Company Overview
Regent International Hotels and The Regent brand name are synonymous with luxury and service in hotels and resorts around the world.
The company is renowned for its total dedication to customer service and enjoys a clearly defined leadership role in the luxury market. Backed by the financial strength and business-building resources of Carlson Hotels Worldwide (USA), Regent has embarked on a selective global growth program, entering new markets and offering expanded worldwide presence in the luxury hotel category.
At present, Regent hotels and resorts are located in the cities of Almaty in Kazakhstan, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Taipei and Beverly Hills in Los Angeles. The Regent Esplanade Hotel in Zagreb, Croatia, which joined in May 2004, is the newest addition to the exclusive Regent portfolio. New properties under development around the globe include: The Regent Ningbo and The Regent Beijing in China; The Regent Boston at Battery Wharf Hotel and Residences in Boston, Mass.; and in Florida, The Regent Winter Park, near Orlando; The Regent Bal Harbour; and The Regent South Beach in Miami.
Memorable Experiences
Regent International Hotels established its reputation on a commitment to exceptional guest service, attention to detail and an uncompromising commitment to quality. A special focus of The Regent guest experience is combining the warmth and culture of the local community with global luxury standards. The result is a hospitality experience that is richly personalized, genuine and caring.
The next generation of Regent will focus on service delivery at "legendary" levels. At Regent International Hotels, guests are greeted by name, but it is the unspoken that make them feel welcome. Regent locations inspire awe, but it is the unseen that makes the hotels truly seductive. Guests are surrounded with architecture and design that is in keeping with each distinct locale, while providing the simple, familiar and comfortable. Guests are further rewarded for staying at Regent with the opportunity to earn 500 miles per eligible stay on partner airlines: Cathay Pacific, Northwest and United.
Luxurious Surroundings for the Most Discerning Guest
Regent was the first luxury hotel company to pioneer luxury concepts in guestroom design, architecture and services. From its beginning, Regent International Hotels sought to offer the very best in hotel and resort accommodations to a discerning clientele.
Regent hotels of the future will continue to target the upscale business and leisure traveler, in addition to carrying on other pioneering traditions that have long enriched The Regent heritage. These include:
- Bathrooms so luxurious that they are elevated to an art form. The most recent example can be found at The Regent South Beach where bathrooms will feature imported marble floors, granite countertops, Jacuzzi baths, European-style showers and waterfall spouts. Penthouse bathrooms will also have steam rooms;
- Architecture that is in keeping with the location of the hotel such as The Regent Almaty, in Kazakhstan, which features a gleaming glass facade to reflect the spectacular snowcapped skyline of its surroundings;
- Custom-designed interiors, richly appointed public areas and guest rooms as those found in The Regent Beverly Wilshire located at the fabled corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills;
- Memorable dining that is considered among the best available anywhere in the city. The Regent Taipei, among others, holds this distinction with ten international restaurants providing superior dining in comfortably elegant surroundings. Guests at The Regent Taipei can travel the world in taste with dining experiences that vary from East meets West, Cantonese, Continental European, Shanghai, Japanese and Italian cuisines.
The media and travel industry commentators have long noted Regent's accomplishments. Its properties are regularly singled out for praise and acclaim from prestigious publications including Condé Nast Traveler, Elite Traveler, Institutional Investor, The Robb Report, and Travel & Leisure as well as independent rating services.
The Regent ClubIn April 1996, Regent International Hotels set new standards in hospitality with the unveiling of The Regent Club at The Regent Jakarta. The Regent Club concept has been extended to The Regent hotels in Kuala Lumpur, Almaty (Kazakhstan) and Singapore.
The Regent Club provides comprehensive and personalized service for the discerning business traveler on payment of a small premium above the relevant daily room rate. Personalized attention begins well before the guest's arrival, with the club's home-to-hotel trip planning assistance. Onward trip planning is also available and includes assistance with airline ticketing and reconfirmation, ground transportation and hotel reservations at the next destination, regardless of where the guest is staying.
The Regent Club has redefined the luxury benchmark for executive club accommodations providing an exceptional level of highly personalized service in a responsive environment.
History
Regent International Hotels was founded in Hong Kong in 1970 as a joint venture between Mr. Robert H. Burns, who became chairman and chief executive officer of the company, and Tokyu Corporation of Japan.
From 1970 to 1979 the company opened and managed a number of prominent hotels, but gained truly international recognition in 1980 with the opening of The Regent Hong Kong, which brought a new dimension in amenities and service to hotels in the city and attracted attention throughout the world. It was in this way that the hotel innovatively combined the Eastern standard of service excellence with the Western standard of luxurious spaces.
In August 1992, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts acquired Regent International Hotels. Several new Regent hotels opened during this period, including the highly successful The Regent Jakarta, Indonesia, which continues to set new standards in luxury accommodations and service in its market.
In November 1997, Carlson Hospitality Worldwide, one of the major operating divisions of the global travel and hospitality industry conglomerate, Carlson Companies, acquired Regent International Hotels from Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. Four Seasons continues to manage, under license from Regent International Hotels, Regent hotels located in Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Taipei and Beverly Hills in Los Angeles.
Company Headquarters
With the acquisition by Carlson, Regent International Hotels' headquarters were relocated to Carlson Companies world headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. Carlson Companies, Inc. is a US$20 billion global enterprise, which includes over 5,300 travel agencies, a world-renowned incentive travel and marketing company plus over 1,700 hotels, resorts, restaurants, and cruise ships.
Global Reservations Delivery System
Reservations and business delivery to Regent International Hotels is provided through the industry-leading global reservations system of Carlson Hospitality Worldwide. This global system captures business for the individual Regent hotels through a worldwide network, which includes over 30 toll-free telephone numbers plus electronic booking capabilities through the Internet Global Distribution Systems. Travel agents can book Regent locations using the chain code “RE.”
The reservation system's technology architecture includes Curtis-C, Carlson's sophisticated client server, and HARMONY®, the service delivery and property management system linking the hotels to the reservation centre. Curtis-C allows traditional toll-free telephone service to 57 countries and seamless interface to 125 countries through the GDS systems. The system opens a whole new world of booking alternatives through the new channels of electronic commerce including The Regent web site on the Internet. Reservations for all Regent properties can be made by visiting www.regenthotels.com, contacting your travel professional, or in Canada and the United States by calling toll free (800) 545-4000. Regent's Universal International Freephone Number (UIFN), +800 0888 8880, is currently available in 26 countries, primarily in western Europe and Asia. Users need to dial the international dialing code for the country from which they are calling before entering the universal toll-free number.
Global Growth Strategy Includes New Concepts
Regent is proud that its hotels in Asia Pacific have played a leading role in setting the standard of service in the hospitality industry. The new generation of Regent is expanding with new concepts and new locations around the world. Apartments, condominiums and world-class spas are examples of new luxury hospitality offerings for Regent International Hotels.
The newest Regent to join is The Regent Esplanade Hotel in Zagreb, Croatia. This 207-room hotel is located in a magnificent landmark building that offers all modern comforts, while retaining the charm of its original 1925 Art Nouveau architecture. The Regent South Beach (Miami), planning a 2005 opening, will be the essence of tropical color and glamour in the heart of Miami Beach with its Caribbean-chic café society with 80 oversized guestrooms and a nationally known culinary restaurant. The Regent Ningbo will be the first international luxury hotel in this fast-growing area of east China, south of Shanghai. Planned to open in late 2005, the hotel will feature a mix of 270 guestrooms and 55 suites. The Regent Winter Park (Orlando, Fla.), featuring a 111-room hotel with 37 luxury suites, and “The Residences”, a separate building with 23 elegant condominium homes, is scheduled to open in 2006. Also in Florida, The Regent Bal Harbour, a new 124-room luxury condominium hotel with an additional 185 residences, is being built in the prestigious Village of Bal Harbour, Fla. bordering the Atlantic Ocean and Baker's Haulover Inlet. Each of the hotel resort residences will total approximately 1,650 square feet of air-conditioned space and private balconies. Scheduled to open in September 2006, The Regent Beijing, will be located in the heart of Beijing's commercial centre and offer 442 guest rooms, 57 suites, four restaurants, two ballrooms and a health club. The Regent Boston at Battery Wharf Hotel and Residences, complete with a European spa and health club, onsite upscale retail stores and a full restaurant, will open in 2007.
Aligning with global partners, Regent International Hotels is poised to expand into some of the world’s most exciting cities and alluring resort destinations. Partners include Rezidor SAS Hospitality, one of the fastest growing, most dynamic hospitality companies in the world with a reputation for offering high-class luxury at hotels throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa; and Singapore-based Carlson Hotels Asia Pacific, committed to carrying on The Regent tradition by providing exceptional guest service and an uncompromising commitment to quality for Regent guests throughout Asia—the birthplace of Regent International Hotels. Regent has created a five-year plan to selectively expand the exclusive hotel company in top markets in North America, Europe and the Middle East, key markets in South America, as well as further expansion in major business and resort markets in Asia-Pacific.
