Hotel Buzz: Shangri-La's Northernmost China Hotel

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts is opening the door on Russia and Eastern Europe to the Chinese market.

We hear the luxury hotel operator has opened up Shangri-La Hotel, Manzhouli today, April 15, in the part of northeastern China that shares a 34-mile border with Russia.

The Shangri-La, Manzhouli is a 235-room hotel, including 24 suites. We love the design concept, which evokes both a Chinese and Mongolian feel. Rooms range in size from 409 to 2,131 square feet, offering panoramic views of Xiaobei Lake, the city or the grasslands with mountains in the background.

The hotel offers three restaurants and a lounge area. The Shang Palace, Shangri-La's signature Chinese restaurant, serves up both Cantonese and Northern Chinese cuisine. Nice touch: There are 12 private dining rooms, each one featuring a yurt-inspired dome ceiling and traditional Chinese and Mongolian-style interior design.

The all-day dining venue is Cafe 99, offering a la carte menu selections and an open-style kitchen. We hear in June a third restaurant, Salt an dBread, will open up its doors to feature Russian cuisine.

A 13,844-square-foot health club occupies the third floor, with an indoor heated pool and sweeping lake and mountain views.

For more information visit www.shangri-la.com.