Sky High Shanghai: The Ritz-Carlton opens Pudong hotel

by McLean Robbins (RSS feed)
Jun 23rd 2010 at 8:01AM

The Ritz-Carlton knows a burgeoning superpower when it sees one. The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai Pudong, the brand's seventh in the country and second in Shanghai, opened its doors to the public on Monday. The 285-room property occupies the top 18 floors of the luxury Shanghai ifc Tower and opened in conjunction with the 2010 World Expo.

Designed by acclaimed architect Cesar Pelli, the hotel's glittering diamond-like exterior and contemporary decor evokes Shanghai's Art Deco movement of the 1930's. The hotel offers panoramic views of The Bund, the most intact collection of Art Deco architecture anywhere in the world.

"As Shanghai has been experiencing exponential growth and many multi-national companies have opened in Pudong, we find it strategically viable for The Ritz-Carlton to be located on both sides of Huangpu River," says Rainer Burkle, the hotel's general manager. "While The Ritz-Carlton Portman, Shanghai at Puxi has established its name over the past decade as the most preferred luxury hotel in the city, I have no doubt that The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong will prove itself to be another quintessential business and social centre for domestic and international travelers alike."

With interior designs by Richard Farnell, The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong guest rooms and suites range in size from 500 square feet for a standard guestroom to 4,000 for the Ritz-Carlton and Chairman Suites. There are three floors of Club-level accommodations, each with access to the 24-hour and 49th floor Club Lounge.

Restaurants include Aura Lounge and Jazz Bar, Jin Xuan, the fine dining Chinese Restaurant designed by Steve Leung; Scena Italian Restaurant and Flair Rooftop Restaurant and Bar. Flair boasts the distinction of being is Shanghai's highest al fresco dining and bar venue, although, as we all know, it might not hold that honor for long.

Looking for relaxation? Find the 15,000 square foot ESPA-branded spa on the 55th floor, featuring 10 treatment rooms, including a couple's treatment "Harmony Suite." Treatments will combine modern modern Chinese, Indian, European and Balinese spa cultures and ESPA branded products for a natural luxury experience.

Shanghai ifc mall also boasts opulent interiors framing the most stylish shopping environment and housing hundreds of world-renowned international branded retail names, including Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Hermes and more.

Now open. Rooms from RMB 2,888. http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/ShanghaiPudong/.

Tags: china, pudong, ritz-carlton, shanhai