The Peninsula - Shanghai

The Kadoorie name is synonymous with outstanding hospitality. With roots that can be traced back to Baghdad, the Sephardi Jewish family made its fortune in Shanghai establishing what is now known as The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels Limited in 1866. As Asia’s oldest hotel group, its Shanghai properties included the city’s first hotel, The Astor House, along with The Kalee, Majestic, and Palace hotels, all situated around the historic Bund area. In 2010, the boutique hotel group returned home with the official unveiling of its most important property to date: The Peninsula Shanghai. And to reinforce its status as the best address in the city, it looked to Paris-based Pierre-Yves Rochon, Inc. for the interior design of its jewel in the crown, with a little help from Shanghai-based Henry Leung for Salon de Ning bar and lounge, and Yi Long Court Cantonese restaurant.

Rochon is no stranger when it comes to designing important historic hotels. Just think of the Four Seasons Florence and immediately his sensitivity for tradition coupled with his love for contemporary luxury comes to mind.

Although The Peninsula is a newly built property – the former building was derelict beyond repair – architect David Beer designed it to meld within the architectural context of The Bund. For years, Sir Michael Kadoorie fought hard to obtain the site at 32 Zhongshan Dong Yi Road, as it occupies an advantageous parcel of land at a critical bend in the Huangpu River. His efforts resulted in a building with spectacular vistas of the gleaming skyscrapers of Pudong, the splendidly restored Art Deco and Neoclassical marvels along The Bund, and the former British Consulate gardens next door. The group is currently transforming restored buildings within the gardens into events, high end F&B, and retail offerings.

For inspiration, Rochon looked no further than the Art Deco flourishes so prevalent along The Bund. “The design brief from The Peninsula focused on the glamorous Shanghai of the 1920s and 1930s,” he recalls. “Of course, the great design achievement of this era was the creation of the Art Deco style. I used this style as starting point, while incorporating the required state-of-the-art technology services and amenities. The evolution of the design came when we started to mix traditional Chinese elements with our interpretation of the Shanghai Art Deco style. Mixing these two elements throughout the hotel was a way to reflect its setting, and to give a more residential atmosphere to the hotel.”

As in its sister property, The Peninsula Hong Kong, Rochon had to plan the ground to include a luxury retail arcade and a lobby lounge. The former includes Chanel’s flagship store in Asia designed by Peter Marino, while the latter is intended to be the city’s social hub with everything from power breakfasts to high tea accompanied by a string quartet.
Unlike The Peninsula Hong Kong though, the Shanghai property has two equally important entries: along The Bund for visitors on foot, and at the rear for vehicle drop off. Throw into the mix the usual suspects such as reception and concierge, and the ground floor may seem somewhat complicated to navigate for first time visitors. Nevertheless, Rochon juggled the numerous elements expertly.

“I was inspired by the idea of luxury passenger ships of the 1920s and 1930s,” he explains. “Guests begin their journey in the lobby lounge, which sets the tone of their voyage into The Peninsula. The double-height volume and Art Deco-inspired interiors welcome them into the hotel. The corridors lead them through to the reception area, a small room with a dramatic high ceiling, to emphasise the luxury of their arrival point. Or they can go to the ballroom stairs, or past the boutiques to find the restaurants and bars. It becomes a voyage through their discovery of different spaces.” Focal points include an extensive art programme courtesy of Hong Kong-based art consultant Sabrina Fung, and custom installations by Hong Kong-based artist Helen Poon.

Guestrooms have all the details of a well-appointed private residence, such as the nail dryers so popular at The Peninsula Tokyo, discreet valet boxes for lightning quick laundry service and speakers built into a Chinese lacquer cabinet. “The discreet elements of the room – bedroom, bathroom and sitting room – are divisible with an opaque glass privacy door allowing for a separate living room and work area,” notes Rochon. “This gives the guests the luxury of private spaces to work or rest. Adjacent to the bedroom are self-contained dressing rooms with walk-in closets and a seated dressing table. The individual elements of exotic wood, imported marble, black lacquer, carved glass and polished chrome combine to create a luxurious environment. The rooms are in tones of celadon or cerulean blue and ivory, incorporating traditional materials used in Shanghai in the 1920s furniture and millwork – mahogany and ebony timbers, and black St. Laurent and off-white St. Talino marbles. Cream marble bathrooms are accented with black and chrome details, carved opaque glass panels in the double vanities, and an intricate stylised floral hand-carved panel over the bathtub.”

The amenities are not too shabby, either. Whether it is the risqué indulgence of Salon de Ning, complete with a life-size gorilla guarding the entry, the posh signature restaurant Sir Elly with its manor-like feel, or the impeccable Cantonese restaurant Yi Long Court, there is something to please anyone with discerning tastes.

And, in the end, it is Sir Michael Kadoorie’s personal involvement that makes The Peninsula Shanghai so special. After seeing a historic wrought iron Schindler elevator cab in a Belgium museum, he had a replica produced by the same manufacturer for his Shanghai hotel. The best part: Sir Michael’s version actually works.

Rooms    235 guestrooms and suites
Dining    ir Elly’s Restaurant, Yi Long Court Cantonese restaurant, The Lobby
Drinking    Salon de Ning, Compass Bar
Leisure    The Peninsula Spa by ESPA
Facilities    The Rose Ballroom, meeting rooms and business centre