Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel | Arata Isozaki & Associates

Location Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel Shanghai is perfectly placed for business and leisure. Located in the heart of Pudong, the hotel is directly opposite the Shanghai New International Expo Centre and close to the green expanse of Century Park. Metro line 7 is accessed directly from the basement of the Himalayas Centre, allowing easy citywide connections. The Maglev train station is just a short walk away for speedy seven-minute transfers to/from Pudong International Airport. History Construction of the Himalayas Centre started in 2006 under the direction of world-renowned architect Arata Isozaki, who also created the Barcelona Olympic Stadium and Los Angeles MoMA. Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel opened in March 2011. Design Inspired by Chinese cultural elements and traditional feng shui principles, architect Arata Isozaki designed the landmark Himalayas Center, where Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel is located. A three-dimensional Urban Forest comprising dramatically sculpted columns defines the central section of the Himalayas Centre. It also carries an important loading capacity function and provides an arresting entrance to the Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel. Tien Shu Patterned Walls Wrapped around the base of the two towers presents a conceptual interpretation of ancient Chinese characters from the Tien Shu by Cang Jie. Special windows have also been custom made to subtly insert between the characters allowing light to flood the hotel interiors. The Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel tower is constructed in the form of the Yu Cong, an ancient Chinese ritual object formed from an outer square representing earth, and inner circle representing heaven. The cylindrical atrium stretches 14 levels through the centre of the tower. Dutch artist Mondrian’s Neoplasticism movement is the inspiration for the bold, primary colours and rectangular shapes of the facade lighting. A custom-built colour palette was sourced from ancient Chinese paintings, and the composition optimises cutting-edge technology to create a shining beacon of dynamic vibration. Interior Design The stunning interiors were styled by KCA International, whose impressive portfolio includes the Burj al Arab in Dubai. The Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel lobby ceiling features a magnificent 260 sqm LED screen, the largest indoor screen in Shanghai. Multimedia animation art, changing to reflect the beauty of the sky at different times of day, is depicted across the ceiling creating an artistic ambience as you enter the Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel. Encircling the entire lobby is a 1,000-character Chinese poem in the calligraphy of ancient Chinese scholar Huai Su. Legend has it that the thousand character classic was commissioned by Emperor Wu of the Liang dynasty and first written between 508 and 510 AD. The enlightened text contains lessons on living honorably throughout your life that are still studied today across China, Japan and Korea. The poem consists of 250 phrases of four characters each and, remarkably, only one of these characters is repeated. Guest Rooms and Suites Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel Shanghai features 401 contemporary Chinese-style guestrooms, including 62 suites and residences, four restaurants and lounges, a 24-hour fitness centre and indoor swimming pool. The hotel currently offers a choice of the following rooms, suites and residences: Deluxe Rooms 116 Grand Deluxe Rooms 100 Premier Rooms 63 Grand Premier Rooms 8 Deluxe Suites 7 Grand Deluxe Suites 24 Executive Residence 7 Additional rooms and suites with exclusive access to the Club Lounge facilities will become available later in the year. Restaurants and Bars Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel Shanghai serves up a variety of global cuisines and live entertainment at its four destination restaurants and lounges. Shang-High Cuisine A Signature Chinese restaurant that celebrates the finest Shanghai dining traditions; the restaurant focuses on taking authentic local and regional flavours and elevating them to new levels of sophistication through the use of premium organic ingredients and contemporary presentations. Signature dishes include Dongpo Pork, using US-certified organic black pork, Jumbo Crystal River Shrimp from the Yangtze, and a range of nutritious Cantonese Double-boiled Soups. Shang-High Cuisine is located on the sixth floor and features floor-to-ceiling picture windows that flood the restaurant with natural sunlight during the day, and offer breathtaking city views by night. The honey-wood dining room is furnished with rows of hanging lanterns, wooden screens and scholar-style chairs. Seven semi-private suites seat up to 12 people each at long wooden banquet tables or classic circular tables. Grill Room The hotel’s mezzanine level is one of Shanghai’s most promising destinations for international fine dining, featuring three core concepts. The Grill Room is a boutique steakhouse serving the finest grade imported Australian Wagyu and Angus steaks in a choice of sizes, prime cuts and cooking styles. A central marble Antipasto Bar offers a wide selection of condiments, sauces and salads to accompany the perfectly char-grilled meats. In the intimate, rustic-chic restaurant, surrounded by grey-brick walls reclaimed from Shanghai alleys, diners can choose to sit at romantic wooden tables illuminated by low pendant lights or the communal marble dining island. A show kitchen along one wall enhances the inviting ambience. J-Mix Next to the Grill Room, J-Mix offers the best of Japanese cuisine, with separate ‘cool’ and ‘hot’ dining settings. The Sushi Bar, decorated with paper moon lanterns, pod seating and white pebbles, serves gourmet sushi, sashimi and ramen. The food is freshly sliced and rolled in front of guests at the open sushi counter, right down to the hand-grated wasabi. The Sushi Bar leads into a Teppanyaki Corner featuring five private Teppanyaki counters for up to six diners each, beneath gold dome lamps. Here, Shanghai’s finest teppanyaki chefs grill an exclusive selection of seasonal seafood, meats and vegetables to taste with characteristic flair. The mezzanine also features a Music Bar styled with red chandeliers, dark woods and low Chinese drum tables and serves a menu of classic cocktails, fine wines and spirits. A small stage hosts nightly live performances. Arte Café & Lounge An interactive kitchen serves breakfast and all-day a la carte bistro favourites in the 16-metre-high hotel lobby. The signature expansive big-bowl noodle selection spans Shanghainese, Southeast Asian and Mediterranean varieties. Afternoon Tea Sets also come in two styles: Shanghai, featuring savoury and sweet dim sum treats; or International, with finger sandwiches and an impressive selection of desserts. The Jumeirah Lobby The Jumeirah Lobby features LED visuals across the ceiling and an antique Ming Dynasty pavilion hosting live performances – from traditional Chinese music during the day, to Shanghai jazz and world-class DJs. The Deli Conveniently placed in the lobby, The Deli is a takeaway counter featuring fresh-baked country breads, sandwiches, pastries, chocolates and coffees for on-the-go guests. Conference and Banqueting Facilities Capitalising on its position next to the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC), Shanghai’s largest exhibitions venue, Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel features 1,939 sqm of premium meeting and conference venues. The 864sqm column-free Grand Ballroom with 12-metre-high ceilings, the highest ballroom ceiling in Shanghai, and modern crystal chandelier hosts Shanghai’s premier banquets, cocktail parties and conferences for up to 800 guests. A second ballroom and seven multi-functional meeting rooms cater to between 20 and 350 guests and are equipped with high-tech audio-visual equipment, complimentary high-speed Internet and abundant natural light. Chinese silk adorns all the walls of the meeting rooms with “Chinese lucky clouds” to ensure your meeting is a success. The rooftop Infinity Garden at Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel is a unique alfresco venue for events with a difference. The 5,000 sqm garden features a 300 sqm event stage and BBQ areas amidst beautifully landscaped surrounds. Talise Spa and Hot Yoga A 24-hour Fitness Centre provides state-of-the-art Technogym equipment, plus an Energy Bar for fresh juices, smoothies and healthy snacks. Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel’s leisure and wellness facilities also provide a 20-metre indoor swimming pool and the largest outdoor garden space of any five-star hotel in Shanghai. Completing the wellness offerings, a luxurious Talise Day Spa and yoga classes will open in October 2011.