Regent Hotels and Resorts – acquired by Taipei-based Formosa International Hotels Corp. from Carlson in 2010 – may have been slow to kick off expansion, but its new CEO Mark Lettenbichler is launching an aggressive campaign to go global.
“It took a bit of time to bring some stability to the separation from Carlson,” said Lettenbichler. “Now, I’m on board, and with the current team and some new team members, we’re moving forward and are aligned in all aspects such as operations and development.”
Lettenbichler, who joined the luxury brand late last year after two decades with Ritz-Carlton, expects by 2020 to have 25 to 30 hotels in the portfolio. Currently, the Regent Porto Montenegro Hotel and Residences, located in what he describes as “the world’s new playground,” is set to join the group in July.
“We have numerous projects under negotiation and review in the development process,” Lettenbichler explained. Eager to resurrect Regent’s stature in Asia Pacific, where the brand was conceived in the 1970s by hospitality bywords Robert H Burns, honorary chairman of the present Regent, Adrian Zecha and Georg Rafael, the company’s wish list includes the usual gateway cities of Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, with the addition of Kyoto, Vietnam and Australia.
To land a Hong Kong location, Lettenbichler says, would definitely crown their efforts. The former Regent Hong Kong boasted a spectacular harbor front address that the InterContinental now enjoys. “But the taxi drivers still call it The Regent,” he said. “Hong Kong is where we really want to be.”
New opportunities have also come along with the signing on of emerging Chinese hubs Chongqing and Xian, as well as Jakarta. Negotiations with owners in Harbin and Manila are proceeding well enough for Lettenbichler to report, “We’re close to success, and in fact, our teams are right in the middle of discussions and going through contracts. ”
In the United States, the company has identified New York, Miami and Los Angeles as flying future Regent flags, while in Europe it has looked at possibilities in London, Paris, Moscow and Italy, plus Hamburg and even ski resorts in Germany. In the Middle East, Dubai and Abu Dhabi are natural hooks, provided they had the right partner and product to go in with, Lettenbichler adds.
Despite entering a market already saturated with luxury service providers, Lettenbichler remains convinced The Regent brand can capture a good slice of the high-end accommodation pie. “The Regent is rich in heritage and history,” he said. “We just have to go out there and remind everyone it’s an iconic brand that will be back again in many markets around the world. We also have to make sure it has a global presence like it had years ago.”
The company’s original DNA, based on the then trendsetting three Bs of providing memorable “bed, bath and breakfast” has recently added “bespoke” to the line up. Lettenbichler says this could take the shape of a one-of-a-kind resort, trading on unique adventures in an isolated destination. “Look at today’s leisure travelers – they would rather pack up to go and stay in a little safari tent in the middle of the jungle,” he said. “Those different experiences are what we are looking at to bring to our customers.”
Contributed by Margie Logarta, Hong Kong