Regent Hotels & Resorts

Hotel chain

Regent Hotels & Resorts is a British-American luxury hospitality brand, founded by hotelier Robert H. Burns in 1970. After passing through different owners since foundation, it is currently jointly owned by IHG Hotels & Resorts and Formosa International Hotels Corporation since July 2018, with hotels and resorts in Asia and Europe.

History

Regent in Beijing

Regent in Berlin

The brand was founded by hotelier Robert H. Burns as a joint venture with Japan's Tokyu Group in 1970, opening its first property in Waikiki Beach, Honolulu in 1971. Burns was, soon after, joined by Georg Rafael and Adrian Zecha, who together developed and expanded Regent's footprint to 17 hotels worldwide.^[1] In 1981, The Regent Hong Kong opened to great acclaim and was consistently labelled "the world's best hotel".^[2][3] The Regent Beverly Wilshire joined the chain in 1985, and later served as the setting for the 1990 film Pretty Woman,^[4] which helped cement Regent's reputation as a luxury hotel operator at the time.^[5]

In 1986, EIE International acquired a 35% stake. When Burns decided to sell his remaining 65% stake in 1992, EIE exercised its right of first refusal to acquire the entire company, which was then promptly sold to the Four Seasons hotel chain.^[6] Regent properties that were under development at the time of purchase in Bali, Milan, New York, and Istanbul were subsequently opened under the Four Seasons flag. Furthermore, Regent Hotels in Jakarta, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Sydney, as well as the Beverly Wilshire were likewise absorbed into the Four Seasons chain.^[7][8]

In 1998, Carlson acquired the Regent name for new hotel developments and created a luxury hotel division while Four Seasons continued managing existing and new Regent hotels, thus labelling existing Regents as "a Four Seasons Hotel".^[9] In 2002, Carlson agreed with Rezidor SAS to develop the Regent hotel brand in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.^[10] Projects were announced in Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Hungary, but none materialized under the Regent brand under Carlson's ownership.

In March 2006, Carlson renamed its Radisson Seven Seas Cruises as Regent Seven Seas Cruises and merged the cruise operation and Regent International Hotels under a common brand.^[11] In 2008, Regent Seven Seas Cruises was sold to Apollo Management, an investment company. Carlson retained ownership of the master Regent brand, along with the operations of Regent Hotels & Resorts around the world.^[12]

In 2010, Carlson sold the Regent business to Formosa International Hotels, the largest listed hotel operator in Taiwan and owner of Grand Formosa Regent Taipei hotel in Taipei, Taiwan, which was opened by Regent's founders in 1990 as The Regent Taipei.^[13][14][15] Co-founder Robert Burns was appointed Honorary Chairman, and Ralf Ohletz as president. Ohletz had worked with another Regent co-founder, Adrian Zecha, for 25 years.^[7]

In March 2018, IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG) announced that it had agreed to buy a 51% majority stake in Regent Hotels for $39 million and planned to expand the brand to 40 hotels from six hotels at acquisition.^[16] This includes rebranding the InterContinental Hong Kong, which initially opened as a Regent property in 1980, to a Regent property once again in 2022 following major renovations. As part of the acquisition deal, IHG has the right to acquire the remaining 49% of Regent in a phased manner from 2026.^[17] New properties have since been signed in Kuala Lumpur, Chengdu, Shanghai and Jeddah.

Since the acquisition of Regent by IHG, the brand logo, monogram and identity were changed in May 2019, where IHG has positioned the brand as its top end offering in the luxury hotel segment.

Properties

Current hotel properties

Current branded residences

The following lists standalone branded residences that operate under the Regent name.

Pipeline properties

The following lists pipeline properties as listed in the IHG website.^[29]

Former properties

The following lists formerly-affiliated properties that no longer carry the Regent branding, listed according to their exit from the Regent system.

Terminated properties

The following Regent property developments were either rebranded or terminated before opening:

• The Regent Balikpapan, Indonesia - opened in 1980 as Hotel Benakutai, currently The New Benakutai^[73]
• The Regent Park Hotel, Tokyo Bay, Japan - opened 1988 as Dai-ichi Hotel Tokyo Bay, currently Hotel Okura Tokyo Bay
• The Regent Yokohama, Japan - opened 1991 as InterContinental Yokohama Grand
• The Regent Bali, Indonesia - opened 1992 as Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay^[74]
• The Regent Milan, Italy - opened 1993 as Four Seasons Hotel Milano^[75]
• The Regent New York, United States - opened 1993 as Four Seasons Hotel New York
• The Regent Istanbul, Turkey - opened 1996 as Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet
• The Regent Mexico City, Mexico - announced in 1999 with a planned opening in 2000,^[76] never materialized
• The Regent Vancouver, Canada - announced in 1999 with a planned opening in 2001,^[76] never materialized
• The Regent Los Cabos, Mexico - announced in 1999 with a planned opening in 2001,^[76] never materialized
• The Regent Punta Maroma, Mexico - announced in 1999 with a planned opening in 2001^[75]
• The Regent Dubrovnik, Croatia - planned opening 2008, never materialized^[77]
• The Regent Boston at Battery Wharf, United States - opened 2009 as Fairmont Battery Wharf, currently Battery Wharf Hotel
• The Regent Dubai at Canal Point, United Arab Emirates - planned opening 2010, never materialized^[78]
• The Regent Kuwait, Kuwait - planned opening 2007,^[79] opened 2013 as Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel and Spa
• The Regent Gurgaon, India - planned opening 2013, never materialized^[80]
• The Regent Doha, Qatar - planned opening 2013, opened 2016 as The Westin Doha Hotel & Spa
• Regent Place Xian, China - planned opening 2017^[81]
• Regent Place Harbin, China - planned opening 2017^[82]
• The Regent Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - planned opening 2013, opened 2018 as Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Residences Emirates Pearl
• The Regent Bangkok, Thailand - planned in 2004, stalled for many years, opened 2018 as Hyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit
• The Regent Suzhou, China - planned opening 2018, never materialized
• The Regent Ningbo, China - planned opening 2005,^[83] opened 2021 as HUALUXE Ningbo Harbor City
• The Regent Budapest, Hungary - planned opening 2007, opened 2023 as W Budapest

See also

• Hotels portal

References

1. "Regent - An Asian Story | Famoushotels.org". famoushotels.org. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
2. "IHG develops its luxury segment with Regent Hotels & Resorts". Hospitality ON. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
3. "He's seen it all: 30 years as a Hong Kong hotel concierge". South China Morning Post. 2020-04-03. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
4. LAFS (2017-06-06). "5 Movies with Set Locations You Can Visit". The Los Angeles Film School. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
5. "Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel (1928), Beverly Hills | Historic Hotels of the World-Then&Now". www.historichotelsthenandnow.com. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
6. Zuckerman, Laurence (20 August 1992). "Checking Out of Regent Hotels:How Chairman Was Bumped". The New York Times.
7. "Regent Hotels & Resorts Returns to Asia: Announces New Global Leadership Team". Hospitality net.org. 2010-07-08.
8. "The Regent Sydney to become Four Seasons Hotel Sydney". Hospitality Net. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
9. "Carlson Hospitality Worldwide And Four Seasons/Regent To Enter Into An Agreement To Aggressively Grow Regent Brand Globally". Carlson (Press release).
10. "Rezidor SAS Hospitality". CatererSearch.com. 2006-06-28.
11. Godwin, Nadine (2006-03-13). "Carlson renames cruise line Regent Seven Seas". Travel Weekly.
12. "Apollo Management L.P. Acquires Regent Seven Seas Cruises". PR Newswire (Press release).
13. Black, Sam (2010-04-18). "Carlson selling Regent luxury hotel business". Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal.
14. Tan, Jason (2010-04-17). "Formosa Hotels acquires 'Regent' business". Taipei Times.
15. "About The Regent Taipei". GrandFormosa.com.
16. "InterContinental Hotels buys majority stake in Regent Hotels". Reuters. 2018-03-14. Retrieved 2018-03-14.
17. "IHG completes acquisition of 51% stake in Regent Hotels & Resorts". IHG Hotels & Resorts. 2018-07-02. Retrieved 2021-03-15.
18. "Star-Studded Events Mark the Grand Re-Opening of Carlton Cannes, a Regent Hotel During Cannes Film Festival". PR Newswire. 18 May 2023.
19. "Regent Hotels & Resorts' Global Expansion Begins With Opening of The Regent South Beach Late Fall 2006". Hotel News Resource. 28 September 2006.
20. "Propreal Capital Partners sells the Regent Hotel Berlin to Blackstone". The Hotel Property Group. 26 January 2022.
21. "Regent Chongqing Opens November 2017". Hospitality Net. 30 October 2017.
22. "Regent Hong Kong: The hotel that changed the definition of luxury for an entire city". CNN. 28 November 2023.
23. "Regent Phu Quoc Set for Spring 2022 Opening in Vietnam". Hospitality Net. 28 January 2022.
24. "Regent Hotel Porto Montenegro Celebrates Grand Opening". Robb Report. 29 August 2014.
25. "IHG's Luxury Hotel Brand Regent to Open on Shanghai's North Bund". Hospitality Net. 1 December 2022.
26. "Regent Pudong Shanghai opens May 2020 (formerly the Four Seasons Pudong Shanghai)". CPP Luxury. 13 April 2020.
27. "Hotel review: Regent Taipei". Hospitality Net. 29 September 2016.
28. "Apartemen Mewah Regent Residence Mulai Diserahkan kepada Konsumen". Kompas (in Indonesian). 16 July 2019.
29. "Regent Hotels & Resorts Pipeline Properties". Retrieved 10 March 2024.
30. "The 10 coolest new hotels and resorts to put on your bucket list for 2024". The Sydney Morning Herald. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
31. "Regent scheduled to open a mixed-use development in Jakarta in 2018". Global Expat Recruiting. 25 July 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
32. "IHG to redefine luxury hospitality in Saudi Arabia with debut of ultra-luxury brand Regent Hotels & Resorts". IHG Hotels & Resorts. 2023-07-26. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
33. "IHG inks Regent deal as it relaunches luxury brand". 18 October 2018.
34. "Regent Kyoto Hotel Announced for 2024".
35. "Legendary Regent brand to debut in the Americas with Santa Monica beachfront resort". 14 March 2022.
36. "IHG Partners with China Duty Free Group to Bring Luxury Hotel Brand Regent to Hainan".
37. "Regent Shenzhen Bay Hotel Announced for 2028". 8 November 2022.
38. "Fifty-two years of ups and downs, Regent finally returned from Nirvana". iNews.
39. "Docomomo Thailand".
40. "First thoughts of the luxury Halekulani hotel..." Girl Ahead. 19 February 2014.
41. "Holiday Inn Bangkok refreshed". TTR Weekly. 25 April 2018.
42. "Hyatt Hotels Closing Cerromar Beach Property in Puerto Rico". Globest. 16 May 2003.
43. "Hyatt Dorado to close; owners say renovations not worth it". Travel Weekly. 24 April 2006.
44. "A Ritz Ups the Ante in Puerto Rico". The New York Times. 12 December 2012.
45. "Otaka LP Sells the 1,304-room Hawaiian Regent Hotel to Marriott International for $125.5 million". Hotel Online. 16 November 2000.
46. "The Last Aloha for Understated Elegance". The New York Times. 7 April 2006.
47. "CONCIERGE History, heritage, and innovation – a series of firsts from Dorchester Collection". CPP Luxury. 22 January 2021.
48. "NEIGHBORHOOD REPORT: UPPER EAST SIDE; Big Trouble at High Tea: The Mayfair Is in Default". The New York Times. 8 January 1995.
49. "OLD HOTEL TO SELL GRANDEUR IN PIECES". Chicago Tribune. 26 May 1995.
50. "The Landmark London delivers an impressive post-pandemic come-back (REVIEW)". CPP Luxury. 21 October 2021.
51. "Hudson secures Hyatt Auckland for $40 million". Financial Review. 18 May 1999.
52. "The Stamford Plaza to fly the JW Marriott flag in Auckland with NZD$20 m refurbishment". Hotel Conversation. 25 November 2022.
53. "Accor to take over Regent management". Financial Review. 29 February 1996.
54. "Regent Hotel in Las Vegas to Become JW Marriott Hotel". Hospitality Net. 13 December 2001.
55. "Taj Lands End Mumbai turns 20". BW Hotelier. 9 September 2022.
56. "The Regent Sydney to become Four Seasons Hotel Sydney". Hospitality Net. 8 July 2002.
57. "Anantara to rebrand Four Seasons Bangkok". Hotel Management. 9 January 2015.
58. "Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts to rename Thailand properties". Hospitality Net. 14 December 2003.
59. "Surviving 9/11, but Not Aftermath; A Wall Street Landmark to End Short Run as a Luxury Hotel". The New York Times. 18 December 2003.
60. "Four Seasons to Rename Jakarta Property". Breaking Travel News. 14 July 2004.
61. "Review: The St Regis Jakarta, a stunning city hotel". Head for Points. 25 September 2023.
62. "The Former Regent Almaty Hotel, a Landmark within Almaty - the Largest City in Kazakhstan, Undergoing Refurbishment and Rebranding to InterContinental". Hotel Online. 12 September 2006.
63. "The Regent to become Millennium Kuala Lumpur". The Star. 15 May 2007.
64. "Regent Hotels Pulls Out Nine Months after Opening the Regent South Beach". Hotel Online. 15 September 2007.
65. "Longemont Hotels Management". The Longemont Hotels.
66. "Regent Bali to Become Fairmont Sanur Beach Bali in December". Luxury Travel Magazine. 22 September 2014.
67. "Fairmont Sanur Beach Bali Converts to InterContinental Bali Sanur Resort". Hotel News Resource. 12 January 2022.
68. "IHG signs InterContinental Bordeaux - Le Grand Hotel". Breaking Travel News. 28 July 2015.
69. "Palms Turks and Caicos no longer a Regent resort". Travel Weekly. 1 September 2015.
70. "Amatara Resort and Wellness, Phuket: Family luxury". The Sydney Morning Herald. 11 September 2016.
71. "Regent Singapore to be Managed by Capella Hotel Group".
72. "A second Conrad Hotel for Singapore".
73. "Hotel Benakutai". 3 May 2019.
74. "Bali Marks the Resurgence of Regent". 9 September 2013.
75. "Mini casts refugees as extras". 23 June 1992.
76. "The Regent Beverly Wilshire Ranks 37th in the Continental United States and Canada According to Travel and Leisure Poll". 30 September 1999.
77. "Six Hotels in One Week - Rezidor Sas Expands ITS International Presence". 12 June 2006.
78. "No Regent hotel at Canal Point - Rezidor". 3 May 2009.
79. "First Regent Hotel in the Middle East - the Regent Kuwait - Slated for 2007".
80. "Carlson Hotels Worldwide Expands Luxury Regent Brand into India".
81. "Regent Place Xian to Open 2016 in China".
82. "Regent Place Harbin set to launch in 2017". 6 August 2015.
83. "Regent International Hotels Signs Agreement to Open Luxury Hotel in China the Regent Ningbo scheduled to open in 2005".