The Diary of a Hotel Addict
#4: Grand Hyatt, Shanghai
© 2010, yohanes.budiyanto
Finally we are reaching closer to the top list of Shanghai 777-777, and it's time to reveal the third runner up. Yes, the iconic headboard says it all. It's the Grand Hyatt Shanghai, the first Grand Hyatt that opened in Shanghai in 1999, until the second Grand Hyatt opened in 2007 as the Hyatt on the Bund.
When I first stayed at the hotel back in 2005, it instantly became my #1 favourite hotel because it was literally breathtaking. The lofty location 55 storeys above the ground; the breathtaking river view; the spectacular 30 storey atrium; the iconic building; and the beautifully designed guest rooms were unprecedented at the time of opening. It set a new benchmark for the Shanghainese hospitality scene and quickly garnered worldwide attention and international cult followers.
A decade has passed and after several stays at the hotel, I still felt the awe upon returning to the hotel recently. As a designer, Jean Philippe-Heitz, hits the right notes when he married Art Deco style amidst contemporary surrounding. Despite showing signs of wear and tear, the guest rooms still managed to look quite relevant and timeless to this day..
Sure, it is not the tallest and highest hotel anymore, -sister Park Hyatt has beaten it-; it is not the most luxurious, -again, sister Park Hyatt reigns supreme-; nor it has the best service (this is an area that has never improved since the beginning).. but still, there is a certain charm and novelty when you stay at the Grand Hyatt. For me, it comes back to the root (design) and it has always caught my attention from the start...
So, It's very easy to see who's the top 3 now, it's the epic battle between The Trio P: The Puli, The Park Hyatt and The Peninsula. Who reigns supreme.. More to come.
GRAND HYATT, SHANGHAI
at Jin Mao Tower
88 Century Avenue
Pudong, Shanghai
General Manager: Christopher Koehler
Hotel Manager: Phillip Yu
Executive Chef: Sidney Hardy
Architect: Skidmore Owings and Merril
Interior Designer: Jean Philipe-Heitz
l #1. Park Hyatt l #2. The Peninsula l #3. The Puli Hotel & Spa l #4. Grand Hyatt l
l #5. Hyatt on the Bund l #6. Le Royal Meridien l #7. The St. Regis l
#4: Grand Hyatt, Shanghai
© 2010, yohanes.budiyanto
Finally we are reaching closer to the top list of Shanghai 777-777, and it's time to reveal the third runner up. Yes, the iconic headboard says it all. It's the Grand Hyatt Shanghai, the first Grand Hyatt that opened in Shanghai in 1999, until the second Grand Hyatt opened in 2007 as the Hyatt on the Bund.
When I first stayed at the hotel back in 2005, it instantly became my #1 favourite hotel because it was literally breathtaking. The lofty location 55 storeys above the ground; the breathtaking river view; the spectacular 30 storey atrium; the iconic building; and the beautifully designed guest rooms were unprecedented at the time of opening. It set a new benchmark for the Shanghainese hospitality scene and quickly garnered worldwide attention and international cult followers.
A decade has passed and after several stays at the hotel, I still felt the awe upon returning to the hotel recently. As a designer, Jean Philippe-Heitz, hits the right notes when he married Art Deco style amidst contemporary surrounding. Despite showing signs of wear and tear, the guest rooms still managed to look quite relevant and timeless to this day..
Sure, it is not the tallest and highest hotel anymore, -sister Park Hyatt has beaten it-; it is not the most luxurious, -again, sister Park Hyatt reigns supreme-; nor it has the best service (this is an area that has never improved since the beginning).. but still, there is a certain charm and novelty when you stay at the Grand Hyatt. For me, it comes back to the root (design) and it has always caught my attention from the start...
So, It's very easy to see who's the top 3 now, it's the epic battle between The Trio P: The Puli, The Park Hyatt and The Peninsula. Who reigns supreme.. More to come.
GRAND HYATT, SHANGHAI
at Jin Mao Tower
88 Century Avenue
Pudong, Shanghai
General Manager: Christopher Koehler
Hotel Manager: Phillip Yu
Executive Chef: Sidney Hardy
Architect: Skidmore Owings and Merril
Interior Designer: Jean Philipe-Heitz
l #1. Park Hyatt l #2. The Peninsula l #3. The Puli Hotel & Spa l #4. Grand Hyatt l
l #5. Hyatt on the Bund l #6. Le Royal Meridien l #7. The St. Regis l