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Regal Airport
Hotel Hong Kong
Hong Kong's
new airport boasts a cozy corporate refuge
(A site-inspection
report for travel agents.)
Just steps away from Chek Lap Kok, the vast and glistening new air terminal
on Lantau Island, Regal Hotels' fifth Hong Kong property offers a convenient
refuge for the harried Far Eastern business traveler. Whisper-quiet, with
around-the-clock room service, and special "jet-lag menus,"
the hotel makes an ideal choice -- in fact, the only choice -- for that
layover between Bangkok and New York. Yet thanks to a high-speed rail
link, the airport is just 23 minutes from the bustle of Hong Kong's Central
business district, making the Regal Airport a tempting alternative for
a longer stay.
The hotel caters to the briefest
of layovers with four- and eight-hour day use rates that include access
to a health spa, pool, airline passenger lounge, and a full-service Business
Centre. For those whose business calls for an extended stay, monthly rates
range from $1,500 to $5,700 (for a suite). Monthly guests enjoy a range
of benefits including dining and laundry discounts, daily newspapers,
and free local phone service. In high-priced Hong Kong, these rates are
a distinct bargain.
The Regal Airport is also equipped
to handle small to moderate-sized meetings. Given Hong Kong's location
and the now smooth-running efficiency of Chek Lap Kok, the hotel offers
a logical central meeting point for corporations with branches strewn
across the region. The hotel is less convenient for leisure travelers,
although the Po Lin Monastery, with its enormous seated bronze Buddha,
is a short drive away on Lantau Island. The 23-minute express trains to
the main tourist areas cost about $14 each way, while double-decker buses
(45 minutes) are about $5.
The brand-new hotel is still
a work-in-progress, with final completion scheduled for late 1999.
Target
Clientele: The hotel
will appeal first and foremost to the business traveler, but agent's should
not overlook its appeal to leisure travelers with layovers in Hong Kong
or those who are stopping over for a few days with an early flight out.
Transportation into Hong Kong proper is convenient, fast, frequent, and
moderately priced.
Accommodations: Sleek curving hallways dotted with abstract art
in psychedelic colors give way to calming rooms highlighted with dark
wood paneling and deep red upholstery. The 1,075 rooms feature direct-dial
phones, a minibar, CNN and the BBC, an electric kettle with tea and coffee,
lighted closets, and hair dryer. The suites offer silent views of airport
operations and the sea beyond, along with jacuzzis and a well-appointed
living/dining area with a free-standing glass-topped desk.
Public Areas: The hotel's interior design is contemporary in the
somewhat kinetic fashion that characterizes this ever-changing business
mecca. Every turn of a corner or change in level offers a new and distinct
visual experience. In the skylit atrium lobby, a small bandstand seems
to float on a curtain of water as musical combos entertain guests into
the wee hours. To all sides, an array of elegant shops beckons.
The 995 square meter grand ballroom, with its elegant chandeliers, can
host 65 guests for a sit-down banquet or 850 for cocktails; configured
theater-style, the capacity is 800. The ballroom also features a large
stage area with theatrical lighting. Seven smaller breakout rooms cater
to more intimate get-togethers, while the Business Centre offers conference
rooms for twelve and small offices for one-on-one meetings. The Centre
also offers secretarial services and Internet access.
The health club is state of the art and there are both indoor and outdoor
pools. A beauty spa offers the tantalizing prospect of a makeover during
a layover.
Dining: The Café Aficionado offers Western and Oriental
buffets in a tasteful pastel setting complimented by rotating art exhibits.
Dragon Inn serves up Northern Chinese specialties in a luxurious setting
while Rouge features Cantonese cuisine. The Airport Yataimura serves a
wide range of Japanese dishes, from sushi to okonomiyaki, here billed
as "Japanese pizza." The China Coast Bar and Grill is a canny
reproduction of an American sports bar with large-screen broadcasts of
live sports events from around the world. The multi-level, "smart
casual" rooftop Paramount Restaurant and Lounge serves up breathtaking
views of takeoffs and landings along with trendy European cuisine.
Service: All staff members, including the household staff, speak
fluent English and are unfailingly friendly yet never intrusive. Guests
on the Regal Club Floors (11 and 12) receive private check-in, free laundry
service, and complimentary breakfast, cocktails and refreshments served
in a private lounge. All guests can take advantage of four-hour laundry
service. A medical clinic is staffed by a doctor and nurse from 9 a.m.
to 6 p.m. daily.
Strongest Selling Point: There are three: location, location, and
location. For short layovers, it is the only logical choice. Corporations
looking for a quick, convenient meeting place will also find the Regal
Airport alluring.
Rates & Packages: Room rates range from $300 single and $320 double
to $1,100 for a Regal Club Suite. Cabana rooms, which offer a semi-private
terrace are $340 single and $365 double. The Presidential Suite is $3,600.
A "Super Value Package" for $192 single or $221 double includes
a room upgrade, buffet breakfast, a return ticket to Hong Kong on the
airport express train, a free fax home, and 30 minutes in-room Internet
access. [Note: this package expires June 30, 1999.]
The Basics:
Regal Airport Hotel, Hong Kong
Address: 9 Cheong Tat Road, Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong
Opened: January 1999
Number of rooms: 1,100
Commission: 10 percent
Web site: www.regal-hotels.com
Res code: RQ
Phone: 800-222-8888
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