Night Watch: The Regent Hong Kong / Hotel Intercontinental

Night Watch

In 1995, Pierce Brosnan starred in a TV movie called Night Watch. A large part of the action in the film takes place in and around Hong Kong. Brosnan plays UN agent Mike Graham who, together with his partner Sabrina Carver, is sent to investigate the theft of Rembrandt's painting 'The Night Watch'. The trail takes them from Amsterdam to Hong Kong and involves them in art theft and forgery.

In the film, Mike Graham and Sabrina Carver are checking into the Regent Hong Kong Hotel. The hotel is located in Tsim Sha Tsui district on the Kowloon side, just a stone's throw away from the Peninsula Hotel.

The Regent Hong Kong has since 1995 changed owners and is today named the Intercontinental Hotel.

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Noble House

The same hotel, the Regent Hong Kong, also featured in the mini series Noble House from 1988 which, coincidentally, also starred Pierce Brosnan. Brosnan, playing the Tai Pan of the Noble House, "Struan & Co", is walking into the Regent for a meeting with police inspector Brian Kwok in the second episode. Unfortunately Brian Kwok has been detained and the Tai Pan never gets to enjoy any drinks at the hotel.

The Tai Pan looks for Brian Kwok in the lobby of the Regent

The Intercontinental definitely has the best hotel bar in Hong Kong. Even better than "Felix", which is the sky bar at the Peninsula or the bar at Ritz in the ICC skyscraper. Mandarin Oriental, located on Hong Kong Island, comes in on a close second. They lose to Intercontinental only because of the view. The location of Intercontinental, right by the water, with a full view over the Hong Kong skyline makes it one of a kind.

The drinks at Intercontinental are outstanding and the service is impeccable. The Peninsula however, probably one of the best hotels in the world, unfortunately does not maintain its otherwise extremely high standards in their sky bar called Felix, which is sad and makes a visit to Felix unnecessary.

The skybar at Sheraton, located across the street from Intercontinental, is also very good, but cannot match Intercontinental's service.

Hong Kong appears to have been a popular filming location during the 1980's and early 90's. It almost feels like everyone wanted to use this location before the handover to China in 1997, which supposedly would have made filming more difficult than under the British rule.