Hong Kong-based Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has opened its first city property in the Southern Chinese commercial hub of Guangzhou.
Located in the well-established Tianhe business district, next to the prominent Swire office building, the hotel is directly connected to the 358,000 sqm mixed-use TaiKoo Hui development, which includes a luxury shopping mall, office space and a cultural centre. The property is also connected to Shipaiqiao Station of Guangzhou Metro, served by Line 3, and is a five-minute car ride from Guangzhou East Railway Station from which Hong Kong can be reached in two hours by train. Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, meanwhile, is 45 minutes' drive away.
The hotel contains 233 rooms, 30 suites and 24 serviced apartments designed by Tony Chi & Associates. Rooms start at 60 sqm – the largest standard room in the city – and feature a unique design inspired by the traditional Chinese courtyard. The entrance of every room has a sizeable hallway space – the "courtyard" – connected to the rest of the "room" through sliding doors. The standard room, for example, has two bathrooms on either side of the entrance hall – one wet bathroom containing the sizeable stand-alone round bathtub and rain shower, and a dry bathroom with two sinks and the toilet. The bedroom can be found straight ahead behind a pair of oriental-style sliding doors. There is also a separate walk-in closet to hang your clothes and place your luggage to the side of the entrance.
The hotel's intriguingly designed signature spa can be found next to the heated 25-metre outdoor pool on the 3rd floor. In terms of recreational facilities, there is also a well-equipped 24-hour gym with separate yoga room.
For dining, the main event is the signature Cantonese restaurant Jiang. The contemporary-style Ebony, meanwhile, serves international cuisine and there is also a classic tea lounge on the reception floor, a cake shop and The Loft – a suave bar with many private seating areas, some of which allow smoking, and serving a wide range of whiskeys and cigars.
The property also has notable meeting and function facilities which feature dramatically high ceilings, accessible through huge oriental-style wooden doors. Two large pantries are available for break-out meetings and drinks receptions or preparation of refreshments. There are seven rooms and a 750 sqm ballroom, as well as a business centre included among the facilities.
"The majority of our guests will come from the business and MICE segment, however, as our hotel is located within the luxurious TaiKoo Hui shopping complex, we can expect a good proportion of our guests coming to enjoy not only the facilities of our hotel, but also indulge in shopping," said Clemens Hoerth, general manager at Mandarin Oriental Guangzhou.
"Whether it is the advanced in–room technology, the excellent meeting facilities, or the private Oriental Club, it is important that the business traveller does receive a hassle-free experience and an efficient and delightful service" he continued.
The Mandarin Oriental portfolio also includes a resort in Sanya, Hainan Island – China's own Hawaii. Other upcoming openings for the group in this rapidly growing market include Shanghai (see here) and Beijing (see here).
Visit www.mandarinoriental.com/guangzhou
Alex Andersson
