This trio of luxury hotel openings in China will make booking your A-list clientele a cinch.
Alila Yangshuo; Guilin, China
Alila Hotels and Resorts has announced that its second property in China, the Alila Yangshuo, will open next month. Set amongst picturesque karst mountains, rolling green hills and meandering rivers, this modern resort with retro vibes is a former 1960s sugar mill. Today, Alila Yangshuo features 117 guestrooms, suites and villas; and showcases elements of the old sugar mill architecture such as the transformation of the original sugarcane dock into a pool. Alila even offers an opportunity for guests to take a step back in history to a time when the building was a factory by allowing guests the opportunity to try their hand at the traditional sugar-making process. The finished sugar products are then wrapped and given to guests as a take-home memento.
The property features an onsite restaurant, the Sugar House, serving a selection of Chinese and Western cuisine based on a seasonal farm-to-table menu; the Spa Alila, offering treatments that combine traditions of the East and West; and the 1969 Bar, which borrows from the resort’s in-house rum distillery for its sugar and rum-themed cocktails. Other facilities at Alila Yangshuo include a library, the Alila Living boutique, a private pier for dining, a gym, and Play Alila—a kids club offering an array of games and toys as well as supervised indoor and outdoor activities. The resort also hosts adventurous onsite excursions for guests, ranging from rock climbing on a karst hill located in the resort’s backyard with the help of a guide, to cycling along the scenic Yulong riverside with a guide who will share in-depth knowledge about indigenous plants and waterfowls.
Alila Yangshuo is a 1.5-hour drive from Guilin Liangjiang Airport and a 30-minute car ride from the Yangshuo railway station. Rates start at $200 per night. For more information, visit alilahotels.com/yangshuo.
Jumeriah Nanjing; China
Dubai-based Jumeriah Group is developing a 250-guestroom and -suite property in the new business district Hexi in Nanjing, China, which is expected to open by the end of the year. Highlights of the Jumeriah Nanjing mixed-use luxury property will include a Talise Spa, an indoor pool, and a tea lounge. Located approximately a 40-minute drive from the Nanjing Lukou International Airport and a 1-hour train ride from Shanghai, Jumeirah Nanjing will also offer an all-day dining and Chinese specialty restaurant, a cafe, a lobby lounge, and a fitness center. Rates start at $250 per night. For more information, visit jumeirah.com/en.
The St. Regis Shanghai Jingan; China
St. Regis Hotels & Resorts has opened its ninth hotel in the Greater China region, The St. Regis Shanghai Jingan, on West Beijing Road in the heart of the Jingan District—Shanghai’s cultural and business center. The hotel’s 436 guestrooms, including 66 suites, boast sweeping city views; however, elite clientele will want to book the 3-bedroom, 3-story Presidential Suite—a 6,996-sq.-ft. space located on the top of the building, featuring a glass ceiling, a large living room, outdoor terraces with panoramic skyline views, a full kitchen, a dining room, and a lounge area.
Through six distinct restaurants and bars, The St. Regis Shanghai Jingan offers guests a unique combination of signature St. Regis offerings and local flavors from the, Seki-tei restaurant set in a modern Japanese stone garden featuring a live cooking teppanyaki station, to the Yan Ting specialty restaurant serving sophisticated Cantonese cuisine. In addition, The Drawing Room offers the signature St. Regis afternoon tea every day, and The St. Regis Bar, which in addition to fine wines, rare spirits, champagnes, and handcrafted cocktails, will offer the popular St. Regis Bloody Mary. The bar will also offer the hotel’s local version of the Bloody Mary, the ‘Mary Jing,’ made with Shanghai spices and local ingredients such as dried preserved figs infused in vodka and dried osmanthus flowers.
Other familiar sights at the property will be the St. Regis brand’s signature Iridium Spa and the signature St. Regis Butler Service, offering around-the-clock, customized service. Rates start at $234 per night. For more information, visit starwoodhotels.com/stregis.
