The Beat Stays: Regent Hong Kong, a Welcome Return of Serenity and Luxury
Regent Hong Kong is luxury living incarnate. Birthed from the heavens to the Tsim Sha Tsui peninsula in 1980, the brand briefly took a rebranding as Hong Kong’s Kowloon-based InterContinental, before undergoing a re-imagination and renovation during the early 2020s to reclaim the gold status of the Regent brand, reopening in March 2023.
With a trusted companion joining me for a whisk into Hong Kong luxury, we spent 24 hours at the Regent hotel, experiencing premium legacy, relaxation, and fine dining at one of the city’s most important hotel residences. Here are our thoughts.
Venue & Neighbourhood
Shrouded away beyond the tourist haven of Tsim Sha Tsui, Regent Hong Kong affords a tranquillity lost in the south Kowloon area, one of sedateness and nirvana exuding from every corner of the five-star property.
Sitting beside the property's 1980s-styled hotel residence is the sky-topping K11 Musea, a leading Hong Kong mall brand pushing an amalgam art, culture, and luxury fashion forward. To the east lay Hong Kong’s Museum of Art, Cultural Centre, and Space Museum, a cultural infusion for afternoons away from the Regent, before seeking refuge again for a quiet dinner at night.
The Room
The guestroom experience, alongside every style element of design, is the brainchild of architect Chi Wing Lo. From the hotel lobby, motifs of serenity and rejuvenation follow to the rooms. We stayed in a Classic Harbourview Room, paired with the signature “Framed View” and Oasis Bathroom.
The critical feature of the room is the awesome harbour view, framed by the space’s width and height and capturing the entirety of Hong Kong Island’s mammoth size. Basking in the rare muteness of the city, the view from the Regent affords a moment of tranquillity priceless in Hong Kong.
The room’s graceful design exudes softness and grace, with rounded corners adorned on walls and edges to repel bad luck. Light browns, textured blacks, and soft beiges decorate the furniture, bathtub, vanity, and floor to calm guests on arrival. The welcome addition of the granite bathtub positions allows guests to soak up warmth and the enviable view of the island.
Amenities
Regent Hong Kong reinvents its collection of top bars, restaurants, and lounges housed in its giant quarters. The Lobby Lounge soaks up views in its airy space for sanctuary beyond the crowds of Tsim Sha Tsui. The lower-level Harbourside boasts a powerful buffet selection for all three meals of the day.
After-dark, The Steak House and Lai Ching Heen earn the Regent its label as a leading dining destination. The homecoming for the former-Yan Toh Heen — renamed to Lai Ching Heen — reflects an embrace of Chinese flavours in the hotel, while The Steak House reinvigorates the power of charcoal-cooked steak in one of Hong Kong’s oldest steakhouses.
In keeping with the theme of serenity at Regent, wellness is central to the hotel’s Pool Terrace, hosting a well-sized swimming pool encircled with daybeds and an infinity spa pool perched on the edge of the hotel, directing views to the rolling hills of North Point and Tin Hau.
Experiences
As you draw closer to the Regent from the rush of Tsim Sha Tsui, you're welcomed immediately by the tranquil sound of a Feng Shui fountain, leading you towards 18 golden domes illuminating a gleaming port cochère at the entrance of the property. Welcomed by Regent's ever-so friendly doormen, you cross the majestic wooden doors, transitioning from the city's buzz to a peaceful sanctuary.
Upon entering the lobby, I was captivated by the “Spirit of Regent Retrospective” montage stationed to the right of the help desk, a tribute to the hotel's rich heritage and art collection, told through a collection of framed Chinese scrolls employed in pre-renovation rooms.
Check-Out Thoughts
My sojourn at the Regent Hong Kong Hotel was remarkable and my memories everlasting, from the warm entrance on arrival at the lobby, tour around the five-star premises, dining during dinner, breakfast and afternoon tea, to the lustful view of the beating city.
The design of the hotel uniquely blends a foregone 1980s style with new motifs of modern Chinese-era style, exuding a luxurious tone that will compete for years as one of Hong Kong’s top hotels. The view, framed in my hotel room, soaked up in the afternoon tea lounge, teased at The Steak House, and highlighted at the pool, is worth all the money for one night at the Regent.
Where: Regent Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
Travelling across Asia soon? Check out more reviews of great hotels in the region in our The Beat Stays series.
Get the latest curated content with The Beat Asia's newsletters. Sign up now for a weekly dose of the best stories, events, and deals delivered straight to your inbox. Don't miss out! Click here to subscribe.