Where is it?
The Regal Airport Hotel is the only hotel at Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok Airport with direct access to the terminal building. All other airport hotels require taking a shuttle bus, a train or a taxi.
The hotel is located in an adjacent building to the terminal building, landside next to the arrivals hall, and there is a covered walkway between the arrivals hall and the hotel entrance which is clearly signposted.
The arrival experience
There were plenty of signs for the hotel in the arrivals hall so as long as you follow the signs it is not particularly hard to find your way. There is a covered walkway connecting the terminal building to the hotel building and there are lifts available, so you do not have to worry about any stairs if you have heavy luggage.
The Regal Airport Hotel is a massive hotel with no less than 1171 hotel rooms. The first thing you see after entering the hotel through the automatic doors is the large lobby which feels more like an atrium shopping mall than a hotel lobby with several floors and escalators, some smaller shops, cafes and restaurants.
And this is really both the advantage and the disadvantage of choosing this hotel. There are an impressive number of facilities available, so most things you may need during your stay you will find inside the hotel. But on the other hand the size makes the hotel feel rather impersonal. With over 1000 rooms and with most guests probably staying only one night is is highly unlikely the staff at the reception will remember you.
Finding the actual reception desk inside the lobby even required having a quick look around, but I found it fairly quickly. With so many rooms the reception area is spacious and there were several staff members working. I was immediately checked in and given a brief introduction to the hotel and how to get to the room.
The room
The hotel has a large variety of room categories including Superior rooms, Deluxe rooms, Family rooms, Spa cabana rooms, Premier rooms, Executive rooms and various suites. The hotel webpage lists no less than 18 room different categories and it is actually quite hard to get an overview of all the room types and the differences between these.
I had booked a superior room which is one of the standard room categories. The room measured 27 sqm and was in a good condition with a modern design in mostly white and dark brown.
The interior was pretty much what you would expect from a decent business hotel with a large king-sized bed, a work desk and an armchair with a side table. There was also an LCD TV, a minibar, a closet and coffee and tea-making facilities.
The bathroom had a bathtub, toilet, wash basin, a standard selection of toiletries and two complimentary bottles of water.
The best part of the room though was the view overlooking the northern runway and the threshold for runway 25R. Unfortunately though all flight departures and arrivals were from the west during my stay, the other end of the runway, which meant not a single aircraft actually passed outside the window. With different wind conditions the room would have been an amazing spot to watch takeoffs and landings. It should also be said that all rooms are soundproof so you will not be bothered by the noise from the aircrafts outside.
Food and drinks
There are six restaurants and bars in the hotel serving both Chinese and international cuisine as well as snacks, drinks and cocktails. They are all located in the large lobby atrium.
Next to the entrance there is also a bakery and a Mövenpick ice cream bar.
On top of this you can obviously take advantage of all the food outlets available in the departures and arrivals halls at the airport, many of them open from early morning until late evening, which are just a few minutes walk from the hotel lobby.
Other facilities
If you enjoy starting the day at the gym or by having a swim there are excellent facilities available. There is an OM Spa, a large fitness centre, and both an indoor and an outdoor swimming pool.
The hotel has a large conference centre with no less than 30 meeting rooms, including a large ballroom for events and receptions. There is also a business centre and there are several shops available in the lobby atrium.
Service
The service was friendly, polite and attentive, as is usually the case in Hong Kong, but of course with so many rooms the service does become a bit impersonal.
Breakfast
Breakfast was not included in the rate so I decided to skip it. There are of course plenty of options available in the terminal building for those who prefer to eat elsewhere. Since I had a flight the same day and also a Priority Pass I decided to have breakfast in the Plaza Premium Arrivals Lounge, located in the terminal building close to the train station for the airport express train.
Final impression
The hotel really offers most things you may need during your stay including plenty of restaurants, two swimming pools and a gym and the superior room was in a good condition. The best part of the hotel though is the location with no need to wait for a shuttle bus. The only real drawback is the size, which does make the hotel feel somewhat impersonal.
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