China is hot in August (like…really hot). But temperatures aside, the luxury thermometer rose a few degrees this past month, as well. Here's a look at the latest luxe news pouring out of China.
Fairmont Suzhou to Open in 2018
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts continues to strengthen its presence in China with the announcement of a new hotel in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. Fairmont Suzhou is scheduled to open in 2018. The new hotel will have 390 guest rooms and five dining outlets. the hotel will also have more than 43,000 square feet of meeting space. Leisure facilities will include a swimming pool and Willow Stream Spa. The hotel will be part of a mixed-use development that will also include office space and a retail podium, as well as office towers and other commercial and entertainment facilities. Location: Suzhou is in the center of the Yangtze River Delta, 70 miles east of Shanghai. More than 2,500 years old, the city is one of the oldest in the Yangtze Basin. Often referred to as the “Venice of the East,” the city is made up of more than 200 gardens, eight of which have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For more information visit www.fairmont.com.
Shangri-La Sanya Resort & Spa Now Taking Reservations
If Sanya, Hainan Island, China, isn’t on your radar, listen up now! This tropical destination off the coast of Southern China has been a rising luxury hot spot for the past few years. And now, we hear, Shangri-La’s Sanya Resort & Spa is taking reservations for arrivals from September 28. A 40-minute drive from Sanya International Airport, the 45-acre resort will have 340 guest rooms and eight two-story villas, with 180-degree sea and mountain views and direct access to beach. Swanky! Reservations are now open to arrivals from September 28. An introductory rate of $161 per night, plus 15 percent service charge is available until December 31. The special opening offer includes accommodation in a Superior Room, breakfast for two and triple points for Golden Circle Members. For more information visit www.shangri-la.com.
Beijing Buzz: Rosewood to Open in October
Apparently a luxury memo was sent out and Beijing was the first to receive it. The luxury sphere has been atwitter lately with haute happenings from one of China’s major metropolises. First to make its grand debut will be the Rosewood Beijing, slated to open in October. This will be the first China hotel for Rosewood Hotels & Resorts. The ultra-luxe hotel will be in a prime downtown position. Passing between the towering “Sons of Dragon” statues guarding the entrance and arriving at a foliage-filled courtyard, visitors will feel like they have entered a private mansion tucked away from the highways and hutongs of Beijing. Rooms will start at 538 square feet. There will be 283 rooms, including 109 Deluxe Rooms, 106 Premier Rooms, 16 Grand Studios, 31 Manor Suites, five Spa Suites, 15 Rosewood Suites and a Presidential Suite. Dining options span six restaurants and lounges. Other amenities will include a Sense spa with six treatment rooms and five spa suites for overnight stays. Posh touch: Treatment rooms will have balconies. There will also be a swimming pool, gym and yoga studio. Also to come: Mandarin Oriental will open a Beijing property soon.
Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong Expands Spa with New Rooms
Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong celebrated its 50th birthday with a big bash in 2013, and the luxury hotel at 5 Connaught Road continues to get dolled up. This month Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong is showing off new treatment rooms in its destination spa. The additions include two VIP suites, a Thai Massage Room kitted out with a custom-made Thai bed, and a new Couples Room (called “Patchouli”) equipped with a steam shower and relaxation area. Sprawling over 22,000 square feet across two floors, the spa also houses a salon, barbershop, fitness room and pool. The spa channels a sleek, Asian aesthetic: think bamboo wall textures, Asian lacquer décor and Oriental artwork. Prior to your treatment (like the classic Thai massage or Couples’ “Time Together” experience), take advantage of the spa’s heat and water facilities. There’s a Chinese herb steam room and a hydrotherapy Kneipp pool. For more information, visit www.mandarinoriental.com/hongkong.
First Look: JW Marriott Hotel Zhengzhou in China's Henan Province
Big news for travelers to China: JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts has officially opened the 416-room JW Marriott Hotel Zhengzhou in Henan Province. This new hotel is located on the top floors of the Millennium Royal Plaza in the CBD of Zhengzhou, the capital city of the province as well as an important transportation hub in China. At 918 feet, the 60-floor Millennium Royal Plaza is the tallest building in Central China. The JW Marriott Hotel Zhengzhou is the first Marriott property in Henan as well as the seventh JW Marriott hotel in the Greater China region. “Marriott International has already had several successful hotel projects with our owner partner Greenland in China,” said Simon Cooper, president & managing director of Marriott International Asia, noted in a statement. “This is a significant property as it is our first hotel in Zhengzhou, which is an important transportation, business and convention hub in central China. Also, it is another proof of the growing popularity of our JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts brand in this market. We are on the course of opening new JW Marriott hotels in Macao, Chongqing, Kunming and Shenzhen over the next 12 months.” The design of Millennium Royal Plaza was inspired by the Songyue Pagoda, a renowned cultural relic that was built approximately 1,500 years ago. The aluminum exterior’s sunscreens give the structure a distinctive pagoda-shape. The sunscreens also maximize the amount of daylight entering the building while reducing glare and solar heat gain. Zhengzhou is an important transportation hub within China, and Henan has a rich 5,000-year history. The city has several UNESCO World Heritage Sites including the historic Shaolin Temple. The new hotel is located in the heart of Zhengdong New District – the new center of Zhengzhou – and is positioned between the Zhengzhou International Convention & Exhibition Center and Henan Art Center. The new property has a total 416 of guestrooms and suites located from the 41st to the 55th floor, each with floor-to-ceiling windows and panoramic views of the city. The hotel’s restaurants on the 38th and 39th floors include The Grill, specializing in both Chinese and Western dishes made from seafood and beef; Man Ho, headed by Executive Chef Wong from Hong Kong and specializing Cantonese classics as well as Henan and Sichuan cuisine; and Zhengzhou Kitchen, a buffet with Western, Chinese and Japanese live-cooking sections. The Lounge – borrowing inspiration from the building’s height – has the “tallest tea” in the city, a four-tier stand filled with snacks.