Business Traveller (Middle East)
GROWTH SPURT
Shanghai welcomes a host of newcomers to its hotel scene
Shanghai welcomes a host of hotel newcomers
After witnessing explosive growth in its hotel industry in recent times, Shanghai’s hospitality sector shows no signs of slowing down. Some represent the very first properties in Asia for international luxury brands, others showcase how local culture can be integrated into hotel design and services. Then there are those that focus on enticing a new generation of travellers with more customised services. What’s more, most hotels now make an effort to mix business and leisure, so as well as meeting the demands of business travellers, they also cater for leisure and family guests.
Here is our roundup of some of the newest hotels in Shanghai – a testament to the city’s rapid development as an international metropolis.
MIXING ART AND LOCAL CULTURE HOTEL INDIGO SHANGHAI JING’AN
Each Hotel Indigo property is designed to reflect its local culture uniquely, and Hotel Indigo Shanghai Jing’an is no exception. When it opened in October 2018, it became the third Hotel Indigo property in Shanghai and the tenth in the Greater China region.
Hotel Indigo Shanghai Jing’an is located near Suzhou River. Its overall design draws inspiration from both the local Haipai culture and the neighbourhood’s cinematic heritage. At the end of the 19th century, this district developed a thriving film culture: the first recorded screening of a motion picture in China took place here on August 11, 1896.
The hotel has 119 guestrooms divided into six categories, as well as two main dining outlets. Local Shanghainese street food is available at Docks Café (which serves Asian cuisine), whilst two-storey 500 Restaurant and Bar provides Western fine dining along with tailor-made cocktails. Guests can also visit the hotel’s Shell Library, fully stocked with a variety of both Chinese and Western books and newspapers. Culture gatherings are also held here regularly to help guests fully experience authentic Shanghainese culture. ADDRESS 28 Yutong Road, Jing’an District, Shanghai
CONTACT +86 21 5253 9988; ihg.com
PULLMAN SHANGHAI QINGPU EXCELLENCE
Pullman Shanghai Qingpu Excellence opened its doors last April. Located within the Shanghai Qingpu Industrial Zone, it also offers easy access to nearby leisure attractions such as the ancient town of Zhujiajiao, Dianshan Lake and Shanghai Grand View Garden, which underscores Pullman’s business-meetspleasure concept.
The design of the lobby is inspired by the canals and lakes of the surrounding Qingpu District and features Pullman’s “The Junction” concept to offer a relaxed, open and trendy space for work and play. Meanwhile, the communal space on the second floor showcases the Pullman Artist Playground series of exhibitions in partnership with local artists, photographers, sculptors, painters and designers.
The hotel has 292 guestrooms and suites, as well as a variety of dining options including all-day dining eatery Yue Cafe, The Q Seafood & Grill, and Azur, a Chinese restaurant that specialises in Shanghainese, Cantonese and local Qingpu cuisine. The 800 sqm pillarless
grand ballroom is connected to an outdoor terrace, and there are also seven function rooms offering more than 1,600 sqm of event space. Other on-site facilities include a fitness centre, an indoor pool, a business centre and an executive lounge. ADDRESS 1, Lane 340, Zhuying Road, Qingpu District, Shanghai
CONTACT +86 21 3108 8888; accorhotels.com
LUXURY BRAND DEBUTS JW MARRIOTT MARQUIS HOTEL SHANGHAI PUDONG
China’s first JW Marriott Marquis hotel opened near the Huangpu River in Shanghai last August. This is the world’s fourth JW Marriott Marquis and the brand’s first property in Asia.
The 39-storey hotel, owned by China’s Luneng Group, is close to Lujiazui CBD, and features a unique architectural design with sustainable exterior glass panels that slant 12-17 degrees, which not only provides guests with a broader view of the cityscape, but also reduces light pollution.
There are 515 guestrooms and suites. In-room amenities include Simmons mattresses, a 55-inch Samsung flatscreen
TV, surround-sound system and Nespresso coffee machine. The hotel’s more than 7,600 sqm of event space consists of two grand ballrooms, two meeting rooms and 12 multifunction rooms and banquet venues.
Both Chinese and Western fine dining is available. Dining options include all-day dining restaurant The Merchant Kitchen; Flint, the hotel’s bar and grill whose industrial-chic décor reinterprets the style of New York in the mid-19th century; and the three-storey Le Manoir Ling, featuring a fusion menu of French and Cantonese cuisine.
ADDRESS 988 Puming Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai
CONTACT +86 21 3809 8888; marriott.com
THE WESTBUND HOTEL SHANGHAI
Set to open in 2020, The Westbund Hotel Shanghai is London-based Rocco Forte Hotels’ first property in Asia. It will be situated along the Xuhui Riverside on the West Bund of the Huangpu River, which is home to a number of galleries, museums, theatres and boutiques. The location also offers easy access to the former French Concession, Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center, and Shanghai’s two airports (Pudong and Hongqiao).
The hotel will feature 219 guestrooms and suites, with sizes starting from 70 sqm. Dining outlets will include Gabriella Italian restaurant, Long Xuan Cantonese restaurant, a Tea Room for afternoon tea, and the rooftop Conservatory Bar, which will offer panoramic views of the West Bund and city beyond.
Event facilities will comprise a
1,077 sqm Westbund Hall that can accommodate up to 780 guests with a dedicated driveway for car access; the 673 sqm The Rocco Forte Ballroom, as well as nine multipurpose function rooms. Wellness options will include a fitness centre, an infinity pool and the twostorey Rocco Forte Spa.
ADDRESS 688 Yunjin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai
CONTACT +86 21 6082 3480; roccofortehotels.com
CO-DEVELOPING WITH EMERGING REGIONS RADISSON BLU FOREST MANOR SHANGHAI HONGQIAO
Radisson Blu is Radisson Hotel Group’s upscale hotel brand. The opening of Radisson Blu Forest Manor Shanghai Hongqiao in May last year marked the group’s further expansion in China. Located in the Hongqiao business district, the urban resort is close to Shanghai’s National Exhibition and Convention Centre, Hongqiao International Airport and Hongqiao Railway Station.
A total of 439 rooms and suites all feature a balcony, whilst guests staying in Executive rooms and suites also have access to the Executive Lounge, which provides services such as private check-in and checkout, use of meeting rooms, a business centre, and all-day refreshments.
The hotel has nine venues for meetings or events, offering over 1,700 sqm of event space. Recreational facilities include a fitness centre, a spa, a 25-metre indoor swimming pool and a 1,000 sqm outdoor polygonal pool that features a children’s play pool. Dining options consist of the all-day dining eatery The Open Kitchen, Liqing Chinese Restaurant and a lobby lounge.
ADDRESS 839 Jinfeng Road, Minhang District, Shanghai
CONTACT +86 21 5329 8888; radissonhotels.com
SHERATON SHANGHAI FENGXIAN
Early 2019, the 82-year-old Sheraton Hotels brand unveiled its new logo as it continues its transformation. Sheraton Shanghai Fengxian, which opened last summer, became the first property in the Asia-Pacific region to use the new logo.
Located in Shanghai’s southern Fengxian District, the 290-key property is surrounded by ancient villages and green parks. Bathrooms are equipped with a separate tub and feature aromatic amenities from Le Grand Bain.
In terms of F&B outlets, the all-day dining restaurant S Kitchen, which features an open kitchen, specialises in both local and Western delicacies, while Yu Chinese Restaurant serves authentic Huaiyang cuisine and has ten private dining rooms. The executive lounge on the 17th floor offers great views of the surrounding area, and the hotel also has more than 1,000 sqm of event space, and recreational facilities including an indoor heated swimming pool, a fitness centre and a kids’ club.
ADDRESS 228, Lane 3111, Nanfeng Highway, Qingcun Town, Fengxian District, Shanghai
CONTACT +86 21 6759 8888; marriott.com
COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT SHANGHAI MINHANG
Courtyard by Marriott Shanghai Minhang is the first international-brand hotel located within Zizhu National Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone, which is home to companies such as Microsoft, Intel and Exxonmobil. The hotel’s 233 guestrooms and suites are outfitted with complimentary wifi, 55-inch flatscreen HDTVs and ergonomic sofas.
The ground floor Pavilion Restaurant is an all-day dining eatery offering a variety of international cuisine and local signature selections. A chef ’s table and private dining room are available for more intimate occasions. The lobby lounge serves afternoon tea, light snacks or all-day refreshments. Both dining outlets feature indoor and outdoor seating, and the hotel’s executive lounge is also on the same floor.
There’s around 768 sqm of event space, including a 480 sqm ballroom and four
multifunction rooms. The hotel also boasts an in-house fitness centre, and guests can hike or jog along the scenic walkways in the Minhang Huangpu Riverside area.
ADDRESS Building 3, 588 Zixing Road, Minhang District, Shanghai
CONTACT +86 21 3402 9000; marriott.com
CATERING TO THE NEW GENERATION ALOFT SHANGHAI ZHANGJIANG HAIKE
Shanghai’s first Aloft hotel is located in Zhangjiang High Technology Park, which is home to many pharmaceutical, biotech, electric, tech and IT companies. The hotel is only a ten-minute drive from both Shanghai New International Expo Centre and Shanghai Disneyland. The nearest metro station is Zhongke Road Station on Line 13, from which it’s a five-minute walk to the hotel.
The 191 guestrooms are equipped with flat-panel TVs with satellite channels, walk-in showers with rainfall shower heads and custom bath amenities by Bliss Spa. Event facilities include a 520 sqm ballroom and five function rooms.
The communal spaces are a major highlight of the hotel. Nook is an all-day dining venue offering both breakfast buffet and à la carte menus for lunch and dinner, while Re: Fuel is a graband-go eatery for snacks and light meals. There’s also a WXYZ Lounge for drinks. The 24-hour fitness centre
Re: Charge is outfitted with a variety of cardiovascular equipment, which allows guests to work out at any time of the day.
ADDRESS 550 Haike Road, Zhangjiang, Pudong New District, Shanghai CONTACT +86 21 3816 8888; marriott.com
CITIZEN M SHANGHAI HONGQIAO
The second Citizen M hotel in the Greater China region and the Dutch brand’s 15th property in the world opened this June in Shanghai’s Hongqiao business district. It’s only a 20-minute taxi ride from Hongqiao International Airport, and a nine-minute walk from the nearest Ziteng Road metro station on Line 10. The hotel also provides easy access to
Mixc shopping mall, Qibao ancient town and Caohejing Hi-Tech Park.
When you step into the hotel lobby, which is designed as a living room instead of the traditional reception area, you’ll find self-service check-in terminals, a Collection M store selling daily necessities and gifts, 24-hour dining venue Canteen M and a curving staircase linking the lobby to the Society M meeting spaces on the second floor.
All the 303 guestrooms are equipped with a Smart TV and a Moodpad tablet that guests can use for in-room control. On-site meeting spaces include eight boardroom-style meeting rooms that are equipped with Vitra furniture, big tables, flatscreen TVs with Apple TV, and walls to write on. The hotel’s Citizen M Ambassadors can also help with check-in or provide local travel tips.
ADDRESS 3999-6, Hongxin Road, Minhang District, Shanghai
CONTACT +86 21 6060 9909; citizenm.com