On the last leg of our 2-week China trip in Shanghai, we checked out Kerry Hotel Pudong – one of only two Kerry Hotels in China – the other one being Kerry Hotel Beijing where we experienced the excellent Peking Duck at its Horizon Restaurant.  Just like Kerry Beijing, Kerry Pudong is known for its vibrant, fresh and energetic vibe – as can be seen from its unique facilities from the very well-equipped and huge Kerry Sports complex to the Adventure Zone for kids (with its signature slides – Hyperglide Astra slide, the Double Drop slide and the tri-level Demon Drop slide).  Kerry Hotels are in the same five-star luxury category as their sister brand – the Shangri-La Hotels but it is less formal and less bound by protocol – you can tell the difference from the hotel design as well as service style.

Be it whether you are doing a family staycation or business or leisure traveller, there is something for everyone here at Kerry Hotel Pudong from the extensive sports and wellness facilities to trend-setting Food and Beverage concepts.  The Kerry Parkside shopping mall is just beside the hotel and the mall itself offers lots of different dining and shopping experiences.

We stayed at the Club Premier Parkview Room which provided panoramic views of Century Park – a large eco-city park in Shanghai.  The room has an extended living and seating area – providing generous space to rest and relax (about 69 sqm or 742 sqf of space).  For media and entertainment, there is a 40-inch flatscreen LCD television with in-house movie channels and satellite and cable television channels.  Complimentary wired and wireless broadband Internet access is also provided.  As with any Shangri-la hotels, there is a spacious executive desk in the room with multi-plug socket (which can connect with any power plugs around the world so there is no need for travel adapters here). There is also a marble-clad bathroom with glass-enclosed bath and separate shower – luxurious bathroom amenities are provided too.

Club guests can also enjoy round-the-clock butler and Club concierge services, such as restaurant and sightseeing tour reservations, and exclusive access to the 670-square-metre (7,211 square feet) Club Lounge, with expansive Century Park views.  The exclusive perks that come with Club access include daily buffet breakfast, happy hours and cocktails, beverages throughout the day, usage of The Club meeting room for two hours daily (subject to availability), as well as wired and wireless broadband Internet access. Also included is private check-in and check-out at The Club’s reception desk, the pressing of one suit upon arrival and a shoeshine service.

Everything in Kerry Hotel Pudong room’s mini-bar from snacks, chocolate bar to soda and juices are offered complimentary to all guests on arrival, as is practised at Kerry Hotel Beijing.  You can also get to try The BREW’s most famous craft – The Pils and Indian Pale Ale (IPA), which is also available as part of Kerry Hotel Pudong’s complimentary in-room mini-bar beverages.

Do note that the mini-bar items are complimentary upon your arrival only i.e. you will have to pay for consuming subsequent mini-bar items that have been replenished.

Hotel gymnasiums usually comprise a few treadmills, cycling machines and some free weights but at Kerry Hotel Pudong, the Kerry Sports gymnasium spans four activity zones comprising more than 80 pieces of state-of-the-art exercise equipment: the “Iron Man”, Cardio, Personal Training and Strength Circuit Training.  With 10-metre (32 feet) high floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking Century Park, surrounding villas and the financial district’s skyline in the distance, Kerry Sports provides an overwhelming feeling of space.

Aimed at endurance building, the “Iron Man” zone allows prospective triathletes to complete their training needs in one place – a first for a sports club in Shanghai. Along with spinning bicycles and treadmills with personal television screens and iPod charging docks, the zone introduces a first in Asia: the Vasa kayak and swim trainer bench, which simulates swimming while providing resistance normally provided by water.

The Cardio zone features more than 40 Star Trac cardio machines, including the latestmodel treadmills, bicycles, rowers and crosstrainers, while Strength Circuit Training provides a full body work-out within 30 minutes with weight resistant machines and ten TRX suspension fitness trainers. The Personal Training Zone, including a body combat zone, is ideal for one-on-one customised training with Kerry Sports’ certified personal trainers.

Additional recreation facilities at Kerry Sports include an indoor heated 25-metre (82 feet) swimming pool, a vitality pool equipped with massage jets and a children’s splash pool, all in a glass-walled enclosure overlooking a 700-square metre (7,534 square feet) outdoor rooftop garden, with a jogging track. A tennis court, basketball court and a children’s playground with a mini-climbing wall round out the Kerry Sports’ recreation facilities.  What i like about Kerry Sports swimming pool is the designated lanes for lap swimming so I can swim uninterrupted from swimmers who just want to enjoy a good soak in the pool.

The gymnasium at Kerry Sports is open 24 hours; the swimming pool, tennis courts and basketball courts are open daily from 6:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m.

There is also a huge indoor children’s playground – the Adventure Zone at Kerry Hotel Pudong.  Designed to appeal to children’s fantasies, the Adventure Zone is a 700-square metre (7,534 square feet) children’s indoor playground and recreation centre. Three slides, namely, the Hyperglide Astra slide, the Double Drop slide and the tri-level Demon Drop slide, are its main attractions.  The Adventure Zone slides and age-appropriate “play zones”, were designed and built by UK-based Taylor Made, a leading manufacturer of children’s play equipment.  Adults can also try these slides – the Hyperglide Astra slide is the super long slide (see top left in the picture below); the Double Drop and Demon Drop slides are quite scary – as the name of the slide suggests, there is a 90 degree drop onto the slide (see the video below for an idea of what a ride on these slides feel like)!

The Adventure Zone is open from 10:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Mondays to Fridays and from 9:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. Saturdays to Sundays.  Do note that there is a entry fee for Adventure Zone.

Check out this video below for an overview of the Kerry Hotel Pudong rooms and facilities e.g. the slides at Kerry Sports Adventure Zone and the Kerry Sports gymnasium.

For our friends in China, the same video above is also hosted in the Youku video below.  嘉里酒店是新生代奢华酒店的代表——活力四射、轻松亲和、灵活百变。这一品牌的魅力在于它的新奇和朝气、惊喜和创意，无论客人到此工作还是娱乐，他们的所有感官功能都会被充分激发和调动。这里几乎没有约定俗成，只有热情和灵动。完备的健身康体设施，引领潮流的餐饮理念，配合周边完备的多功能建筑群，为既追求服务品质而又崇尚活力和宽松环境的商旅人士度身定做。嘉里酒店——外表有型，内心热忱。

Dining at Kerry Hotel Pudong, guests can experience an integrated three-in-one dining concept – The BREW, a craft brewery showcasing six award-winning beers and one cider with a gastro pub menu, The MEAT, a contemporary steakhouse and speciality grill, and The COOK, an all-day dining restaurant that features 13 “live” kitchens.  We will share more about our dining experience in the next blog post.

Kerry Hotel, Pudong, Shanghai provides seamless access to multi-brand shops and boutiques, dining and entertainment facilities within the Kerry Parkside shopping mall as well as to the office tower and Residences at Kerry Parkside, a service apartment tower.  The Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC), the city’s largest trade exhibition venue with more than 300,000 square metres of space
(3,229,173 square feet), connects directly to the complex via an enclosed footbridge and walkway.

Across the street from Kerry Parkside lies Shanghai’s largest public gardens and the city’s “green lung”, Century Park, providing 140 hectares of greenery.  Century Park is the largest eco-city park in Shanghai and its landscaping combines British, Japanese and Chinese gardening styles.  With large areas of grassland, forests and lakes among its main features, there are scenic spots like islands, country gardens and grasslands.

The Kerry Parkside complex’s own underground subway station (Huamu Road at Line 7) connects Kerry Hotel Pudong easily to the rest of the Shanghai metropolis.

Getting to Kerry Hotel Pudong from Pudong International Airport

With the Maglev express train station a seven-minute ride away from the hotel, Kerry Hotel Pudong guests can arrive at Pudong International Airport and be whisked off to their rooms for check-in within 15 minutes; Kerry Hotel Pudong offers a complimentary shuttle service to and from the Maglev train station (at Longyang Road Metro Station)

The Maglev train operates every 20 minutes daily from 7am to 9pm. One-way economy fare costs RMB 50 (USD 7) and VIP seats cost RMB 100 (USD 13). Passengers can purchase tickets at the Ticket Centre on the day of the journey. The journey takes about eight minutes per way.

Pudong International Airport can also be reached in approximately 30 minutes via the airport expressway.  Guests can arrange for a hotel limousine (BMW ActiveHybrid 7) transfer service (at a fee) for convenience.  With a comfortable ambience, supreme rear-seat entertainment, Bang & Olufsen high-end audio system and the brand’s exclusive appearance, the ride on Kerry Hotel Pudong’s BMW ActiveHybrid 7 allows guests to indulge in pure relaxation. Complimentary Wi-Fi access is also provided throughout the limousine experience.