Even though the year is only half over, Shanghai has already seen several big hospitality brands and design-forward hotels making their grand entrances into the city. With a few more scheduled to open before the end of December, 2018 is bound to go down in history as the busiest year for the city’s hotel scene since the World Expo. Here’s a recap of the most prominent openings and a preview of what’s to come in the next few months.
Amanyangyun
Concept & Location
Approximately 30 kilometers south of Shanghai’s city center, Amanyangyun, the fourth Aman property in China, is set in a remote part of Minhang district. The construction of this peaceful sanctuary began more than a decade ago as a cultural conservation project when businessman and philanthropist Ma Dadong decided to rescue thousands of endangered age-old camphor trees and some ancient villas from the Ming and Qing dynasties, and relocate them from his hometown of Fuzhou, Jiangxi to the current site of Amanyangyun.
Rooms
After being transported and rebuilt, Kerry Hill Architects finished the interiors of all 24 courtyard suites and 13 antique villas with earthy, natural elements like wood, stone and bamboo, facilitating a meaningful dialogue between traditional Chinese architectural aesthetics and 21st century minimalistic comfort.
Restaurants & Bars
Five dining concepts are available at Amanyangyun. A nod to the camphor tree forest and ancient villas’ origin, Lazhu serves a menu of Jiangxi classics alongside Shanghainese and Cantonese dishes. Lakeside restaurant Arva honors Italian culinary traditions and offers a farm-to-table experience for guests, while premium sushi, sashimi, Wagyu beef and fresh local produce can be found at Japanese restaurant Nama.
Notable Amenities & Facilities
Perfect for those who are curious about Chinese history and culture, Nanshufang, which is named after the emperor’s reading room in the Forbidden City, offers a range of workshops and activities from calligraphy and painting to music and tea ceremonies for guests to connect with China’s vibrant traditional art forms.
See listing for Amanyangyun
The Middle House
Concept & Location
One of the two new hotels at the HKRI Taikoo Hui complex, The Middle House is the fourth member of Swire Hotels’ widely acclaimed ‘The House Collective’ family. Split between two curved towers, the entire property, including the buildings’ exterior and the interiors of the rooms and public spaces, is crafted by Italian architect Piero Lissoni. A sense of East-meets-West opulence is best encapsulated in the hotel lobby, where a stunning 6-meter-high, 3,760-piece chandelier made by renowned Venetian glass master Fabiano Zanchi is flanked by green bamboo-patterned ceramic walls on both sides.
Rooms
Lissoni’s signature modernist design approach combined with elements of Chinese craftsmanship are clearly reflected in the custom-made furnishings and detailing of The Middle House’s 111 guestrooms and 102 serviced apartment units. Inside, you’ll find the Interior Design Hall of Fame inductee’s renditions of oriental-style nightstands, headboards decorated with Chinese calligraphy and sliding wooden panels amidst a subtle yet luscious color palette of emerald green, charcoal and dark chocolate.
Restaurants & Bars
Like its sister property The Upper House in Hong Kong, New York-based chef Gray Kunz serves as the patron chef of Café Gray Deluxe with a menu of modern European classics made with local ingredients. At Frasca, guests can sample regional Italian cuisine in a casual atmosphere. For a taste of Cantonese, Shanghainese and Sichuanese favorites, Sui Tang Li has got that covered.
Notable Amenities & Facilities
The Middle House’s MI XUN Spa is the first of its kind in China to offer facial and body treatments crafted by skincare label Cha Ling. There’s also a 24-hour gym and a 33-meter indoor heated pool onsite to keep guests fit.
See listing for The Middle House
The Sukhothai Shanghai
Concept & Location
Also located at HKRI Taikoo Hui, The Sukhothai Shanghai is the hotel brand’s second property in the world. Local design firm Neri&Hu draws inspiration from the ‘urban oasis’ concept and delivers a minimalistic masterpiece featuring their trademark aesthetics. A sleek combination of lines and contours, complete with neutral color tones, project a contemporary yet sophisticated flair.
Rooms
Inside its 201 rooms and suites, guests will find muted tones on the textured walls, as well as custom light fixtures and contemporary furniture pieces courtesy of Neri&Hu’s own design label.
Restaurants & Bars
The Sukhothai Shanghai features five distinct dining concepts. Urban Café connects with the hotel’s roots with a menu packed with the greatest hits of Southeast Asian cuisines. Meanwhile, Michelin-starred chef Theodor Falser has crafted a scrumptious Italian menu for La Scala. At The ZUK Bar, you’ll find artisanal cocktails by Vincenzo Pagliara by night and light Nordic bites during the day.
Notable Amenities & Facilities
Guests can indulge in Southeast Asian-inspired facial and body treatments at The Retreat, head to the spacious fitness studio for a nice workout, or take a dip in the hotel’s 25-meter heated indoor swimming pool (opening in fall 2018).
See listing for The Sukhothai Shanghai
Bvlgari Hotel Shanghai
Concept & Location
Located on the banks of Suzhou Creek and part of the Suhe Creek riverside urban revitalization project created by leading Chinese developer OCT, the Bvlgari Hotel Shanghai is the sixth jewel of Bvlgari’s hospitality collection. The entire hotel consists of a 48-story tower (the top eight floors of which houses its 82 guestrooms and suites) and the restored Chamber of Commerce Shanghai building constructed in 1916. For the Shanghai project, Bvlgari enlisted its longtime design partner ‘Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel’ to create and oversee the concept, which mixes Italian sensibilities with Shanghai’s colorful architectural heritage.
Rooms
In addition to the panoramic views of the Pudong cityscape and the Bund outside the window, guests can also enjoy a well-curated selection of custom-made modern Italian furnishings plus Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts amenities, developed exclusively by master perfumer Jacques Cavallier.
Restaurants & Bars
Six dining options are available both inside the hotel building and the historic Chamber of Commerce Shanghai ‘extension’ in the courtyard. Michelin-starred chef Niko Romito serves a modern take on Italian cuisine at Il Ristorante-Niko Romito on the 47th floor of the hotel, while guests can enjoy casual drinks and small bites at the La Terrazza rooftop lounge. The adjacent century-old building houses the 500-square-meter Bvlgari Ballroom and Chinese restaurant Bao Li Xuan, which focuses on Cantonese and Shanghainese dishes.
Notable Amenities & Facilities
A 2,000-square-meter Bvlgari Spa features treatments using La Mer and Amala products, a 25-meter heated indoor swimming pool, and a spacious fitness center. Guests who are looking for a tailored wellness program can take advantage of the Workshop Gymnasium, where they’ll work with fitness and nutrition experts and world-class equipment to get the best results.
See listing for Bvlgari Hotel Shanghai
Bellagio Shanghai
Concept & Location
Also on the Suzhou Creek riverfront, Bellagio Shanghai – the sister property of the world famous Bellagio in Las Vegas – carries on the brand’s penchant for a sense of luxurious elegance and deep appreciation for the arts. Design firms WATG and Wimberly Interiors use Shanghai’s glamorous era during the 1920s and 30s as an inspiration for the main concept, where Art Deco motifs and a well-curated collection of paintings and art installations are sprinkled throughout the hotel.
Rooms
All of Bellagio Shanghai’s 162 spacious rooms and suites are furnished with modern amenities to satisfy the needs of tech-savvy travelers. Some of the Suzhou Creek-facing rooms even have their own terraces overlooking the futuristic Lujiazui skyline .
Restaurants & Bars
Award-winning chef Julian Serrano brought his LAGO restaurant at the Bellagio in Las Vegas to Shanghai, where he serves his take on innovative Italian cuisine in an ultramodern atmosphere. Mansion on One presents Shanghainese and Cantonese classics along with some of the best Beijing roast ducks in town.
Notable Amenities & Facilities
A 24-hour gym and an indoor heated swimming pool can be found on the 3rd floor of the hotel, while the Spa at Bellagio offers a range of body and beauty treatments in spa suites with a view of the Huangpu.
See listing for Bellagio Shanghai
Amara Signature Shanghai
Concept & Location
Situated at the corner of Changshou and Jiaozhou Lu, Amara Signature Shanghai is managed by the Amara Hotels & Resorts group, which has two properties in their home base of Singapore and another in Bangkok. Housed in a modern 30-story glass building adjacent to 100AM Shanghai, a mixed-use complex comprised of a shopping mall and an office tower, this is the very first ‘Amara Signature’ property in the world, a brand that aims to attract a new generation of travelers with modern amenities and a sophisticated design.
Rooms
There are 343 rooms and suites between the 7th and 30th floors of the property, and each room features a warm, neutral color palette with plenty of dark wood elements, contemporary furniture pieces, plush bedding and complimentary Wi-Fi. In addition, they all come with floor-to-ceiling windows that offer sweeping bird’s eye views of the Jing’an and Putuo neighborhoods.
Restaurants & Bars
In the F&B department, options at Amara Signature Shanghai include BLU, an all-day dining concept offering both a la carte and buffet selections featuring the vibrant flavors of Singaporean, Japanese, Chinese and Western cuisines. Drinks and refreshments can also be enjoyed at FLO, the hotel’s stylish lobby bar, while the Grab n Go takeaway deli also offers pastries, light snacks and sandwiches.
Notable Amenities & Facilities
On the 7th floor of the hotel, guests will find a 24-hour fitness center with facilities by Aileron, a Singaporean knowledge-driven gym. There’s also an outdoor pool located on the same floor. Amara Signature Shanghai has 1,100 square meters of meetings spaces (a Grand Ballroom and 10 smaller function rooms) perfect for all sorts of events, conferences, weddings and gatherings. Amara Club Floors guests can enjoy a range of additional benefits, including access to the Amara Club Lounge, personalized butler service and express check-in and check-out.
See listing for Amara Signature Shanghai
The Shanghai EDITION
Just a short walk away from the Bund and the Nanjing Lu Pedestrian Street, The Shanghai EDITION, designed by Neri&Hu and Ian Schrager Company, houses 145 rooms and suites in two separate towers, along with multiple F&B and nightlife venues. Most notable of these include Jason Atheron’s Shanghai Tavern, an izakaya-inspired Japanese restaurant on the 27th floor named HIYA, and two rooftop bars offering a sweeping view of Lujiazui skyline on the other side of the Huangpu. The hotel is expected to open during the summer.
See listing for The Shanghai EDITION
Hyatt Regency Shanghai Jiading (opening soon)
Designed by architect Tadao Ando, Hyatt Regency Shanghai Jiading in the area's central business district is located adjacent to the Shanghai Poly Grand Theater, Yuanxiang Lake, and Jiading Library, and offers convenient access to the F1 Shanghai International Circuit. The 43-story building has 304 rooms and suites, three dining concepts, a 24-hour gym and a heated indoor swimming pool. More than 3,500 square meters of events facilities are also available onsite. Hyatt Regency Shanghai Jiading opens this August.
See listing for Hyatt Regency Shanghai Jiading
InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland (opening soon)
Sometimes referred to as the Shimao Wonderland InterContinental, this unique 336-room hotel is located in an abandoned quarry in the Sheshan Mountain Range. While few official details are available, previous reports have indicated that 17 floors of the 19-story S-shaped structure are below ground level, and the quarry will be partially filled with water to create an illusion that part of the hotel is submerged in an artificial lake. It is rumored to open by late 2018.
See listing for InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland
All photos courtesy of the hotels.
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