Shangri-La Group presents new luxury brand
A new era of Asian hospitality
With the opening of The Silk Lakehouse, Shangri-La Hangzhou in China, the Shangri-La Group has announced the official launch of the new ultra-luxury brand Shangri-La Signatures. It is set to usher in a new era of Asian hospitality, where cultural heritage, craftsmanship and nature invite travelers into a home with heart and soul. Each of the brand's homes will be designed as a private residence with the highest aesthetic standards, with individual personalities expressed through collaborations with world-renowned designers and artisans.
The first property in the Shangri-La Signatures portfolio is located on the Unesco World Heritage Site of West Lake, on the site where the Xiling Hotel for state guests once stood. It is inspired by the elegance and sophistication of the house of a silk merchant from Jiangnan. Designed by Belgian visionary Gert Voorjans and Spanish design luminary Lázaro Rosa-Violán, the hotel embodies a blend of Eastern tradition and modernity. The architecture blends into the Hangzhou landscape, while the interior design tells the story of craftsmanship and local color. The centerpiece is a crystal art installation of 1,930 pieces of hand-blown Murano glass in the lobby. The Silk Lakehouse honors the history of the place with original cultural and architectural (design) elements such as the sculpture Autumn in Yandang Mountain Ou by master sculptor Zhou Jinyun, which was commissioned in 1971 for the reception of former US President Richard Nixon.
The 68 elegantly furnished rooms and suites offer panoramic views of the West Lake or the private gardens. Each room has a free-standing bathtub, AI-controlled mattresses and heated towels. As part of the Personal Host Program developed for the new brand, each guest receives a cultural program tailored to their interests. These include Song Dynasty-style tea ceremonies, incense making, enamel work, seal carving, silk weaving and traditional fan making in Hangzhou. Guests can relax in the hotel's grotto-style indoor pool, in sunrise yoga and tai chi classes and with mindfulness rituals such as guided meditation and breathing exercises in the privacy of their room.
The culinary offering includes a range of sophisticated dining concepts. At The Living Room by Alan Yu, Michelin-starred chef Alan Yu fuses European techniques with locally sourced ingredients to create a contemporary East-meets-West experience. The Golden Silk pays homage to regional cuisine, reinterpreting classic Hangzhou dishes with flavors from Wenzhou, Ningbo and Taizhou. The Tea House is inspired by the tea rituals of the Song Dynasty and offers tastings of Longjing and Jiuqu Hongmei teas. And in The Living Room by SANYOU, guests can enjoy cocktail creations by San You, a winner of Asia's 50 Best Bars.
MORE INFO: www.shangri-la.com/hangzhou/thesilklakehouse
