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China World Hotel, Beijing: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 39°54′34″N 116°27′34″E / 39.909580°N 116.459552°E / 39.909580; 116.459552
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Revision as of 15:19, 23 February 2014

China World Hotel, Beijing
中国大饭店
File:China New World Hotel Beijing Logo.png
An orchestra performs in the lobby of the China World Hotel, Beijing
Map
General information
StatusCompleted
TypeHotel
AddressNo. 1 Jianguomenwai Avenue, Beijing, 100004, China
Coordinates39°54′34″N 116°27′34″E / 39.909580°N 116.459552°E / 39.909580; 116.459552
OpeningAugust, 1990[1]
OwnerShangri-La Hotels
ManagementJohn Rice
Design and construction
Architect(s)Nikken Sekkei (Japan) and Fougerolle of Société Auxiliaires des Entreprises, (France)[1]
Other information
Number of rooms716[1]
Website
China World Hotel, Beijing Official Website
Hotel Exterior of China New World Hotel, Beijing

China World Hotel, Beijing (Chinese: 中国大饭店) is a five-star hotel of the Hong Kong based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts group (Chinese: 香格里拉酒店集團) group. A landmark building in Beijing, it has the largest portfolio of conference and meetings halls in the city, and was one of the first three hotels in mainland China to be receive a Platinum Five Star rating from the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA).[1]

It is located next to the The China World Trade Center in Chaoyang District, the central business district of Beijing, China, and attached to the China World Mall.

History

The Shangri-La China World Hotel was built in 1989 and opened in August 1990[1] next to Guomao Station in Beijing’s Chaoyang District.[2]

The hotel is an important asset of China World Trade Center and has won many awards since its remodel in 2003,[3] including 10 Diamond Awards for its reputable restaurant chefs and lodging quality.[citation needed]

The hotel has a 2,000-capacity Conference Hall, and an 800-seat Grand Ballroom.[1]

Theme

The hotel's design and atmosphere is based on its namesake mystical valley featured in James Hilton’s 1933 novel, Lost Horizon. In the book, lead character Hugh Conway, a veteran member of the British diplomatic service, finds inner peace, love, and a sense of purpose in Shangri-La, whose inhabitants enjoy unheard-of longevity. Among the book's themes is an allusion to the possibility of another cataclysmic world war brewing. It is said to have been inspired at least in part by accounts of travels in Tibetan borderlands, published in National Geographic by the explorer and botanist Joseph Rock. The remote communities he visited, such as Muli, show many similarities to the fictional Shangri-La. One such town, Zhongdian, has now officially renamed itself Shangri La (Chinese: Xianggelila) because of its claim to be the inspiration for the novel.

Design and construction

The interior design was developed by LRF Designers Limited and renovated in 2003.[1] Wilson Associates, led by Trisha Wilson, handled the renovation and employed “contemporary Asian artwork, soothing earthtone fabrics and rich furnishings [to] unify traditional style with local character.”[4]

According to Forbes, the hotel design is “regal and opulent at every turn,”[5] featuring “shimmering, ornate crystal chandeliers, artistic pieces featuring intricate gold details, as well as large traditional Chinese paintings depicting life in Ancient China.”[5] It uses typical Chinese colors of red and gold to symbolize prosperity and wealth, and the guest rooms combine both Eastern and Western styles, with gold complemented by beige color schemes, and decorated worth modern contemporary art.[5]

Features

Golden Bamboo mural at China New World Hotel, Beijing

Rooms and suites

The rooms of the hotel were developed by LRF Designers Limited and number 716, of which 622 are guest rooms, and 94 are Suites.[1] Suites include the Premier (38), Executive (44), Grand Garden Suite (6), Specialty (4), Beijing Suite (1) and China Suite (1), which measures 280 square meters.[6]

Restaurants

The hotel holds four specialty restaurants serving a variety of cuisines under Executive Chinese Chef Kenny Chan, as well as one bar, The Lobby Lounge,[7] where live classical music is performed nightly.[2]

  • Aria - European

Led by Chef de cuisine David Pooley, Aria is a European restaurant within the hotel that has been recognised by domestic and international media such as CNN,[8] Time Out, Tatler and Wine Spectator as one the finest in the city. It was previously run by then 27-year-old Australian chef Matthew McCool[9] who won "Chef of the Year" at the 2011 Time Out Beijing Awards. The restaurant includes elements of molecular gastronomy[10] and the restaurant is split in to three areas – a dining and bar area on the first floor, private rooms on the second floor, and an alfresco space on the terrace.[11] Pooley, also from Australia, joined the restaurant in June 2012, at the age of 28, having previously taken an apprenticeship at Sydney's multi-award winning Quay restaurant under celebrity chef Peter Gilmore.[12]

  • Scene a Café - Open Kitchen

Scene a Café operates separate eight stations aimed at the diverse international guests of the hotel. Chef Li Yunfeng previously held figure art making classes from dough, at the café, where he would make figures such as The Monkey King Sun Wukong, Hello Kitty, the Goddess Guanyin and Doraemon.[13]

A dessert creation at the high-tech bakery Sweet Spot
  • The Sweet Spot - Delicatessen

Opened on January 8, 2014 in lobby of the China World Office, The Sweet Spot is a bakery of European style food.[14] It’s technology allows it to “print in color on chocolate,” allowing the store to custom make greetings cards as desserts.[15] To inaugurate the store, a two-meter high cupcake tree made of 1,100 cakes was erected.[14]

  • Summer Palace - Cantonese

Run by Executive Chinese Chef Kenny Chan of Hong Kong and Sous Chef Hou Xin Qing of Yangzhou,[16] Summer Palace was picked as the best restaurant in the city by the Beijing Tourism Administration in 2013, and restaurant of the year by Timeout Beijing in 2012.[17] Described as a “tasteful affair,” [18] it serves two of China’s most well-known regional cuisines, Cantonese-style and light food of Huiyang.”[18]

Awards

The hotel was one of the first three hotels in mainland China to be awarded a Platinum Five Star rating by the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA).[1]

  • The 8th China Hotel Starlight Awards, Asia Hotel Forum, 2013
  • Certificate of Excellence Winner, Tripadvisor/Daodao, 2013
  • China's Top 10 Popular Business Hotels, the 10th Golden-Pillow Awards of China Hotel, 2013
  • Best MICE Facilities and Service Hotel of The Year, China Travel & Meetings Industry Awards, Travel Weekly, 2013
  • Outstanding Team of Beijing Tourism and Hospitality Industry, The 14th Forbidden City Cup, 2013
  • Readers' Choice Gold List, China Tourism National Geographic Traveler, 2013
  • Gold List 2012, Conde Nast Traveller (US)
  • Best Business Hotel in Beijing (#3), Business Traveller (Asia-Pacific), 2012
  • China Hotel Gold Star Award, China Tourist Hotels Association, 2012

Corporate social responsibility

The hotel has been involved in a mentoring programme with the Hua Ao School,[19] a school founded in 1997 in the Shijingshan District[19] and specially designed to educate children of migrant workers who live on the fringes of Beijing. The school has around 900 students at primary and middle school levels. 90 volunteers from the hotel are committed to a five year program to train and develop the students to assist in their integration into modern society.[19]

In addition, the hotel holds a charity bazaar twice yearly to raise funds for the school, in association with the Kerry Guok Kuok Foundation who support the tuition fees of the students.[20] The funds raised have been donated to renovation projects such as the rebuilding of the school's sports facilities.[20]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Fast Facts". Shangri-La International Hotel Management Ltd. Retrieved 2014-02-08.
  2. ^ a b "Pooley's poetry on plates". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 2014-02-22.
  3. ^ China World Hotel Recent Awards. "China World Gets many awards since remodel in 2003" Retrieved on May 18, 2013.
  4. ^ "China World Hotel". Wilson Associates. Retrieved 2014-02-22.
  5. ^ a b c "What is the design style of China World Hotel, Beijing?". Forbes. Retrieved 2014-02-22.
  6. ^ "Hotel Fact Sheet" (PDF). Shangri-La International Hotel Management Ltd. Retrieved 2014-02-08.
  7. ^ "Dining". Shangri-La International Hotel Management Ltd. Retrieved 2014-02-08.
  8. ^ Tom O’Malley (2013-05-27). "Eat here now: 20 best Beijing restaurants". CNN. Retrieved 2014-02-08.
  9. ^ Heather Jacobs (2012-01-25). "The Aussie chef making Aria Beijing hot". Australian Trade Commission. Retrieved 2014-02-08.
  10. ^ Larissa Paschyn (2010-11-26). "Aria (China World Hotel, Beijing)". Best Food In China. Retrieved 2014-02-08.
  11. ^ Larissa Paschyn (2013-02-05). "Aria (Ālìyǎ) Review". Fodor's Travel Guides. Retrieved 2014-02-08.
  12. ^ Ye Jun (2012-08-11). "Pooley's poetry on plates". China Daily. Retrieved 2014-02-08.
  13. ^ Liu Lu (2009-03-25). "China World Hotel Showcases Dough Figure Art". Conde Nast Traveller. Retrieved 2014-02-22.
  14. ^ a b "China World Hotel, Beijing Opens Another New Sweet Spot Shop". Shangri-La International Hotel Management Ltd. 2014-01-08. Retrieved 2014-02-22.
  15. ^ Ye Jun. "Hitting the sweet spot at Guomao". China Daily. Retrieved 2014-02-22.
  16. ^ "Masters of Chinese cuisine". Shangri-La International Hotel Management Ltd. Retrieved 2014-02-23.
  17. ^ "The art of Chinese cuisine". Shangri-La International Hotel Management Ltd. Retrieved 2014-02-23.
  18. ^ a b Gabrielle Jaffe. "The art of Chinese cuisine". Jetsetter. Retrieved 2014-02-23.
  19. ^ a b c Arthur Zhang. "A brighter future for next generation migrant families". Shangri-La International Hotel Management Ltd. Retrieved 2014-02-09. Cite error: The named reference "CSR" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  20. ^ a b "A Big Friends Project". Shangri-La International Hotel Management Ltd. Retrieved 2014-02-09.
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