materials in muted tones to create a harmonious, balanced whole: think natural oak paneling, knotted carpets, and dark gray granite floors. The understated decor lets the phenomenal harbor vistas do all the talking.</p>
<h5><strong>Guest quarters</strong></h5>
<p>A sense of calm reigns supreme in the introverted accommodations. Those overlooking Victoria Harbour come with window-side banquettes wide enough to act as a daybed. Custom-designed furniture by Lo—swiveling armchairs, curvaceous bedside tables, leather-clad drawers—are bathed in soft, indirect light that bounces off the fabric-like ceilings and emanates from behind onyx screens. Bedroom and bathroom alike have been created with practicality in mind: countertops have raised edges to contain any spills; the vanity area’s naturally pitted granite floor acts as a non-slip surface; and there are shelves in all the right places. Bath amenities come courtesy of luxury skincare brand Perricone MD. In the vast majority of rooms and suites, a sculptural granite spout feeds water into a high freestanding tub; guests who reserve a 100-square-meter Corner Suite &#8211; Harbourview will get to soak in a huge round bath with a moon gate–like window.</p>
<h6><strong>Food and drink</strong></h6>
<p>Previously known as Yan Toh Heen during the Regent’s InterContinental days, two-Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant Lai Ching Heen has reverted to its original name. Executive chef Lau Yiu-fai began working here ahead of the venue’s 1984 debut; his kitchen team delivers the classics with aplomb, be it steamed garoupa fillet, wok-fried asparagus with lily bulbs and cauliflower mushrooms, or jewel-like dim sum. Lai Ching Heen’s sublime mango pudding, a beloved Hong Kong dessert, comes with lychee sorbet and a pink flour tuile. Other dining spots include The Lobby Lounge for light bites and drinks enjoyed with killer skyline views, an outpost of Japanese-Peruvian fine diner Nobu, and three outlets designed by Melbourne-born Bar Studio. The Steak House offers top-quality cuts like Korean Hanwoo striploin or a melt-in-the-mouth tomahawk steak of chocolate-fed wagyu from South Australia’s Mayura Station. (An impressive salad bar, which takes up its own room with a caviar counter, overflows with fresh greens and crudités, charcuterie, and cheeses.) Harbourside plates up satisfying buffets: don’t miss the lotus leaf–wrapped glutinous rice with minced chicken and salted egg at breakfast. Also facing the water is Qura Bar, a cocktail lounge where artisanal spirits and produce-oriented French and Italian dishes are served in an exuberant art deco–esque setting.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-136139 size-full" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Regent-Hong-Kong-Lai-Ching-Heen-Steamed-Lobster-with-Crabmeat-Roe-and-Tofu.jpg" alt="Steamed lobster with crabmeat roe and tofu at Lai Ching Heen in Regent Hong Kong." width="1200" height="800" srcset="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Regent-Hong-Kong-Lai-Ching-Heen-Steamed-Lobster-with-Crabmeat-Roe-and-Tofu.jpg 1200w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Regent-Hong-Kong-Lai-Ching-Heen-Steamed-Lobster-with-Crabmeat-Roe-and-Tofu-300x200.jpg 300w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Regent-Hong-Kong-Lai-Ching-Heen-Steamed-Lobster-with-Crabmeat-Roe-and-Tofu-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Regent-Hong-Kong-Lai-Ching-Heen-Steamed-Lobster-with-Crabmeat-Roe-and-Tofu-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p>
<h6><strong>Wellness factor</strong></h6>
<p>An on-site spa is expected to open sometime in 2024. For now, guests at Regent Hong Kong can make use of a 24-hour fitness center kitted out with Technogym equipment, and unwind in a hexagonal outdoor pool resurfaced with blue mosaic tiles in soothing wave-like patterns. At the far end of the terrace lie three infinity-edge spa pools kept at different temperatures; this is a sought-after photo spot as the ensemble faces an expanse of harbor backdropped by the tower blocks and hills of northeastern Hong Kong Island.</p>
<h6><strong>Family matters</strong></h6>
<p>Though Regent Hong Kong has a thoroughly grown-up ambience, that’s not to say that kids aren’t welcome. Personalized, age-appropriate amenities are placed in the rooms before check-in—these might include toys or crayons and a coloring sheet bearing an illustration by local street artist Bao Ho. Concierges can arrange childcare and recommend family-friendly activities around town.</p>
<h6><strong>Sustainability cred</strong></h6>
<p>Eco-chic staff uniforms at the Regent are made of recycled plastic bottles and wood-based Tencel fiber. An in-house filtered water purification system fills glass bottles for the guest rooms and suites. Energy efficiency has been baked into the redesign; the hotel also runs an all-electric fleet of BMW i7 sedans for airport transfers and the like. Dining venues showcase homegrown beverage brands and breweries.</p>
<h6><strong>What else?</strong></h6>
<p>Regent Hong Kong’s past and present intertwine in a handful of contemporary installations within the lobby. Lo has recomposed photos of selected works from its art collection, accumulated over the past 40 years, as a scroll-like montage named <em>The Spirit of Regent Retrospective</em>. As the low ceiling did not allow for the addition of a chandelier, Lo commissioned <em>Golden Illusion</em>, a series of 16 Lasvit glass brick screens recalling <em>liuli</em>, an ancient Chinese art form that uses a special glass casting technique. These panels guide visitors to the luminous onyx check-in desk, where animations by local artist Hung Keung dance across a 15-meter-long LED screen. Nearby, Hong Kong handicrafts brand Coxper contributed<em> Drizzle</em>, a copper lotus pond whose rippled surface appears frozen in time.</p>
<p>Reviewed by <strong>James Louie</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://hongkong.regenthotels.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hongkong.regenthotels.com</a><br />
+852 2721 1211<br />
<a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/UGMDjzP5w4n3kRJ7A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">18 Salisbury Rd., Kowloon, Hong Kong</a></p>


Inside a Studio Suite - Harbourview at Regent Hong Kong.

Regent Hong Kong

Hong Kong Hotels

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