Regent

Words: Ben Thomas Returning to Manchester with another action-packed programme in October, The Annual Hotel Conference delivered valuable insight on pertinent topics facing the hospitality sector, with hotel leaders, economists and analysts sharing their top tips on how to chart the course through uncertain times.

Those seeking greener economic solutions were given actionable advice through sessions across both days, with the agenda doubling down on sustainability and ESG. Speaking in a one-onone interview focused on leadership in pivotal moments, Kenneth Macpherson, CEO for EMEAA at IHG Hotels & Resorts, explained that while some owners and developers may have shifted their priorities away from ESG initiatives in practices can increase asset value and long-term ROI, and why conscious construction should be prioritised going forward. “Sustainability doesn’t have an exact definition that enables those of us working in the design industry to focus our thoughts,” said Patrick Reardon, Chairman at Reardon Smith Architects. “But in our view, we believe that projects should be built once and loved forever.” Zeal Hotels’ Managing Director Tim Wheeldon agreed, stating that the market is calling for developments that are as close to net zero as possible. “We must remove carbon from both the construction phase and day-today operations,” he emphasised. “Investors are pushing for it and more importantly the guests are too. And they’re the ones paying the bills.”

light of surviving the pandemic, current market challenges are in fact driving the argument for long-term investment in such practices. Noting the recent shift, Macpherson pointed out that spiralling energy costs for example could be alleviated through policies that focus on energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions.

The CEO also stated that eco-friendly assets are commanding a higher market value – a result of ESG-reporting requirements on businesses – while guests are now willing to pay more for hotels with sustainability credentials, marking a major shift in mindset from a decade ago. With that in mind, IHG is targeting a 46% reduction in emissions from the energy used across its owned, managed, leased and franchised estate by 2030, towards which it has been establishing partnerships to support its hotels to secure financing for energy-saving alterations.

The same sentiment was shared in Planning for Longevity: Good for the Planet, Good for the Asset, which considered how lifecycle design

On the subject of net zero, it was perhaps Robert Godwin, Managing Director of Lamington Group who provided the most impassioned call to action of the conference. With the group set to open three new properties across the UK, the hotelier outlined how others can follow in the footsteps of Room2 Chiswick. By avoiding, reducing and offsetting, he urged the audience to fully embrace rigorous carbon reduction programmes within their businesses, drawing on initiatives like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. “Why should you care?” he asked. “Well, an increasing number of your stakeholders care and their awareness and education is rising. They will demand more and more. Your lenders and investors care. Your team cares. Your customers care.” Godwin also stressed that for one of the most energy-intensive asset classes, sustainability benchmarks had been set far too low for too long. “The world doesn’t need any more lip-service and baby steps. It needs action. And it starts with taking responsibility.”

A new flagship for Regent Hotels & Resorts captures the soul of Vietnam’s island life while cosseting guests in sybaritic living and understated majesty.

Words: Neena Dhillon • Photography: © Owen Raggett

The serene and sensual experience that characterises Regent Phu Quoc has all the requisite touchpoints to catapult this property into the top flight of Southeast Asian resorts. The island that it calls home is part of a UNESCO-designated World Biosphere Reserve found on the southwest coast of Vietnam. This brings a richness and vibrancy to land and sea alike so that Phu Quoc’s landscape varies from dense tropical rainforest to coral reefs to the white-sand Long Beach on which the resort is located. Life here is truly indoor-outdoor, with the resort’s generous openings and thoughtful orientation ensuring that guests are always connected to the natural environment beyond their private havens. Lush foliage lines the walkways while water meanders through the koi-filled pools and channels, flowing into central lagoons from where lotus flowers bloom. But there’s an added layer of detail to the generous vertically and horizontally stacked spaces that ensures the new resort succeeds as a flagship for the brand, which – under the remit of IHG Hotels & Resorts since 2018 – is making a strong comeback at the luxury end of the market.

Tasked with architecture and interiors, Blink Design Group tapped into its strong track record of placemaking to identify the cultural elements, indigenous materials, traditional craftsmanship and local artworks that would inform its approach. “The goal was to create a luxury resort experience, set in an enviable location on the island’s most beautiful beach, imbued with the soul and culture of Phu Quoc,” says founder and Creative Partner Clint Nagata. As always, the

Tiles, brickwork, screens and shutters inject intimacy and rhythm to public spaces and guestrooms

firm invested time in the preliminary phase of research, exploring ideas that would reflect the fundamental qualities of Phu Quoc, as seen through the eyes of locals. “While we strive to source materials that help to convey a sense of the locality, we always use them in a different manner or highlight a common pattern in a modern way,” he continues, adding that “design should be reflective and respectful of the past”. Vietnam’s architectural vernacular is referenced through the reinterpretation of water gardens, courtyards and tropical landscaping, all of which, in combination with strong axial spaces to frame views, serve as the building blocks of the masterplan. The slick use of natural materials such as basalt stone, Asian marble and wood species including cypress, ash and natural teak, provide the backdrop for recurring patterns and motifs that gently remind visitors of the locale in which they are situated. Take the ‘bovi’ brackets typically found in traditional Vietnamese timber-frame construction for instance; not only are wooden trusses occasionally replicated in modern form, but the shape of the brackets forms the basis of all cast-metal screening as well as appearing on rugs, accent fabrics and the flickering candle holders in private villa bathrooms. Then there’s the considered use of lacquerwork, a staple of the Asian resort experience, which is rendered here as delicate eggshell inlay on luminous room dividers to nod to the island’s penchant for duck eggs. The tradition of fishing too is recalled through decorative design details, with swirling nets the inspiration for lighting fixtures, art and printed fabrics.

Standout moments include the arrival experience, where an alluring corridor of grand proportions points the way, its flanks adorned with plinths from which porcelain and ceramics rise. This is the first glimpse of the “framed views” that Blink has achieved throughout Regent Phu Quoc, maximising the volume of space in corridors where vanishing points play with perspectives, almost as if the architecture is replicating the shutters of a camera. It’s an

effect that instantly engages visitors, teasing them with hints of discovery ahead. “First impressions are important,” confirms Nagata. “A processional staircase leads guests to the lobby where they are greeted by an iconic space, featuring a crystal installation designed by Lasvit.” Petra Junova of Lasvit turned to the underwater environment of Phu Quoc to create her glass artwork called Charming Deeps. “I love scuba diving and I observed the corals very closely,” she describes. “The sea around Phu Quoc is undoubtedly rare – it’s hard to find such beauty anywhere else.” With the reefs as her muse, Junova treated the vibrantly coloured handblown glass in different ways from rods with components either silvered, sandblasted or crackled to slumped glass adorned with frits and lacquers. Externally lit with water-surface projections and floating in phosphorescent powder, the installation changes appearance throughout the day.

From its rooftop position, Regent Club also captivates, its long pool suspended in the air, the lounge and library providing a sophisticated oasis in the sky. “While the general theme of neutral undertones is reflected in all public areas, there are still clever twists in each venue,” notes Nagata. “At the Regent Club, the centrepiece is a bar counter with a handpainted custom wallcovering by de Gournay, inspired by the native plants and animals of Phu Quoc.”

Sharing the rooftop, Fu Bar features a dark blue feature wall dotted with gold accent pieces, similar to the rays of a sunset. Suites and villas meanwhile offer new-age comforts, with salubrious pools extending accommodation out to terraces on high, garden courtyards and verandas. “Our design goal was to create a guest experience in which spaces feel more like an extension of the outdoors,” explains Nagata. “Even the bathrooms filled with natural light are retreats in themselves, complete with private landscaped tropical courtyards.”

Examples of how villas cater for every desire range from fully equipped kitchens and utility rooms to beautiful millwork display cabinets

YEAR ANNIVERSA RY