Luxury hospitality operator Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts debuts its urban resort concept in China with the upcoming launch of properties in Shanghai and Tianjin later this year. Following on the concept?s success in Bangkok, Seoul and Macau, Banyan Tree?s newest urban resorts fuse the group?s signature luxury offerings with the facilities and services of a premier city-based retreat. Banyan Tree Shanghai On The Bund and Banyan Tree Tianjin Riverside, opening in October and November respectively, are elegant new additions to the hospitality landscapes in these vibrant, fast-growing cities.
BANYAN TREE SHANGHAI ON THE BUND
The Destination
The northern Bund area in which the hotel is located boasts both the historic landmarks of old Shanghai and easy access to modern cultural and commercial centres. Facing Pudong?s Lujiazui financial district, guests may enjoy views of the magnificent HuangPu River framed by a 1.8 kilometre belt of lush greenery on each riverbank.
Shanghai?s First All River View Hotel
Banyan Tree Shanghai On The Bund is the first hotel in the city to provide river views from every suite. All 130 suite categories are equipped with large French windows which open out onto the broad Bund thoroughfare. A variety of room types are available, including the signature Romantic Riverside Retreat with Relaxation Pool, which features panoramic views and an en-suite dipping pool. In addition, the Presidential Suite will include a private swimming pool, unique offering among Shanghai hotels.
World Class Facilities
The hotel?s four food and beverage outlets – Oceans, Ming Yuan , Banyan Lounge and Stars – offer a wide range of dining experiences. From Western seafood restaurant Oceans to Chinese restaurant Ming Yuan, featuring Cantonese-style cuisine and picturesque garden views, along with a high-end Japanese sashimi and sushi counter, Tai Hei, guests have a plethora of dining venues to choose from. The alfresco roof top bar Stars features a spectacular panorama of the Huangpu River and is an ideal place to enjoy sunset cocktails.
The resort also marks the debut of a new concept called ?Banyan Tree Host,? essentially a dozen senior concierges of different nationalities who provide the highest level of customized service for truly unique, gratifying stays.
Banyan Tree Shanghai On The Bund features meeting facilities for medium and small conferences (including four conference rooms of varying sizes and a Banyan Ballroom) and the award-winning Banyan Tree Spa. A full range of services are delivered in eleven treatment rooms, fusing the wellness therapies of East and West dispenses from therapists trained at Banyan Tree?s Spa Academy. Other facilities include the Banyan Tree Gallery, which will showcase and sell indigenous handicrafts from around the world and a state-of-the-art gym with a large indoor swimming pool.
Banyan Tree Shanghai On The Bund is part of the Above The Bund Urban Complex Project, which also includes Plaza Above The Bund, Above The Bund, Bund Luxury Consumption and the Luxury Yacht Club. With its offerings of unequalled luxury, the complex is set to become Shanghai?s newest gathering spot for discerning advocates of luxury and entertainment.
BANYAN TREE TIANJIN RIVERSIDE
Located on the east bank of the Hai River which runs through downtown Tianjin, China?s sixth largest city located in the north of the country, Banyan Tree Tianjin Riverside offers 159 elegant suites, a diverse range of dining venues and the first Banyan Tree Spa in north China. The resort is less than 30 minutes from the city?s main railway station and international airport.
Experience World Class Facilities
Banyan Tree Tianjin Riverside fuses local history and cultural references into the resort?s aesthetic. Sophisticated suites draw inspiration from the muted tones and refined lines of traditional Chinese ink paintings. Most rooms feature a large French window overlooking the Hai River, while many bathrooms have an oversized round bathtub offering a similar river view.
A plethora of dining options await, from traditional Cantonese fare to grilled seafood and meat specialties.
The resort?s Banyan Tree Spa features pampering wellness treatments based on regional Asian healing therapies, including a special skin moisturising service to combat the dry climate in northern China. The signature Royal Banyan massage is noted for its use of a linen-wrapped tea pouch dipped in warm sesame oil which deeply soothes tired muscles and rejuvenates.
About the Destination
The city of Tianjin, translated in English as ?the place where the emperor crossed the river?, is rich with a sense of history. First settled circa 340 B.C., Tianjin is today one of four municipalities in China, along with Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing, and one of the nation?s fastest developing and most ambitious urban centres.
Banyan Tree Tianjin Riverside is located in the former Austrian concession district adjacent to the Italian and British parts of the city, a picturesque region of European-style villas, historic bridges and churches. In keeping with this landscape, the rooms, facilities and public areas at Banyan Tree Tianjin Riverside are imbued with the city?s grand cultural and aesthetic heritage.
Guests may enjoy leisurely strolls along the many vibrant thoroughfares and waterfront promenades from Hai He Promenade and Italian Street to the Dining District and several notable shopping areas. Those interested in exploring local history may follow in the footsteps of influential Chinese intellectuals and revolutionary figures, including Liang Qichao, Cao Yu, Li Shutong, Yuan Shikai and Feng Guozhang, whose former residences are located nearby. Across the Hai River is Tian Hou Palace, which was built in the Yuan Dynasty and houses one of the three most famous Mazu (a goddess of the sea worshipped in southeast coastal China and neighbouring areas in Southeast Asia) temples in the country.
Source: Banyan Tree ?