By Johnni Wong | Nov 3, 2010
Photographs courtesy of Waldorf Astoria Club and by Johnni Wong
Upper crust serving
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When fully opened, the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund will offer 272 guest rooms and suites, such as this club unit. Almost half of them will enjoy scenic views of the famous Shanghai Bund waterfront promenade.
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Decorated in classic European style with modern amenities, each of the Waldorf Astoria Club heritage building’s 20 suites come with walk-in closets, marble-finished bathrooms, claw-foot bathtubs and shower space as well as in-room entertainment.
Having seen early pictures of the suites sent by Hirsch Bedner & Associates - the international design firm engaged for the fitting out project - the actual setting is even more impressive.
While the furniture reflect classic European taste and the soft furnishings, toiletries and bed linen are of international standards, the electronic gadgetry including ports and sockets and master switch offer another dimension in modern living. Indeed, the Inncom System is programmed with pre-set lighting schemes, personalised room temperature level, alarm, information, DND (do-not-disturb) indicator and make-up room functions all in one.
As for room dimensions, the one-bedroom suites in the Waldorf Astoria Club range from 65sq m to 110sq m. Guests would immediately feel right at home when stepping into the living room of the suite. From the warm tones of the timber flooring right up to the selection of Narumi fine china, Christoflé glassware and Nespresso coffee machine, discerning guests will appreciate the little touches that define contemporary luxury. Needless to say, 24-hour in-room dining service is available.
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Singapore Seah believes Shanghai is the most exciting city to be in the hospitality industry right now.
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A typical suite has a king-size Waldorf four-poster bed that spans 2m by 2m and is 1.8m tall. The fine linen, plush pillows and premium-class mattress plus the sumptuous draping add to the opulent mood. And helping guests catch up on news on CNN, Bloomberg or BBC is a 42-inch wall-hung Samsung television screen. If you don’t like bad news, switch on the Blu-ray disc player for entertainment.
Some suites even have a separate study. In fact, each of the 20 suites come with slight variations. All the suites have a ceiling height of 3.8m that gives the added airiness and spatial luxury.
A typical suite has a bathroom that is about 15sq m but it can vary according to the room configuration. Each bathroom has a checker-board floor of richly grained stone, wood-framed double vanity, claw-foot bathtub, shower room with seat, vanity table and seat, plus a concealed TV above the double basin.
Toiletries are from Agraria, a San Francisco-based company with luxury home amenities. Their products are only offered in upscale retailers such as Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman.
Royal Court
As for the butler service befitting a Waldorf Astoria establishment, the team of butlers are trained by experts well-honed in the service tradition of the royal court of the Netherlands.
But with so many luxury properties available in Shanghai, especially in the famous Bund neighbourhood, how is the hotel positioned in the market? "Despite the many offerings in the city," said June Seah, the hotel’s director of marketing and communications, "the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund introduces a high level of service standards and rich heritage that is uncommon to the city. The Waldorf Astoria is an exclusive, premium brand that is well known among royalty, business moghuls and the upper crust of society. In fact, it is the mecca of society gatherings in New York and the unofficial designated hotel for all American presidents since Herbert Hoover. It will continue its legacy in Asia, with Shanghai being its first Asian stop."
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Each bathroom has a checker-board floor of richly grained stone, wood-framed double vanity, claw-foot bathtub, shower room with seat, vanity table and seat.
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2046
And what makes the property stand out from the others?
"Not only does the Waldorf Astoria come with a rich history but the heritage building that it occupies in Shanghai, the former address of the Shanghai Club, is also associated with exclusivity and class.
"Standing since 1910, the Shanghai Club building has witnessed the history of modern China from the late Qing Dynasty, to being the most exclusive club of pre-war Old Shanghai, then to Dong Feng Hotel, the first Kentucky (Fried Chicken restaurant) in Shanghai where the locals had to line up for three hours to get their first taste of the fast food, to the setting of Hong Kong film director Wong Kar Wai’s 2046. Now, after a two-year restoration, it’s finally been brought back to its former glory and home to the first Waldorf Astoria in Asia.
"There is no other hotel in Shanghai that combines both brand heritage and physical historic values as the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund does."
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