Background
Regal Hotels International operates and manages five hotels under the Regal brand in Hong Kong and four in mainland China. It also has six iclub hotels in Hong Kong. The Regala Skycity Hotel is the first to be launched under the Regala label. It opened in early 2023, and will serve the trade generated by Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) and the nearby convention centre, as well as those travelling to and from cities in the Greater Bay Area (GBA), such as Guangzhou, Macau and Shenzhen.
Where is it?
Within the Skycity development, part of HKIA. It is next to AsiaWorld-Expo and the enormous 11 Skies leisure, business and wellness complex. The hotel is a two-minute stroll along a climate-controlled walkway from the AsiaWorld-Expo station on the Airport Express line, from where it’s a 28-minute ride to Central district. Terminal 2, under construction, is adjacent to Skycity and built upon the rubble of the former T2, which was in essence a shopping mall with no aircraft gates. Skycity is intended to be at the heart of the GBA in terms of commerce, transportation and financial services.
What’s it like?
Brand-new, glitzy, modern and slightly minimalist. Walking around the hotel gave me the feeling it had just been taken out of its box and was still blinking in the bright November sunshine. The interiors in public areas are based on the Wu Xing five elements concept. The hotel is built in the form of a closed loop around a central courtyard with a swimming pool. There is a green roof, the Sky Deck, which has a walkway, fitness equipment, a herb garden and views of the peaks of Lantau Island.
Rooms
The hotel has 1,208 rooms, 90 of which are suites. My Seaview suite was on the tenth floor. The two components – the living room and the bedroom, each with a bathroom and door on the corridor – mean the suite will also function as two separate rooms with a simple bed-for-sofa swap.
The suite was spotless and comfortable, and had the extras I’d expect from this class of hotel – a kettle, tea and coffee sachets, mini fridge, bathrobes, Elemis toiletries and 43-inch TVs in both rooms. Whites, creams, touches of gold and pale wood figured chiefly in the decor. The air-conditioning was a little fierce but soon rectified with an easy-to-use control panel. The bed was very comfortable and there was no noise in the room from the airport or roads below.
My flight was early in the morning, so the concierge arranged a coffee and snack at reception as I checked out, which was much appreciated. Several rooms are family-friendly and are decorated with themes for kids, such as pirate ships or fairytale castles.
Food and drink
The hotel has three main restaurants. Petra offers breakfast and all-day dining with open cooking stations and a contactless ordering system for those who wish to use it. Vivace has contemporary Mediterranean cuisine and a bar area, while Jade, with sea views, might be described as Chinese fusion, drawing on ingredients and techniques from the many regional cuisines of that country.
The crispy king prawn with mango sauce (HK$138/£14) was exquisite, and having lived in Hong Kong for many years I have to say that all of the dishes were outstanding. I particularly liked the choice of chilli sauces offered at the beginning of the meal, all crafted by chef Karson Chan.
Meetings
As befits a hotel that’s part of a new complex catering to the MICE sector, it has a grand ballroom that can host more than 1,200 people and two banqueting halls, totalling 2,800 sqm of space. There’s plenty of tech gadgetry on hand, such as LED walls.
Leisure
The Sky Deck is good for a morning jog and has outdoor fitness equipment. There’s also an outdoor pool and five games rooms.
Verdict
Convenient for early flights out of the airport, or for people attending events at Asia World-Expo. The hotel also makes for a pleasant staycation.
FACT BOX
- Best for Recharging before or after a flight
- Don’t miss A meal at Jade
- Price Internet rates for a flexible midweek stay in May start from HK$2,838/£285 for a Seaview suite. Entry level starts at HK$1,038/£104
- Contact 8 Airport Expo Boulevard, Hong Kong International Airport, Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong; +852 3556 3288; regala-hotels.com/en/regala-skycity-hotel
Words: Nick Goodyer
