Regent International Hotels
Encyclopedia
Regent International Hotels is a brand of upper luxury hotels, currently operating nine hotel
s in Asia
, Americas
and Europe
. In recent years, the brand has expanded to Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Regent Residences.
in 1970 by Robert H. Burns, Georg Rafael and Adrian Zecha
. It was the first global hospitality group based in Asia at a time when the industry was dominated by European and American brands. In the 1980s and 1990s, Regent hotels were considered among some of the most acclaimed, such as the Regent Hong Kong and Regent Beverly Wilshire. It managed 17 hotels around the world in 1992.
In 1992 Four Seasons
hotel chain acquired the Regent hotel chain. Hotels under development at the time of purchase in New York, Bali, Milan, and Istanbul were subsequently opened as Four Seasons.
In 1998 Carlson Companies
acquired the Regent name for new hotel developments and would create a luxury hotel division while the Four Seasons continued management of existing and new Regent hotels.
In 2002, Carlson agreed with Rezidor SAS to develop the Regent hotel brand in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
In March 2006, Carlson renamed its Radisson Seven Seas Cruises to Regent Seven Seas Cruises
and
merged the cruise operation and Regent International Hotels under a common brand.
In 2008, Regent Seven Seas Cruises was sold to Apollo Management
, an investment company. Carlson retains ownership of the master Regent brand, along with the operations of Regent Hotels & Resorts around the world.
In 2010, Carlson sold its Regent hotel business to Formosa International Hotels, the largest listed hotel operator in Taiwan.
It is also the owner of Grand Formosa Regent hotel, Taipei
, Taiwan
, which was opened by Regent’s founders in 1990 as 'The Regent Taipei'.
Co-founder Robert Burns is appointed as Honorary Chairman to serve as the brand's visionary and Ralf Ohletz is appointed president. Ohletz worked with another Regent co-founder Adrian Zecha for 25 years.
Europe
America
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
s in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. In recent years, the brand has expanded to Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Regent Residences.
History
Founded in Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
in 1970 by Robert H. Burns, Georg Rafael and Adrian Zecha
Adrian Zecha
Adrian Zecha is an Indonesian hotelier who is best known as the co-founder of Regent International Hotels and founder of Aman Resorts.-History:...
. It was the first global hospitality group based in Asia at a time when the industry was dominated by European and American brands. In the 1980s and 1990s, Regent hotels were considered among some of the most acclaimed, such as the Regent Hong Kong and Regent Beverly Wilshire. It managed 17 hotels around the world in 1992.
In 1992 Four Seasons
Four Seasons Hotels
Four Seasons Hotels, Inc. is a Canadian-based international ultra-luxury, five-star hotel management company. Travel + Leisure magazine and Zagat Survey rank the hotel chain's 84 properties among the top luxury hotels worldwide...
hotel chain acquired the Regent hotel chain. Hotels under development at the time of purchase in New York, Bali, Milan, and Istanbul were subsequently opened as Four Seasons.
In 1998 Carlson Companies
Carlson Companies
Carlson is a privately held international corporation in the hotel, restaurant, and travel industries. Headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota, near Minneapolis, Carlson brands and services, including franchised operations, employ more than 170,000 people in more than 150 countries and territories...
acquired the Regent name for new hotel developments and would create a luxury hotel division while the Four Seasons continued management of existing and new Regent hotels.
In 2002, Carlson agreed with Rezidor SAS to develop the Regent hotel brand in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
In March 2006, Carlson renamed its Radisson Seven Seas Cruises to Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Regent Seven Seas Cruises is a cruise line, formerly known as Radisson Seven Seas Cruises, headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The company offers luxury cruises which visit over 300 ports world-wide. Regent Seven Seas specializes in ships with small passenger capacity and many included...
and
merged the cruise operation and Regent International Hotels under a common brand.
In 2008, Regent Seven Seas Cruises was sold to Apollo Management
Apollo Management
Apollo Global Management, LLC is a private equity investment firm, founded in 1990 by former Drexel Burnham Lambert banker Leon Black. The firm specializes in leveraged buyout transactions and purchases of distressed securities involving corporate restructuring, special situations and industry...
, an investment company. Carlson retains ownership of the master Regent brand, along with the operations of Regent Hotels & Resorts around the world.
In 2010, Carlson sold its Regent hotel business to Formosa International Hotels, the largest listed hotel operator in Taiwan.
It is also the owner of Grand Formosa Regent hotel, Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, which was opened by Regent’s founders in 1990 as 'The Regent Taipei'.
Co-founder Robert Burns is appointed as Honorary Chairman to serve as the brand's visionary and Ralf Ohletz is appointed president. Ohletz worked with another Regent co-founder Adrian Zecha for 25 years.
Notable hotels
- Regent EsplanadeRegent EsplanadeThe Regent Esplanade Hotel is a hotel in Zagreb, Croatia. It was built in 1925 to provide accommodation for passengers of the famous Orient Express train, which traveled between Paris and Istanbul.-Construction:...
ZagrebZagrebZagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, CroatiaCroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ... - Regent BerlinBerlinBerlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, called Four Seasons Hotel Berlin until 2004 - Grand Formosa Regent TaipeiTaipeiTaipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
Notable former hotels
- Regent Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, renamed InterContinental Hong Kong - Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel, Beverly Hills in Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, USA renamed Beverly Wilshire Hotel - Regent SydneySydneySydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, currently Four Seasons Hotel Sydney
Regent Hotels
Asia- Grand Formosa Regent Taipei
- Regent Hotel Beijing
- Regent Hotel Singapore
Europe
- Regent Hotel Berlin
- Regent EsplanadeRegent EsplanadeThe Regent Esplanade Hotel is a hotel in Zagreb, Croatia. It was built in 1925 to provide accommodation for passengers of the famous Orient Express train, which traveled between Paris and Istanbul.-Construction:...
Hotel Zagreb - Regent Hotel Bordeaux
America
- Regent Hotel Bal Harbour
- Regent Palms Turks and Caicos
Hotels under Construction
- Regent Hotel Dubrovnik, 2012
- The Regent Bali, 2011
- The Regent Phuket Cape Panwa, 2011
- The Regent Kuala Lumpur, 2011
- Regent Hotel Abu Dhabi 2012
- Regent Hotel Doha, Qatar 2012