What it’s like staying at Regent Hong Kong, IHG’s shiny new ultra-luxury hotel darling

What is the Regent Hong Kong?

How to book a stay at the Regent Hong Kong

My stay was complimentary amid the Regent Hong Kong grand opening festivities, but the best way to book a stay at the hotel is directly via the IHG website in order to earn and redeem IHG One Rewards points.

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The location

Regent Hong Kong’s tony stretch of Victoria Harbour is in the vicinity of other deluxe hotels like Rosewood Hong Kong and the Peninsula Hong Kong. Prepare to shop ’til you drop next door at the K11 Musea shopping mall (home to brands like Alexander McQueen and Chanel) or catch an exhibit at the nearby Hong Kong Museum of Art.

You’ll also find a host of shops, cafes and restaurants in the surrounding neighborhood, and the Avenue of Stars in front of the hotel is a popular waterfront walking and running trail.

Hong Kong’s famous Star Ferry Pier is a five-minute walk from Regent Hong Kong, and you’ll also have easy access to the city’s Mass Transit Railway subway network: East Tsim Sha Tsui station is at the entrance of the hotel’s driveway. It’s about a half-hour to get from the hotel to the Victoria Peak tram station via the Tsuen Wan Line on the MTR.

Modern luxury for a grande dame

Regent Hong Kong 1.0 was peak 1980s glamor and even featured in an episode of “Dynasty.” However, the shoulder pads and soap opera theatrics were shown the door amid its reincarnation into a more modern, refined Regent Hong Kong 2.0.

There are still plenty of spots to have a grand moment at Regent Hong Kong (look to the sweeping, marble “Fred and Ginger” staircase off the lobby for your dramatic photo op), but Chi Wing Lo’s vision also created more subtle statements of elegance. Rather than place a massive chandelier in the lobby like many luxury hotels, the designer opted for 16 illuminated glass panels meant to evoke a similar refined ambience, but at eye level.

Regent’s “Beauty of Contrasts” aesthetic plays out in spaces throughout the hotel: Black African granite floors play off cream carpeting and blonde wood. The granite floors of the lobby feature inlay lighting meant to symbolize Chi Wing Lo’s “granite carpet,” according to the Regent Hong Kong team during a hotel tour.

Screened walls in guest rooms upstairs offer privacy while also letting in the sun. Picture windows throughout the hotel invite guests to view the skyline from a variety of vantage points. However, you also can’t help but feel a little secluded from the bustle of the metropolis thanks to the intimacy of private seating areas throughout the lobby and in the second-floor Regent Club, or from the bathtub of a guest room or suite.

It’s a well-tailored kind of place, down to the staff’s uniforms of sharp suits and sleek dresses, which make it sometimes confusing at first to figure out who is a fashionable guest and who actually works here. The visitors are a mix of jetsetters and well-heeled locals, but the warmth of the staff’s hospitality keeps the hotel from feeling snooty or uninviting.

The rooms are minimalist, with maximum views

Plenty of developers are building hotels where the rooms are largely meant just for sleeping and showering. The Regent Hong Kong team did not go this direction and instead created guest rooms and suites that are destinations unto themselves — as in, I probably need to go back to Hong Kong and stay somewhere else to truly see the city, as it was hard to rip myself away from the daybed or soaking tub with those incredible city and Victoria Harbour views.

Following check-in, an attendant guided me up to the 15^th floor to my King Classic Harbour View room. The minimalist design featured a mix of various wood grains and stone as well as a massive wooden door to each guest room with a center door knob — meant to give each guest a feeling of entering their own “personal haven,” to use Regent’s brand lingo. In practice, it did give a nice physical mark of feeling like I was stepping into my own little sanctuary in the city.

My only real complaint about the hotel is that it sometimes took a bit of maneuvering to get the keycard to unlock the room via a glitchy panel in the hallway — something I heard other guests complaining about, too. The lighting glitches also continued at times in the room, as the room would go dark and the shades would come down when I was reading or doing work. Perhaps I don’t wriggle enough when clacking away at my computer.

Once inside, the design might be minimalist, but the skyline views outside are the eye-catching showstopper. Sheer window shades, as well as opaque ones, rose automatically upon my entrance to show off Hong Kong’s skyscrapers across the harbor. The daybed under the picture window was a thoughtful touch and a great spot to work with a view. The only bad part here was that the compelling view made it hard to step back and do anything else in the room — not exactly a bad problem to have from an aesthetic point of view.

The king-size bed was comfortable, and the nightstands featured electrical panels on either side of the bed with outlets (don’t forget to pack your converter) as well as USB-A and USB-C ports. Window shade and light switches were also on the nightstand control panels. A cabinet across from the bed included a safe, a minibar (which is complimentary — including select alcoholic beverages like pre-mixed martinis and local beer — and restocked daily, per Regent brand standards), a tea kettle and a Nespresso machine.

Regent’s “With Compliments” brand standard generosity extended to evening turndown service, which included leaving a variety of Perricone MD skincare products like moisturizer and face serum each night of my stay. Guests are also treated to complimentary laundry service of three pieces of clothing for each night of their stay.

A smart TV showcased a wide offering of international channels and streaming capabilities from one’s personal device.

Chi Wing Lo notably avoided handles in guest rooms, save for bathroom doors, as he didn’t like how a guest could get stuck on a handle or run into them. He also didn’t like the aesthetic of garbage cans sticking out from beneath furniture, so they’re more tucked away than in the usual hotel room (one covertly fits into the side of the minibar cabinet).

The room technically featured an open-concept bathroom right off the entrance with a soaking tub and walk-in shower, but privacy was available thanks to sliding screens that blocked off the bathroom from the bedroom. Other guest rooms and suites I toured featured screens that could be opaque or transparent with the flick of a switch from the bathtub.

The tub featured a slightly elevated seat to give the occupant maximum viewing potential while soaking, and a wooden ledge provided a resting nook to park one’s iPhone or iPad. But who really wants to waste tub time catching up on “The Crown” when you can kick back with a glass of Champagne and soak in the splendor, both of the hotel and of Hong Kong beyond?

Regent Hong Kong stocks Perricone MD bath amenities and provides bath salts for soaking time. A drawer in the vanity included a hefty mix of essentials guests may have forgotten — a dental kit, shaving materials or even a comb. Plush robes and large bath towels were in abundant supply, and a closet in the entry hall offered a reasonable amount of space to hang clothes and stow luggage.

Far more than “just” a hotel restaurant

As the original Regent Hong Kong and its ensuing incarnation as an InterContinental, the hotel was a dining destination, even in a city with a nebula of Michelin-starred restaurants. The new Regent Hong Kong clearly looks to maintain that legacy with a collection of high-end restaurants.

Harbourside, the hotel’s buffet, is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and features a mix of Asian and Western cuisine. I stuck to breakfast and enjoyed chicken congee, dumplings and various noodle dishes each morning — but the omelets, waffles and baked goods looked scrumptious, too. Lunchtime items included an impressive array of fresh seafood when I toured one afternoon.

Service was attentive and included frequent refills of water, juice and iced Americanos (Regent Hong Kong is the kind of place where they also knew my drink order after only one visit to Harbourside).

Lai Ching Heen, the hotel’s two Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant, is more of a revival than a truly new concept. Lai Ching translates to “Regent” in Cantonese and was the original name for the space, but the restaurant changed names during the InterContinental era.

Along with its views of Victoria Harbour, Lai Ching Heen features an actual jade corridor practically begging for an Instagram photo shoot or two to happen either en route to or from your table. You’ll find dishes like steamed seafood dumplings in soup with bamboo piths (198 Hong Kong dollars, or $25) and fried rice with roasted duck, chicken and crab in a lotus leaf (HK$120, or $15). Wok-fried Kagoshima Wagyu with hon-shimeji mushrooms and garlic (HK$880 dollars, or $113) might steal some of the thunder from Lai Ching Heen’s neighboring steak restaurant.

The Steak House, Regent Hong Kong’s upscale hub of carnivorous cuisine, is tucked in a corner on the same level below the lobby as Harbourside and Lai Ching Heen. The space seems to lean more toward romance than its sister restaurants, thanks to its smaller dining room and more intimate seating.

The Steak House is known for its elaborate salad bar with charcuterie, crudites and greens to kick off the meal. But the marquee dish here is likely the Australian Mayura beef from cows that are fed chocolate M&M’s and gummy bears to give these cuts a signature mix of fat, flavor and texture — a 12-ounce striploin goes for HK$1,200 ($154).

An outpost of Nobu and Qura, a tucked-away cocktail and cigar lounge, appeared ready for showtime but weren’t yet open at the time of my tour. Nobu is on the second floor of the hotel, while Qura is just off the main lobby near the staircase that heads downstairs to Harbourside.

The Regent Club, the hotel’s private lounge, is accessible to guests who are staying in rooms with Regent Club access. The club is on the hotel’s second floor and is open all day, with designated hours for breakfast, afternoon tea and evening cocktails.

While the spread isn’t as extensive as Harbourside, breakfast in the Regent Club is a nice, quieter retreat for a cup of tea and a tasteful selection of charcuterie, baked goods and other treats to get the day started.

The pool has one of the best views in Hong Kong

It was on the windier side any time I had a free moment, so I unfortunately didn’t get to splash around the main pool or the infinity pool overlooking Victoria Harbour. However, these are impressive spots to get some sun in the heart of one of Asia’s most fast-paced cities.

The Pool Terrace also features daybeds, with attendants on hand for snack and beverage orders. Just inside, you’ll find a fitness center with an extensive range of cardio equipment, free weights and strength training machines.

A spa wasn’t open at the time of my stay, but one is slated to open early next year.

Why the Regent Hong Kong will be right for you

• Regent Hong Kong is the perfect fit for the resort lover looking for that “urban oasis” vibe in the middle of the city. Some might sneer at city hotels for not providing the best R&R, but if you leave here not feeling rejuvenated, it might be your own fault.
• Those wanting highly attentive, hands-on service will love Regent Hong Kong’s staff. They’re a helpful bunch who seem to anticipate a guest’s needs and wants rather than waiting around to be asked.
• The dining and bar scene at Regent Hong Kong sets a high bar for anywhere in the city. Don’t insult these venues by merely labeling them “hotel restaurants.” Even the buffet at Harbourside appeared to be attracting as many local residents as hotel guests throughout the day.

Why the Regent Hong Kong might not be for you

• Regent Hong Kong is pretty well-connected to the rest of the city thanks to its perch directly above an MTR station. However, you might want to look elsewhere if you want to be on Hong Kong Island and not have to worry about any kind of subway commute to wherever you’re looking to go.
• While some might crave attention and doting staff, others might not. If you just want to check in and not have to interact with staff for the rest of your stay, Regent Hong Kong might not be the place for you.
• If you’re not as much into minimalist room decor and looking for something more grandiose, there are other Hong Kong hotels that might win you over more.

Accessibility

Regent Hong Kong features accessible guest rooms and suites, and each floor of the property is accessible. There is a bathroom button emergency system as well as grab bars, tall toilets and adequate maneuvering space in accessible guest rooms and suites.

Public areas include wheelchair-accessible entrances, accessible public restrooms and accessible restaurant seating. The hotel also has wheelchairs available for use.

Alternatives

Checking out

I’ve been curious about the return of Regent Hong Kong for almost as long as I’ve been a hotel reporter. Its opening represents both a step forward for the brand and a homecoming of sorts for Hong Kong’s luxury hotel scene.