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Old Mar 15, 2018, 11:51 am
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IHG Hong Kong to Rerebrand to the Regent

Just read that IHG have taken a controlling share in Regent and plan to develop the brand. The IHG Hong Kong will undergo an extensive refurbishment in 2020 and will be rebranded The Regent - as it was until it rebranded as the Intercontinental a few years back
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Old Mar 15, 2018, 4:34 pm
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I am not familiar with the Regent brand. Is this a good thing?
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Old Mar 15, 2018, 4:38 pm
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Originally Posted by SanDiego1K
I am not familiar with the Regent brand. Is this a good thing?
I think of it as being similar to Millenium. My impression is that they mostly have hotels that are vaguely modern (but not in the sense of an Andaz, W, etc.) and in a range of categories but not luxury and not budget. The hotels just seem indistingusihed to me, with nothing special about them, no local touches, no historic buildings, etc.
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Old Mar 15, 2018, 4:50 pm
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Originally Posted by SanDiego1K
I am not familiar with the Regent brand. Is this a good thing?
When the Regent Hong Kong opened, it was considered quite a big deal as, at that time, the only great luxury hotel in Kowloon was the Peninsula. The Regent was the height of elegance in the '80's. It never had quite the same cache when it became IHG.
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Old Mar 15, 2018, 5:33 pm
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Am I remembering incorrectly that the former Regent Bangkok used to be one of the top in the city?
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Old Mar 15, 2018, 6:31 pm
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Yea the Regent - courtesy of Adrian Zecha of course - had its day but it's fallen badly now, and as mentioned, the hotels straddled a wide range in the spectrum and are quite indistinguishable. Not sure if this is necessarily a good thing? Having said that, quite a few of the staff are still there from when it was a Regent (albeit maybe not since 1980 but certainly the later years).

Either way, that hotel badly needs a very heavy refurbishment, Regent or InterCon.
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Old Mar 15, 2018, 7:22 pm
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The Regent Hong Kong was incredible. I still think it has the best views in Hong Kong - at least IMHO and for me personally. . It's not up high like the Pen, but it is " in your face" gorgeous harbor views. Although I prefer staying on Hong Kong island - a hangover from going there so often for business for years - I do think the harbor views from Kowloon back to Hong Kong island are the best. The Pen views are terrific but for me personally I really really love the views from the ex and soon to be again Regent. I stayed there once when it switched to the Intercontinental and it was quite a notch lower in terms of service and the lobby was full of tour groups checking in. I have great memories staying at the old "Regent" branded hotel and if and when they make the transition and it goes back to the way it was, I'd stay there again. Still love the Chinese restaurant there and always make the trip across the harbor to eat lunch or dinner there when in Hong Kong!
Thank you for sharing this good news! Glad they are renovating!

As I recall the Regent in Bangkok was what became the Four Seasons and now is the Anatara? I think? Always stayed at the MO but remember having dinner there and I think it was originally the Regent. Please correct me if wrong!
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Old Mar 15, 2018, 8:28 pm
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Originally Posted by obscure2k
When the Regent Hong Kong opened, it was considered quite a big deal as, at that time, the only great luxury hotel in Kowloon was the Peninsula. The Regent was the height of elegance in the '80's. It never had quite the same cache when it became IHG.
Originally Posted by callmedtop
Am I remembering incorrectly that the former Regent Bangkok used to be one of the top in the city?
Originally Posted by Larkin
The Regent Hong Kong was incredible. I still think it has the best views in Hong Kong - at least IMHO and for me personally. . It's not up high like the Pen, but it is " in your face" gorgeous harbor views. Although I prefer staying on Hong Kong island - a hangover from going there so often for business for years - I do think the harbor views from Kowloon back to Hong Kong island are the best. The Pen views are terrific but for me personally I really really love the views from the ex and soon to be again Regent. I stayed there once when it switched to the Intercontinental and it was quite a notch lower in terms of service and the lobby was full of tour groups checking in. I have great memories staying at the old "Regent" branded hotel and if and when they make the transition and it goes back to the way it was, I'd stay there again. Still love the Chinese restaurant there and always make the trip across the harbor to eat lunch or dinner there when in Hong Kong!
Thank you for sharing this good news! Glad they are renovating!

As I recall the Regent in Bangkok was what became the Four Seasons and now is the Anatara? I think? Always stayed at the MO but remember having dinner there and I think it was originally the Regent. Please correct me if wrong!
AZ always did a splendid “ art piece / work “ , for the love of it !

Used to hang out at both BKK & HKG ones . BKK for the calm in the midst of bustle , heat & humidity . HK for the calm , views & lovely tea times , etcetera .
Both were welcome sanctuaries .

And you correct , Larkin

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Old Mar 16, 2018, 1:24 am
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Originally Posted by FlyerEC






AZ always did a splendid “ art piece / work “ , for the love of it !

Used to hang out at both BKK & HKG ones . BKK for the calm in the midst of bustle , heat & humidity . HK for the calm , views & lovely tea times , etcetera .
Both were welcome sanctuaries .

And you correct , Larkin


The old Regent in Bangkok (that became the Four Seasons and then the Anantara ) started life as the Peninsula - the lobby is very similar to Hong Kong. The shopping centre centre next door for many years was called The Peninsula Plaza. Regent took over the Peninsula in Bangkok in 1984.

Regent used to have some quite famous hotels - some gone now. The Landmark in London started life as The Regent. The Regent Mayfair in NY, The Beverly Wiltshire Hotel.

http://www.iltm.com/__novadocuments/...86901872400000


Last edited by Kettering Northants QC; Mar 16, 2018 at 1:42 am
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Old Mar 16, 2018, 1:59 am
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It seems they re-brand a lot of Intercontinentals. I guess in the end the few ICs which can be called luxury get a Regent. Don´t think it will have any effect on the properties. Only Regent I know first hand is Berlin and I wasn´t impressed.
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Old Mar 16, 2018, 2:36 am
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Originally Posted by callmedtop
Am I remembering incorrectly that the former Regent Bangkok used to be one of the top in the city?
The same hotel still is one of the best in the city.

FS Chiang Mai also opened as a Regent. Regent was then, if I remember correctly, acquired by Four Seasons and many properties were reflagged as Four Seasons hotels.

I suspect the current Regent hotel brand has nothing to do with the great Regent Hotels created by Bob Burns.
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Old Mar 16, 2018, 3:28 am
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Originally Posted by Kettering Northants QC


The old Regent in Bangkok (that became the Four Seasons and then the Anantara ) started life as the Peninsula - the lobby is very similar to Hong Kong. The shopping centre centre next door for many years was called The Peninsula Plaza. Regent took over the Peninsula in Bangkok in 1984.

Regent used to have some quite famous hotels - some gone now. The Landmark in London started life as The Regent. The Regent Mayfair in NY, The Beverly Wiltshire Hotel.

http://www.iltm.com/__novadocuments/...86901872400000


Originally Posted by MikeFromTokyo


The same hotel still is one of the best in the city.

FS Chiang Mai also opened as a Regent. Regent was then, if I remember correctly, acquired by Four Seasons and many properties were reflagged as Four Seasons hotels.

I suspect the current Regent hotel brand has nothing to do with the great Regent Hotels created by Bob Burns.
Somewhere along the way , our friends owned them - the Chiangmai & BKK properties .
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Old Mar 16, 2018, 3:37 am
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Remember that Rosewood is opening next to IC Hong Kong so they need to do something ....
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Old Mar 16, 2018, 4:18 am
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Originally Posted by chinmoylad
Not sure if this is necessarily a good thing?
Wondering the same thing here. IC, while not a luxury name, is a decent-enough five star brand, whereas Regent is more unknown and feels more four-star to mid-level five star branding.
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Old Mar 16, 2018, 4:48 am
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Originally Posted by Larkin
The Regent Hong Kong was incredible. I still think it has the best views in Hong Kong - at least IMHO and for me personally.
I totally agree. I stayed there in a fabulous Harbour View Room back in 1991 en route to Koror in Palau. The lobby was incredibly buzzy, the view from the glass wall was possibly the best of any city hotel anywhere in the world. Food was wonderful, service telepathic. Only the pool let the side down a bit as it never got the sun. We went back to dine there a few years ago and it seemed to be full of tour groups. Glad to hear about the renovation and upgrade.

Regent was a class act and somehow morphed into Four Seasons. I also stayed at the Regent hotels in Bangkok, Singapore and Sydney.

Last edited by Pausanias; Mar 16, 2018 at 5:18 am
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