The Regent Taipei has long been known as one of the capital’s finest hotels and dining spots, as well as a top destination for luxury retail. Now the hotel is expanding its retail selection to provide guests with a more distinctive experience, offering everything from gourmet Hokkaido pancakes to seminars with celebrities to bespoke private shopping.

“A key advantage for Regent Taipei is that it can deploy the massive resources of a five-star hotel in its shopping mall,” says Managing Director Simon Wu. “We’re the only mall in Taipei with this capability, and it elevates what we can offer in terms of retail compared to the typical high-end shopping center.”

Recognizing that guests’ shopping habits have changed over the years, Regent Taipei is focusing on offering unique experiences that can only be found under one roof. Paramount to this concept is the Regent Taipei’s partnership with Japan’s H.I.S. Group, one of the largest Japanese travel agencies. Together, Regent Taipei and H.I.S. Group will bring outstanding Japanese retail concepts to Galleria that ordinarily are not found outside of Japan.

The brands involved are artisans interested in exploring markets outside of Japan, but because of their modest scale lack the ability to do so on their own. Regent Taipei is ideally positioned to work with H.I.S. in this capacity because of its deep experience with the Japanese market – 40% of the Regent Taipei’s guests are Japanese. Because of Taiwan’s affinity for Japanese culture and Regent Galleria’s reputation for high-end retail, the brands will be well positioned to attract new business and raise their international visibility. 

The first brand to be launched by this collaboration is the Tsubaki Salon, featuring Hokkaido’s famous thick and fluffy pancakes. The delicious pancakes are notable for their premium flour and dairy ingredients directly imported from Hokkaido, while featuring a nod to Taiwan tastes with some locally sourced premium ingredients like mango and pineapple.

“The pancakes at the Tsubaki Salon are so popular that people wait for three to four hours on the weekend to have a taste,” Wu says. Yet with the wide variety of retail shopping outlets at Regent Galleria, they don’t have to stand in line, guests browse the shops in the Galleria leisurely until their pancakes are ready.

Another new concept at Regent Galleria is the Wedding Salon, which is visited by 3,000 couples per year when they’re considering a venue for wedding celebrations. Designed as a one-stop service for weddings, the Wedding Salon offers everything required for the occasion, from wedding attire to photography services and catering. Since Regent Taipei has multiple high-end restaurants and banquet spaces that can accommodate weddings, choosing a wedding banquet venue at the Wedding Salon couldn’t be more convenient.

“With regards to retail shopping, Regent Taipei has been paying careful attention to the tastes of discerning shoppers, and with their needs in mind, designed a bespoke shopping service,” Wu says. “Some of the biggest spenders in Taiwan want to keep a low profile. They do not want people to see them making purchases of expensive luxury goods, so we take their orders and do the shopping for them right here,” he explains.

Regent Galleria has an exclusive “Reading Room” where customers can relax with some afternoon tea and pastries while a staff member purchases their items. Once the goods are purchased, they are delivered discreetly to the customer in the Reading Room.

Another unique retail concept is the Regent Academy Elite Salon, where celebrities and designers share their experiences with guests. At the inaugural Elite Salon in December, the guest of honor was the internationally renowned fashion designer Daniel Wong, known for his avant-garde design work inspired by his experience working with Alexander McQueen and Versace.

Finally, Regent Taipei is not only rejuvenating its offerings at Regent Galleria, it is also exporting its award-winning beef noodles to Japan. The local delicacy is being featured on the menu at Tsutaya book store, largest branch in Tokyo’s Shibuya district.

“Our mission is to bring the best in the world to Taiwan and bring Taiwan’s best to the world,” Wu says.