Starwood Hotels & Resorts has announced the opening of The Westin Qingdao. Located in the hilly port city at the foot of Lao Shan Mountain, Qingdao was once a German colony and is famed for its historical colonial architecture and as a garden city. It is a coastal city with many beaches, and its international profile was given a boost in 2008 when it hosted the sailing programme of the 2008 Olympics.
As a booming sub-provincial city in the Chinese province of Shandong, Qingdao generated a GDP of USD129.14 billion in 2013 – a 10 per cent increase year on year.
The Westin Qingdao is situated in the city’s central business district, and is approximately 22km from Qingdao Liuting International Airport. Many international corporate offices are within two kilometres from the hotel, including ExxonMobil (0.7km), Standard Chartered Bank (1.3km) and Nokia (1.3km). Shopping and popular landmarks within walking distance from the 321-room property include the Qingdao City Hall, Wusi Square and Jusco. The famous Dengzhou Road (beer street), home to the famous Tsingtao Brewery, is a nine-minute drive from the hotel.
The Westin Qingdao lobby
The hotel is housed within a 54-story tower that stands at a total height of 237.7 metres and overlooks the cityscape of Qingdao. It is part of a multi-use development complex that includes a high-end shopping mall and luxury apartments. A new “Central Subway Station” is currently under construction, which will offer much easier accessibility to different parts of the city.
All guestrooms and suites come with Westin’s signature Heavenly Beds with bedding made from 100 per cent Egyptian cotton and cotton blends, and a box spring designed to ensure the longevity of the mattress. Another room highlight is the glass-encased marble bathroom and offer a separate rainforest shower area.
There is an executive club that is located on the 54th floor. The lounge provides personalised check-in/check-out services, along with internet access, breakfast and cocktail hours throughout the day. There is a conference room in the lounge which serves as an exclusive venue for business meetings.
Dining options include the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant Seasonal Tastes, as well as Five Sen5es, which serves Cantonese fare, a tea bar, and a lobby lounge.
There is over more than 2,000 sqm of versatile meeting space, including a pillar-less ballroom and pre-function rooms. All spaces are fitted with internet acess as well as conferencing technology. Other services and facilities such as a business centre and Westin Shop (where you can order your very own Heavenly bed) are also available.
Recreational facilities include a fitness centre, which features a series of cardio and aerobic exercise equipment, along with an indoor swimming pool. For those who prefer to work out in privacy, The Westin Qingdao allows guests to request a treadmill or stationary bike, dumbbells, fitness DVDs, resistance bands and stability balls to be placed in their rooms.
Finally, the signature Heavenly Spa is also available in the hotel, which offers treatments that fuse modern hydrotherapy with ancient Chinese-inspired techniques designed to rejuvenate.
To commemorate the opening, The Westin Qingdao is offering an opening package starting from RMB888 (US$143) plus 15 per cent tax. This includes a 50 per cent discount for the buffet at the all-day dining Seasonal Taste, as well as 30 per cent off the a la carte menu. The deal is valid until June 30, and SPG members will receive double Starpoints during this period as part of the package.
For more information, visit www.westin.com
Clement Huang
