By the end of 2014, Starwood Hotels & Resorts expect to have opened four new luxury hotels in China: The St. Regis Chengdu; The Azure Qiantang, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Hangzhou; The Castle Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Dalian; and W Beijing – Chang’an. Global Brand Leader, Paul James, has said, “The rapid growth of Starwood’s luxury brands in China reflects a robust demand for high-end hospitality from an increasingly affluent market”. These are four of 20 properties Starwood is set to open in the region this year.
The St. Regis Chengdu will offer an exclusive address in the heart of Chengdu’s business district. Slated to open late-summer 2014, the hotel is just steps away from Tianfu Square and the Chun Xi Road high-end retail district. It will feature 279 well-appointed guestrooms and suites, and will feature six distinct restaurants and lounges, including Social, a signature all-day dining restaurant; Yan Ting, a specialty Chinese restaurant featuring authentic Cantonese and Sichuan cuisine; Yun Fu, with four distinct private dining rooms on Level 27; Decanter, Chengdu’s only dedicated wine bar with an extensive selection of fine wine labels, liquors and aged cigars; Vantage XXVII, an outdoor sky bar with spectacular skyline vistas; and The Drawing Room, offering the legendary Bloody Mary and signature St. Regis rituals such as champagne sabering and afternoon tea.
W Beijing – Chang’an will celebrate the vibrancy of its surroundings – including Tiananmen Square, the world’s largest public square, the eclectic Silk Market, and the impressive grounds of the Forbidden City – with W’s sleek styling evident across its 353 guestrooms and four modern dining experiences. Guests can also expect the W brand’s iconic Whatever/Whenever® service philosophy, providing them with whatever they want, whenever they want it.
The Azure Qiantang, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Hangzhou, alongside the Hangzhou’s Qiantang River, will offer 205 graciously appointed guestrooms and suites, with spectacular river views through floor-to-ceiling windows, as well as unparalleled services and amenities. Discerning gourmands will find much to savour in its two fine restaurants.
The Castle Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Dalian will impress all guests, being a palatial Bavarian-style castle set amid lush foliage on Lotus Mountain in Dalian, Northeast China. The hotel is in the final stages of a complete interior renovation, and will reopen its doors in the coming Australian spring. It is set to offer 292 guestrooms and suites, plus 67 residences. It will also feature three restaurants and two lounges with creative and authentic cuisine options, including Zhenbao, offering fresh Chinese seafood; and Collections, an all-day dining restaurant with an international menu. In a nod to Dalian’s rich European heritage, the Royal Cellar will serve home-brewed German beer and northern European specialties.