Shangri-La announced the opening of Kerry Hotel Pudong, Shanghai on 18 February 2011, located in the new Kerry Parkside complex in the heart of Pudong, the hotel marks the debut of a new five-star hotel brand by Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts: Kerry Hotels.
"Kerry Hotels will appeal to the business traveller who prefers a vibrant and relaxed environment without compromising on service or quality. The hotels are contemporary in style and provide a seamless link between business, entertainment and recreation. Extensive leisure facilities are designed to become a social activity hub for both hotel guests and the local community," said Greg Dogan, president and chief executive officer of Shangri-La International Hotel Management Ltd.
Soaring 31 storeys over the Kerry Parkside complex, Kerry Hotel Pudong, Shanghai offers 574 guestrooms and suites, ranging in size from 42 to 168 square metres, with sweeping views of Century Park or the city. Sleek and contemporary furnishings provide optimum comfort for work, relaxation or socialising. Custom-designed in-room consoles with high stools and build-in minibars, 40-inch flat-screen televisions, iPod docking stations and complimentary broadband and wireless Internet access are standard. Sliding wall panels partition the guestrooms, leading to separate bath and shower facilities.
Seven floors are devoted to Club accommodation, including 33 suites. Guests can enjoy round the clock butler and Club concierge services, such as restaurant and sightseeing tour reservations, and exclusive access to the 670-square-metre Club Lounge, with expansive Century Park views. All suites have a separate living room providing a residential-style ambience. DVD players and Nespresso coffee machines are available in addition to the standard guestroom amenities, as are complimentary daily breakfasts and evening cocktails.
Kerry Hotel Pudong, Shanghai introduces one of Shanghai's most innovative dining and entertainment concepts, an integrated three-in-one designer showcase developed by boutique design consultancy Stickman Tribe The COOK, The MEET and The BREW.
The COOK, the main ą la carte restaurant with 11 live show kitchens and a gourmet delicatessen has seating for 365 people, including an outdoor patio. Offering a feast for the senses, the speciality chefs at The COOK follow the philosophy of uncomplicated, home-made preparation accentuating the flavours of fresh, organic ingredients. The culinary experience offers a global snapshot of cuisines ranging from Chinese wok and steam baskets to an Asian noodle station and the Japanese sushi, sashimi and yakitori kitchen. An orchard deli and butchers' block, an Asian barbecue station, a coffee counter and beverage bar, the patisserie, the wine cellar and cheese vault round out the culinary smorgasbord. All kitchens similarly focus on meticulously sourced ingredients supplied by local Shanghai growers and overseas artisanal producers to ensure quality. The COOK's interior showcases a bold mix of traditional and modern materials and finishes, such as handwritten menus on rustic wooden blackboards, Corian marble countertops mixed with rustic crate-stamped timber drop ceilings and custom-designed tiles. All design elements blend together to produce an eclectic lifestyle theme that reflects a bustling deli-style marketplace in contemporary Shanghai.
A craft brewery with its own signature beers created by the resident brew master, pub-style favourite dishes and live music entertainment, The BREW is a lively, contemporary pub. Beer connoisseurs or novices unwind after a hard day's work, listening to live music entertainment or watching sports television broadcasts, or simply relax on the outdoor terrace, taking in views of Century Park. Six handcrafted beers and one cider represent the tip of a vast selection of beverages on offer. Evoking industrial chic, The BREW's interiors revolve around the "flying brewery," custom designed and built three-storey stainless steel vats used for brewing and storing its signature brews. Forming a dramatic visual centrepiece and framing the brewery's steel vats in the background is an eye-catching, multi-tiered steel and glass chandelier over the centre of the bar that conveniently doubles as a beer pint glass rack.
Diners at The MEET, a contemporary steakhouse and speciality grill opening in April 2011, are greeted by a theatrically lit "Ageing Room" window dominating the restaurant entrance. The largest variety of steak and beef available in Shanghai is displayed and presided over by the restaurant's house butcher, who assists guests in selecting the finest cuts of meat to suit their fancy. Whilst waiting for their dinner companions, guests may relax with a drink on pony hair and leather armchairs near a fireplace flanked by hand-carved wooden bullhorns. A scarlet-hued vertebrae-inspired light fixture stretches down the expanse of the restaurant and makes a dramatic visual centrepiece to the restaurant and counterpoint to the gleaming tops of The BREW's glass encased brewery vats below. Non-carnivores need not despair; The MEET also offers a range of premium grilled items such as seafood and vegetables, along with a wide selection of New and Old World wines and beer.
Rounding out the hotel's dining and entertainment options are The COOK Lounge, which serves refreshments and premium teas by day and speciality cocktails at night, and Blossoms, a collection of elegantly designed private dining rooms, specialising in authentic Cantonese cuisine prepared by a Hong Kong chef.
The hotel houses the city's largest hotel-based sports club with Kerry Sports, a recreation destination spanning 6,000 square metres over three floors. The facilities include a 24 hour gymnasium with studios for aerobics, spinning, Pilates and yoga (including hot yoga), a 25-metre heated indoor swimming pool, an outdoor basketball court and tennis court and an outdoor roof garden with a jogging track. The 700-square-metre Adventure Zone, an indoor children's fantasy playground, features a two-storey high fun slide, age-appropriate play "zones" and three festive themed party rooms, ideal for birthday celebrations. Scheduled to open in April 2011 is a 275 square-metre wellness day spa with nine treatment suites, and specialising in health, beauty and physiotherapy, including traditional Chinese medicine treatments based on ancient Wushu healing traditions.
"We are all about creating memorable experiences, enabling our guests in seeking enjoyment and a balanced lifestyle," said George Wee, the hotel's general manager. "Our facilities, our surrounding community and our engaging, individualised service from vibrant, spirited colleagues make it effortless for guests to combine work with leisure, to travel and yet not leave the rest of one's life and all its pleasures and comforts behind."
Kerry Hotel Pudong, Shanghai unveils the largest portfolio of hotel meeting and banqueting facilities in the city, with more than 7,300 square metres of space. Dominating the hotel's third floor are two ballrooms, the 2,230-square-metre Grand Shanghai Ballroom and the 1,018 square metre Pudong Ballroom, which can be interconnected. The Grand Shanghai Ballroom is pillar-free can accommodate more than 2,800 people theatre style and 1,600 guests for banquets. With a ceiling soaring up to nine metres and direct lift access from the car park, the ballroom can easily be transformed into a car showroom for model launches. In addition, the hotel features 26 multi-purpose function rooms, most with natural daylight. The Balcony Garden on level three offers a refreshing outdoor alternative, overlooking the vibrant courtyard of the Kerry Parkside complex; at 195 square metres, it is ideal for small meeting breaks or exclusive gatherings. Meetings and event organisers benefit from a dedicated events manager, a meetings butler and an audio-visual technician on standby at all occasions.
Complementing the diverse selection of venues, the hotel also offers the Business Centre and Office Suites, with 16 fully furnished service offices and four meeting rooms. The round-the-clock operation is dedicated to meeting the needs of business travellers and guests on the go.
Kerry Hotel Pudong, Shanghai provides seamless access to multi-brand shops and boutiques, dining and entertainment facilities within the Kerry Parkside shopping mall as well as to the office tower and Residences at Kerry Parkside, a service apartment tower. The Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC), the city's largest trade exhibition venue offering more than 300,000 square metres of exhibition space, connects directly to the complex via an enclosed footbridge and walkway. Across the street from Kerry Parkside lies Shanghai's largest public gardens and the city's "green lung", Century Park, providing 140 hectares.
The Kerry Parkside complex's own underground subway station is a strategic artery connecting the new landmark to the rest of the Shanghai metropolis. With the Maglev express train station a seven-minute ride away from the hotel, guests can arrive at Pudong International Airport and be whisked off to their rooms for check-in within 15 minutes; the hotel offers a complimentary shuttle service to and from the Maglev train station. Alternatively, Pudong International Airport can be reached in approximately 30 minutes via the airport expressway.
From its traditional origins as a vast farmland, Pudong, on the eastern banks of the Huangpu River, has emerged as China's financial and commercial hub and one of the fastest developing districts in Shanghai today. From the distinctive skyscraper-dotted skyline of the Lujiazui financial district overlooking the Huangpu, Pudong sprawls towards Century Park and its surrounding communities of trade and export processing zones, upscale residential areas, schools and golf clubs, while encompassing popular sightseeing attractions such as the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, cultural venues such as the Shanghai Oriental Art Museum and the future site of Shanghai Disneyland.
The second Kerry Hotel will be based in Beijing and is the conversion of Shangri-La's Kerry Centre Hotel. Kerry Centre is currently undergoing a multimillion-dollar top-to-bottom renovation and upgrade that includes all public facilities, restaurants and guestrooms. It is scheduled to be completed by early 2012.
