Ivy Shanghai: A bold new boutique hotel dazzles Shanghai (China)
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Ivy Shanghai: A bold new boutique hotel dazzles Shanghai (China)
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Category: Asia Pacific - China - Industry economy -
Hotel opening
This is a press release selected by our editorial committee and published online for free on 2008-09-16
Shanghai’s newest boutique hotel, located in a former 1950s cinema, dazzles with its fun, flamboyant design that captures the essence of old and new Shanghai.
Located in a newly hip factory-turned-residential area, Ivy Shanghai occupies the former 1950s Jiangning Cinema, one of the first cinemas built in Shanghai after liberation. A ‘Green Wall’ of ivy will eventually cover the façade, but until then the building’s tongue-in-cheek camouflage exterior demands to be seen.
The fun continues inside with highly theatrical interiors by edgy, young American-French designer Dillon Garris, whose bold but luxuriously livable spaces decorate the five-star Shama brand of serviced apartments in Hong Kong and the homes of celebrities such as Rupert Murdoch and Paloma Picasso. Ivy Shanghai is his first full hotel project.
“We wanted to give visitors the full-on Shanghai experience,” says Garris, who vamps up the interplay of ancient and modern Chinese design with funky lipstick-red lattice screens, grey brick walls reminiscent of Shanghai lanes, neon-lit room numbers and China pop art.
A quieter ambience prevails in the 46 contemporary-styled guestrooms. These feature hardwood floors that are heated in winter, ultra-luxurious bedding, walk-in wardrobes, and spacious bathrooms with rainforest showers and deep soaking tubs. Traditional red silk pouches on the vanity contain a full complement of personal hygiene amenities, while signature bath products come in a choice of aromatherapy scents.
Garris’ custom-designed furniture in the rooms borrows from the clean, sculptural lines of Chinese tradition and adds a cheeky twist – like the red leather poof-chairs with classic wooden armrests, and lamps and side tables shaped like ancient coins. The enormously popular 68sqm ‘Ritzy Suite’, comes with a giant ‘Double Happiness’ sliding moon gate separating the four-poster bed from the expansive living quarters.
“Ivy Shanghai will bring a completely new approach to a typical hotel experience,” says General Manager Stanley Chung. “It is vibrant and hip, with a comforting residential approach which was achieved by not using a hotel designer. But it’s our service that truly makes all the difference.”
All rooms at Ivy Shanghai come equipped with LCD TVs, CD and DVD players, high-speed broadband and remote controls for AV and air-conditioning. An exciting array of thoughtful extras includes water filters attached to the bathroom tap, decadent red cashmere throws, and an extensive specialty pillow menu. Each guest is also assigned a 24-hour personal butler to attend to every aspect of their stay, from airport pick-ups and unpacking/laundering to full secretarial services and restaurant reservations. Original rate is starting from RMB2,288. The soft open rate is from RMB850++.
The hotels signature restaurant Kuromatsu serves classic Japanese teppanyaki paired with a sophisticated selection of wines, sakes and cocktails. A seven-chef teppanyaki iron grill forms the centerpiece of this restaurant, which is decorated in cool, dark granite and trimmed with exotic materials from traditional obi dresses. The restaurant has four multi-functional private rooms as well.
Residential guests can also retire to the sky lit atrium on the second floor – where the original big screen once hung – which is now a whimsical residents’ coffee bar and wifi lounge, or the spacious library that sits just off the lobby.
Ivy Shanghai is the first mainland hotel by CHI that operates unique resorts and serviced apartments throughout Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Fiji.
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