It’s Chinese New Year when I fling open the door to my Corner Suite – Harbourview at Regent Hong Kong with glee. I peer through the sleek haven’s panoramic windows to see the sky above Victoria Harbor alight in kaleidoscopic colors. Fireworks boom and whistle amongst the stars, while the water below gleams like a field of crushed sea glass on fire.
I’m so riveted by the scene — not to mention the sumptuousness of my suite — that I don’t notice the amenity the hotel’s left on my dining table until a moment later. It’s been a long day of glorious sightseeing. I’ve practiced yoga with a master teacher in a private lesson on The Pool Terrace, meandered through the historic Yau Ma Tei market with a guide, shopped on Hollywood Road for antiques, and met with a tailor who will make me a turquoise raw-silk suit from a vintage Chanel pattern. I’ve loved every moment — but nothing compares to what Regent Hong Kong’s pastry chef has left me as a gift.
“Is that a Louis Vuitton bag?” I say aloud, though nobody else is in the room. I approach it gingerly. It certainly looks exactly like a Louis Vuitton bag. I reach out to touch it, and my finger pokes right through the purse. I laugh — and break off a piece, popping it into my mouth. Yes. It’s a perfectly crafted, edible Louis Vuitton bag — only deftly made by the chef from chocolate. It’s the ultimate treat.
A beacon on the waterfront, Regent Hong Kong, the Regent brand’s flagship hotel, has been a mainstay of local luxury since 1980. Its convenient position, steps from Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry pier, makes it a boon for both business and leisure travelers who sometimes forgo sightseeing to simply enjoy the hotel and its array of amenities. Regent Hong Kong has welcomed presidents, dignitaries, and celebutantes aplenty, and it’s by far Hong Kong’s premier hotel for upscale weddings and fetes. Don’t be surprised to find well-heeled guests posing for perpetuity on the Regent’s white-marble staircase, a lodestone in the buzzy lobby.
The Design
Perpetually refurbished over the years and recently rebranded and reimagined to be better than ever, Regent Hong Kong overlooks Central’s jagged horizon of skyscrapers, each purposely built and designed to evoke a sense of tranquility and calm amid the urbanity. Walk by and you’ll simply be drawn to enter the hotel. Huge wooden doors open to a light-filled lobby, where an atmospheric fountain wafts soothing background sounds. Masterminded by Hong Kong-born Chi Wing Lo, an internationally celebrated architect and visionary, the hotel reads as a tranquil sanctuary from Hong Kong’s hubbub but also as an invitation to personal transformation.
Throughout the hotel, Chi Wing Lo balances elegance, glamour, and functionality. He references Chinese philosophical elements without overdoing it, and summons the past and present on every level. Despite the hotel’s spellbinding beauty, Regent Hong Kong stays loyal to practicality. With every detail taken into consideration, the hotel reads as a work of immersive art, not merely a place to stay. Whether it’s the lobby’s Golden Illusion passageway, where 10 vertical glass-brick screens act as soaring chandeliers (a homage to LiuLi, a form of Chinese glass art), the second staircase built in the form of a round lantern tower, or the pearly and grey yin-yang-hued guest rooms, spaciously designed as hideaway havens, each hotel nook captivates, even as it induces a sense of extreme zen.
The Rooms
Regent Hong Kong offers 497 residential-like guest rooms and suites, most vaunting a Victoria Harbour View. All have stylish decor, with custom furnishings, soft textures, woven-patterned sliding screens, and mesh-mirrored accents that reflect the water outside, bringing the glimmer indoors. Daybeds edge windows, inviting guests to sit and gaze awhile, ever spellbound by the red-sailed Chinese junk boats on the harbor. Thoughtful features — concealed storage, cordless chargers, minibar items — pamper. I loved the daily delivery of crispy egg rolls or other Hong Kong-style treats, as well as spa-like turndown amenities: hand cream, eye masks, and such.
I’d check into Regent Hong Kong for the indulgent bathrooms alone. Called “Oasis Bathrooms” by Chi Wing Lo, they comprise a separate dry and wet area, with the former flaunting double vanities, the latter with a curtain-free rainfall shower, plus free-standing, deep-soaking tubs positioned for transportive harbor vistas. Book a room graced with a Moongate Threshold, an exotic arch in the bathroom, crafted in Nero African granite, which frames the view. Dyson hair dryers in select suites and Perricone MD bath products seal the deal.
Presidential Suite
With a range of opulent rooms and suites, Regent Hong Kong tasked Chi Wing Lo to conceive the Presidential Suite as the hotel’s pièce de résistance. Encompassing nearly 7,000 square feet, the sophisticated enclave occupies two stories. It spans much of the 17th floor, going upward to the roof for its crown jewel-level terrace. Punctuated by a spectacular infinity pool, the sky-high, 7,000-square-foot refuge depicts Hong Kong’s cityscape from a bird’s-eye view in all its glory.
Dining and Drinking
Though lovers of Cantonese cuisine may want to explore Hong Kong’s plenitude of historic local restaurants, there’s really no need to leave the Regent Hong Kong for a feast.
Earning two Michelin stars and two Diamond Black Pearl Restaurant Guide awards, Lai Ching Heen feels like walking into a vintage movie, Hong Kong-style. Romantic, it’s a den of shiny lacquer, hand-painted silk screens, and jade tones. The atmosphere alone delivers a dream-laden experience even before you taste dishes such as lobster dumplings with mushrooms or the baked bun with black truffle, egg custard, and quail egg. Don’t miss the Peking Duck under any circumstances. The restaurant also has a resident tea master. Tables with harbor views go fast at this local favorite, so reserve in advance.
Afternoon tea at The Lobby Lounge is equally exceptional. With stunning views of Victoria Harbor and Central beyond, the unique presentation takes classic English afternoon tea up a notch. It starts with an amuse bouche, followed by sweets and savories, including delights such as caviar, prawn toast or mini pineapple buns stuffed with foie gras. Elaborate cakes and other sweets, finger sandwiches, and scones with clotted cream beg for a Chinese tea match up. Consider a cup of Pu-Erh, which naturally cleanses your palate after savory bites.
The Steak House, recognized by the Michelin Guide Hong Kong & Macau 2026 and ranked No. 80 on the World’s 101 Best Steak Restaurants 2026 list, features a sprawling salad bar and globally procured beef cuts. It is where you’ll want to eat if you feel homesick (though it will be better than home). Harbourside does all day buffets, featuring international dishes. Its breakfast is one for the books. Have after dinner cocktails at Qura Bar, and Nobu fans can get their Black Cod with Miso fix at this classic Nobu Hong Kong when a craving hits. Guests who’ve opted for a suite can repose in Regent Club, which serves several presentations a day including breakfast and afternoon tea.
Wellness and Activities
There’s no spa at Regent Hong Kong — but anything you want can be arranged by the hotel’s affable and expert staff who can provide options. In the meantime, the spa-like bathrooms more than suffice — and the view is like a spa treatment in itself. A state-of-the-art fitness center allows 24/7 access. Unforgettable, the pool, with its chic pool terrace, seems to melt right off the building and mix with the waters of Victoria Harbor.
If I were to choose a motto for this chill, but very fancy, hotel, I’d pick Bruce Lee’s famous line: “Be like water.” At Regent Hong Kong the message is clear: water soothes and heals us. Whether by the rooftop pool, near the lobby fountain, peering at the harbor view, or atop the Presidential Suite’s floating terrace with its own infinity pool, Regent Hong Kong gives us the gift of water.
Feature Image Courtesy of Regent Hong Kong. In Partnership with Regent Hong Kong.
