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Old Nov 1, 2000 | 5:45 pm
  #3  
Law Lord
 
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Portland, Oregon; seat 3A
Programs: UA 1K 2021-22-23-24;Formerly a longtime UA Premier Exec; NW silver (legacy), Alaska Gold (way back)
Posts: 2,318
The Regent, in Hong Kong.
Here's why: this is my arrival, from the old (Kai Tak) airport on Kowloon: I had pre-ordered a hotel car. I go outside to where the hotel cars wait. I see rows of Mercedes, pulling up to pick up guests at other hotels. I can't see any signs on the cars, so I ask how they know they aren't for the Regent. Man A explains that I will know. Then a Bentley arrives. "That's ours," says A. A puts my suitcase in the trunk, and B (the driver) opens the door for me. Beside me is a fresh copy of today's newspaper.
At the hotel, C opens the car door while D gets my suitcase from the trunk. E opens the hotel door for me. I enter and go to the checkin desk, which has three attendants and no one waiting. F (at the desk) says "Welcome to the Regent, Mr. Law Lord." I hand her my credit card and am checked in in 30 seconds. G (also at the desk) leads me to the elevator, which is open, empty, and waiting with no one holding the door. G takes me to my room. Two minutes later H (who might also be C or D) arrives with my suitcase and asks if he should unpack it.

Three minutes later I and J arrive unbidden, one with hot tea and the other with cold melon.

Total time from getting into the car at Kai Tak to sending I and J away and starting to work on the tea and melon: 18 minutes.

This was my first visit. I was staying in an ordinary room. Neither I nor my company (then a very small one) had any arrangement or deal with the Regent. I was nothing special to the Regent. Yet at every moment they made me feel as if I were.

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