Jing An Shangri-La is Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts’ newest and third luxury hotel in Shanghai.  The hotel is located on the Puxi side of the Huangpu River at the Jing An district – the city’s most fashionable neighbourhood.  Despite being just opened in June 2013, it has already won a series of awards and accolades e.g. Best New Hotel, 2013 China Travelwards by TRAVEL+ (Oct, 2013), 2013 Hot List by Conde Nast Traveler China (Sep, 2013), Best Steak House (The 1515 West, Chophouse & Bar), 2013 Best Taste Awards by TARGET (Oct,2013).

Jing An Shangri-La guestrooms occupy the top 29 floors of the 60-storey tower and provide stunning views of Shanghai (as seen from the picture below)!  The most spectacular view can be seen from the hotel’s Horizon Club Lounge, which takes up the entire 55th floor and offers a 360-degree panoramic view of Shanghai.

Our spacious Jing An Shangri-La Grand Premier Room (52 sqm) features a delicate floral motif and modern furniture with classic oriental details. Floor to ceiling windows provide a panoramic view of Shanghai.  The room design features quite a number of well-hidden space-saving drawers to maximise the space within the room – for guests with big luggages, there is a very spacious walk-in wardrobe where they can unpack easily.

The complimentary WiFi and broadband Internet access, 46-inch LED Smart television with international channels and in-house movie channels made the stay at Jing An Shangri-La really convenient and comfortable especially when we just want to relax at the hotel after a long day of shopping at Shanghai’s Qipu Road (known for its cheap clothes and shoes).

All Jing An Shangri-La guestrooms feature bathrooms with heated marble floors as well as 15-inch LCD TV and digital clock embedded in the bathroom mirrors.  Stepping on cold marble floors are the best wake-up call after getting up from bed groggily (especially when travelling in winter) but I certainly don’t mind having heated floors to walk on. 🙂  There are even towel warmers in the bathroom!

Just as with other Shangri-La Hotels, premium Shangri-La toiletries and plush bathrobes are provided.  There are separate shower and toilet cubicles and also a spacious bathtub (boasting a great view of Shanghai too!).

Among Jing An Shangri-La’s many draws is its array of restaurants and lounges. Shangri-La created a distinct environment for each venue.

The 1515 WEST, Chophouse & Bar is where old Shanghai film making meets classic American bar and grill décor. Executive Chef Franco Brodini will bring “ranch to table” dining to Shanghai, serving beef from hand-selected cattle raised in Australia specifically for The 1515 WEST. The main dining room features an open-grill kitchen complemented by a raw bar and The 1515 WEST bar, serving signature cocktails from a team of world-class mixologists.

The hotel’s two-level Café LIANG adds a new twist to the gourmet international buffet dining experience Shangri-La hotels are known to offer. The café will feature a “tick box” menu card for main courses, integrating a buffet and table service experience.  Instead of having to order your food and waiting for it to be cooked, the Cafe LIANG staff will serve them to you – saving time and hassle for guests.  Here, you can also get food familiar to our Singaporean taste buds e.g. Penang Char Kway Teow, Katong Laksa, Hokkien Prawn Mee but do note that to cater to local Shanghai palate, you might not get to taste the rich flavours that we would usually expect from such dishes in Singapore – the good news is you can request for the chef to prepare it to suit Singaporean/Malaysian taste (the chef himself is from Malaysia)!

The Summer Palace, serves Southeastern Chinese cuisine with Cantonese flair. Inspired by Chinese ink paintings of poetic landscapes, a series of contemporary dining chambers each provide a different dining ambience and menu. The colourful rooms flow from the casual Pantry Chamber serving dim sum, to the Lantern Chamber with an open kitchen specialising in clay pot cooking, to the exquisite Imperial Chamber for formal dining.

Dim Sum Dining at the Pantry Chamber

In the energy-charged Pantry Chamber, dim sum and noodle items are served. Bronze screens and a stunning 9-metre wide open kitchen creates a theatrical effect.  Here, you can order the typical dim sum fare e.g. siew mai, char siew bun, carrot cake.

Savoring Clay Pot Dishes at the Lantern Chamber

Going into the Lantern Chamber, guests will be mesmerised by a ceiling adorned with over 80 intricate silk lanterns that appear to float magically. Taking centre stage is a glazed open kitchen that focuses on traditional clay pot cooking techniques. A series of lacquered panels in hues of deep orange is also introduced to provoke a sense of architectural modernity.

Some of the must-try dish here includes braised eel and roasted pork belly with caramelised whole garlic cloves.  If you are drinking tea, do request for Jing An Shangri-La Hotel’s in-house tea sommelier to advise on the best tea to match the food you are eating.

Formal Dining at the Imperial Chamber

Our chamber-hopping journey continues to the Imperial Chamber for formal dining. From the bespoke pendants hand-crafted with custom-made tassels in shades of olive greens and burnt orange, to the sculptural curved screens that partition the dining room into more intimate enclaves, the illustrious Imperial Chamber is fit for the emperor in both culinary offerings and ambience.  This is a high-end experience that pairs exclusive fine dining elements and private dining settings with expert culinary craftsmanship.

Jing An Shangri-La is the cornerstone of the new Jing An Kerry Centre, a 450,000-square-metre integrated complex with prime retail, office and residential space located in the fashionable Jing An District in Puxi, Shanghai. Jing An Shangri-La overlooks the focal point of Jing An Kerry Centre – a 3,000-square metre piazza featuring pathways, gardens, water features and al fresco dining.

Also located within the piazza is the home in which Chairman Mao Zedong spent several months in 1920. Preserved amid the Jing An Kerry Centre’s gleaming modern towers, the heritage home is currently being restored with the support of Kerry Properties and Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, in collaboration with the Jing An District Government.

The hotel is steps away from the Shanghai Exhibition Centre, Jing An Temple and the famous Nanjing Road shopping street. It is a three-minute walk to the Jing An Temple Station of Metro Lines 2 and 7. It is a 45-minute drive from Pudong International Airport and a 20-minute drive from Hongqiao Airport via the adjacent elevated Yan’an Middle Ring Road.