The Langham Yangtze Boutique Shanghai will capitalise on its art-deco heritage in its new life as a member of the Langham Hotels International chain.
It opens on May 1 after having undergone a multimillion- dollar renovation that will feature 96 guestrooms, Langham’s signature Chuan Spa and the first outpost of the Michelin two-star T’ang Court. Near to Shanghai’s high street Nanjing Road, its rooms overlook People’s Square.
Opened in 1934, the Yangtze Hotel, as it was called then, was modern for the time. It featured three guest lifts, 200 rooms with en suite bathrooms and – unverified reports have it – air conditioning. It occupied eight floors and cost more than US$1.2 million silver dollars (US$326.4 million today) to build.
Chinese hotels in Shanghai were divided into four classes at the time – Deluxe (the best), Grade A, B and C with the Yangtze Hotel rated as A.
It changed its name twice after 1949 when the Communist Party rose to power, and was mainly used for receiving foreign guests and groups, overseas Chinese and government officials. In 1989, it reverted to its original name Yangtze Hotel.
For more details, visit www.langhamhotels.com
Margie T Logarta
