Gallery: China’s crop of outrageous new hotel designs
W Shanghai —
W Shanghai Status: Opened 2015 Rooms: 600 Fast fact: The W Shanghai will tower over The Bund, a hip waterfront neighborhood filled with bars and restaurants on the Huangpu River. W Shanghai, Block1 , Neighborhood 405,Tilanqiao Street Community Shanghai
Courtesy Starwood
Langham Place, Guangzhou —
Langham Place, Guangzhou Architect: Andrew Bromberg of Aedas International Ltd. Status: Opened in 2013 Rooms: 500 Fast fact: Langham Place's exterior is designed to resemble unfolding wings in action, "evoking a sense of freedom and space," according to a hotel spokesperson. It also has the city's biggest ballroom. Langham Place Guangzhou, 638 Xingang East Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou; +86 20 8916 3388
courtesy Langham Place
W Guangzhou, Guangzhou Architect: Rocco Design Architects Limited Status: Opened 2013 Rooms: 317 Fast fact: Set on Pearl River, W Guangzhou features stunning designs throughout the hotel, including a three-story waterfall installation at the entrance and a three-story glass loft suspended from the side of the building. The hotel was on the shortlist in the hotel/leisure category of the World Building of the Year 2013 and won the International Interior Design Association's Best of Asia Pacific Design Award. W Guangzhou, 26 Xian Cun Road,Pearl River New Town, Tianhe District Guangzhou,Guangdong; +86 20 6628 6628
courtesy w hotels
Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort, Huzhou Architect: MAD architects Status: Opened in 2013 Rooms: 321 Fast fact: Constructed of "layers" of floors to create a ring that rises from the south bank of Huzhou's Taihu Lake, this $1.5 billion Sheraton hotel received a lot of attention on its opening for its unusual design. The local region is known for its beautiful scenery, which includes hot springs and bamboo forests; scenes from Oscar-winning "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" were filmed in Huzhou. Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort, No. 5858 Taihu Road, Huzhou, Zhejiang, China; +86 572 2299 999
courtesy sheraton
MGM Cotai, Macau —
MGM Cotai, MacauArchitect: Kohn Pedersen Fox Status: Opened in 2016 Rooms: 1,600 Fast fact: MGM Cotai will feature 500 gambling tables and 2,500 slot machines. It will also include the ultra-luxurious and invitation-only resort villas, "The Mansion," same as the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. MGM Cotai, Cotai Strip, Macau
courtesy MGM China Holdings Limited
Gallery: China's crop of outrageous new hotels —
Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou Architect: Wilkinson Eyre Architects, Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) Status: Opened 2012 Rooms: 344 Fast fact: Located next to the Zaha Hadid-designed Guangzhou Opera House, the Four Seasons in Guangzhou sits on floors 74-98 of the 103-story Guangzhou International Finance Center. Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou, Guangzhou IFC Tower, 5 Zhujiang West Road, Pearl River New City, Tianhe District, Guangzhou; +86 20 8883 3888
Courtesy Four Seasons
Fifth hotel tower, City of Dreams, Macau Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects Status: Opening 2017 Rooms: 780 Fast fact: The latest hotel tower planned for the sprawling City of Dreams casino and entertainment complex sports a design that's meant to evoke an abstract figure eight, the luckiest number in Chinese culture. The hotel will have 40 levels, with villas on the top floors. City of Dreams, Estrada do Istmo, Cotai, Macau; +853 8868 6688
courtesy Melcro Crown entertainment
InterContinental Sanya Haitang Bay Resort, Sanya —
InterContinental Sanya Haitang Bay Resort, Sanya Architect: Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) Status: Opened in 2013 Rooms: 297 Fast fact: The resort's restaurant AQUA (pictured) is located inside an indoor aquarium. Guests can reserve the restaurant for wedding ceremonies or private romantic dinners. InterContinental Sanya Haitang Bay Resort, 128 North Haitang Road, Haitang Bay, Sanya; +86 898 8865 8888
courtesy InterContinental Hotel Group
Hotel Eclat Beijing, Beijing —
Hotel Eclat Beijing, Beijing Architect: Winston Shu, Principal of Integrated Design Associates (IDA) Status: Opened in 2013 Rooms: 100 Fast fact: The hotel has the largest privately owned collection of contemporary art in China, including works by Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol and numerous Chinese artists. Hotel Eclat Beijing, Beijing, 9 DongDaQiao Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing; +86 10 8561 2888
courtesy Hotel Eclat Beijing/Parkview Group
Langham Place, Ningbo —
Langham Place, NingboArchitect: Ningbo Jian Gong Limited Status: Opening 2014 Rooms: 143 Fast fact: The hotel will have four restaurants, including Ming Court, a branch of the Michelin-starred restaurant in Langham Place Mongkok in Hong Kong. Langham Place, Ningbo Culture Plaza, 2109 East Zhongshan Road, Jiangdong District, Ningbo; +86 574 8908 9999
courtesy Langham Place
Desert Lotus —
Desert Lotus Resort, Inner Mongolia Architect: PLaT Architects Status: Construction complete, opening TBA Rooms: 384 Fast fact: Part of Inner Mongolia's Xianghawan Resort in the Kubuqi Desert, the Desert Lotus is completely free of tiles and bricks, built with eco-friendly materials to utilize solar, water and wind energy in the desert. Ziangshawan Resort, Zhungeer South Road 11, Dongsheng District, Erods, Inner Mongolia; +86 477 396 3366
Feng Li/Getty Images
Sunrise Kempinski Hotel, Beijing, Yanqi Island Architect: Shanghai Huadu Architect Design Co. Status: Opening 17 Nov 2014 Rooms: 595 (306 at the main hotel pictured, 111 at the Yanqi Hotel and 178 spread across 12 boutique hotels on a private island) Fast fact: Kempinski's largest property in China is located on Yanqi Lake, 60 kilometers from Beijing's city center, and includes a private marina. The building lights up at night with hydroelectric-powered LED lights. Sunrise Kempinski Hotel, Beijing, Yanqi Lake, Huairou District, Beijing; +86 10 6961 8888
courtesy kempinski
Dawang Mountain Resort, Changsha Architect: COOP HIMMELB(L)AU Wolf D. Prix & Partner ZT GmbH Status: Conceptual phase Rooms: 331 Fast fact: This 120,000-square-meter futuristic resort is set above an old cement mining quarry pit and lake. It will include an indoor ski slope, water park, shopping mall and restaurant complex. The hotel will be housed in a 100-meter tower on the south end of the site.
courtesy COOP HIMMELB(L)AU
St. Regis Shenzhen, Shenzhen Architect: Sir Terry Farrell Status: Opened in 2012 Rooms: 300 Fast fact: St. Regis Shenzhen is located on the top 28 floors of the Kingkey 100 -- the tallest building in Shenzhen. The hotel's 28-meter indoor pool, with floor-to-ceiling windows, offers fantastic views of the sprawling city below. St. Regis Shenzhen, No. 5016 Shennan Road East, Luohu District. Shenzhen, Guangdong +86 755 8308 8888
Courtesy St. regis
Crowne Plaza Resort Xishuangbanna, Yunnan —
Crowne Plaza Resort Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Architect: P49Deesign; Peridian International, Inc. (Landscape) Status: Opened in 2013 Rooms: 520 Fast fact: In keeping with its Dai theme (an ethnic group living in the area), the hotel has its own functioning temple. A monk is invited to sit at the temple every Wednesday and Friday from 3-5 p.m. for a chat with guests. Crowne Plaza Resort Xishuangbanna, Mannongfeng District, 2nd Phase, Tourism Area of Xishuangbanna, Jinghong, Yunnan Province; +86 691 272 8888
courtesy InterContinental Hotel Group
Le Meridien Zhengzhou, Zhengzhou Architect: Neri & Hu, Shanghai Status: Opened in 2013 Rooms: 350 Fast fact: This 25-story building's design revolves around the Chinese rose flower -- the local wildflower of Henan province, where it's based. The podium and central elevator was conceived as a cave, inspired by the nearby historic Longmen Grottoes. Le Méridien Zhengzho, Zhongzhou Avenue, Jinshui District, Zhengzhou, Henan; +86 371 5599 8888
Courtest Le Meriden
The Castle Hotel, A Luxury Collection Hotel, DalianArchitect: WATG Status: Opening 2014Rooms: 292 Fast fact: Inspired by the majestic castles of Europe (Neuschwanstein springs to mind) and overlooking Xinghai Bay in China's northern financial and tourism capital, The Castle, Dalian has three restaurants, a lounge, heated indoor pool, a fitness center and spa. The Castle Hotel, No. 600 Binhai West Road, Shahekou District. Dalian, Liaoning; +86 411 8656 0000
Luxury Collection
Angsana Tengchong, Yunnan Status: Opened 2013 Rooms: 37 retreats and villas Fast fact: With architecture inspired by classical Chinese poetry and paintings, this new hot spring retreat has 43 outdoor mineral-based pools and 14 spa pavilions. Each retreat and villa comes with its own private hot spring. Angsana Tengchong, Beihai Town, Tengchong County, Yunnan Province; +86 875 899 9888