Reviews Rob Gill
JING AN SHANGRI-LA West Shanghai
SHANGRI-LA’S THIRD PROPERTY in Shanghai opened in June 2013 and is located on the Puxi side of the Huangpu river, in the up-and- coming district of Jing An, nestled next to the upmarket shopping district of West Nanjing Road. The hotel is part of a 60-storey tower, with its main facilities on the bottom four floors and the rooms located between floors 30 and 59.
1,218 Middle Yan’an Road, Jing An Kerry Centre, West Nanjing Road, Shanghai, 200040; tel +86 21 2203 8888;
www.shangri-la.com/shanghai/jinganshangrila/
ROOMS: The hotel has a total of 508 rooms (including 42 suites) all of which have views across the city. The smallest rooms (Deluxe) start at 42sq m, while Executive suites are 92sq m, and the Presidential suite is 311sq m. All rooms are stylish and modern with floor-to- ceiling windows, flatscreen 3D TVs, and impressive bathrooms with heated marble floors. Free wifi is available throughout. All guests staying in a Grand Premier room and above have access to the Horizon Club which extends across the entire 55th floor. This is the place to go for breakfast (included in the room price) with an extensive buffet selection as well as eggs cooked to order. BARS & RESTAURANTS: The public areas of the hotel on the first four floors are filled with more than four million pieces of crystal alongside more than 200 contemporary artworks. The four restaurants and bars offer a range of local and international cuisine, including
the cavernous Summer Palace serving Chinese food, an American steakhouse and two-level Café Liang offering Japanese sushi and teppanyaki on the upper floor and a buffet- style experience downstairs. BUSINESS FACILITIES: The Horizon Club includes meeting rooms available for up to two hours a day. The hotel has a separate events centre accessed via the hotel or its own separate entrance. Among the facilities are two ballrooms – including the largest in West Shanghai at 1,743sq m – and six meetings rooms in the business centre. LEISURE FACILITIES: There is a 24-hour gym and a 25-metre indoor pool is open from 6am to 11pm. The Chi Spa offers a range of treatments. VERDICT: The property offers an excellent working environment – the rooms are spacious with spectacular views of the city (providing the mist/smog doesn’t get in the way) while the high quality restaurants offer an impressive range of cuisines.
9 Binjiang Dong Road, Chengdu, 610021; tel +86 28 8888 9999;
www.shangri-la.com/chengdu/shangrila/
Rob Gill
SHANGRI-LA Chengdu
CHENGDU, THE CAPITAL OF CHINA’S Sichuan province, has been in the headlines with the start of British Airways’ flights to the city in September. The Shangri-La occupies a central position in this bustling city with a population of 14 million, which is best known as a gateway to see giant pandas. It is also one of the most important business hubs in south-west China. The hotel has attracted a host of CEOs from the world’s Fortune 500 companies, as well as US vice-president Joe Biden.
ROOMS: The 593 contemporary, spacious rooms include 61 suites as well as 26 serviced apartments with one, two or three bedrooms for long-stay guests. The bathrooms are impressive, with walk-in showers, baths and flatscreen TVs. The smallest rooms (Deluxe) start at 42sq m, while the Presidential suite is a whopping 276sq m. Other features include free wifi, tea- and coffee-making facilities and 24-hour room service. There are five executive floors where all guests have access to the Horizon Club on the 35th and 36th floor. BARS & RESTAURANTS: The signature restaurant Shang Palace offers a range of
spicy Sichuan specialities as well as milder and more familiar Cantonese dishes; there are also 17 private dining rooms for small business lunches and intimate events. Café Z is a large all- day dining area on the ground floor with a selection of buffet stations serving international options, while Mooney’s is an Irish-pub and casual restaurant, dishing up Western-style food. BUSINESS FACILITIES: The Horizon Club provides an impressive buffet breakfast each morning and offers evening cocktails in its lounge, as well as express check-in and check-out with efficient iPad-toting receptionists. The business centre on the
ground floor also has meeting rooms, secretarial services and conference call facilities. Meeting venues include the biggest ballroom in Chengdu at 2,100sq m, plus a smaller junior ballroom, an auditorium and 15 function rooms. LEISURE FACILITIES: The property has tennis courts, an indoor swimming pool, a 24-hour gym and a Chi spa. VERDICT: An oasis of tranquillity in one of China’s biggest cities. Service is of a high standard from the moment you arrive. It is also one of the best options in Chengdu for events and conferences, due to its extensive and flexible range of meeting space.
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