DESIGN
The terrace at Marc restaurant offers one of the best views in Shanghai .
department to a subsidiary of Wanda Group . Wanda HDI now designs most of the company ’ s domestic projects and works with overseas design companies on international projects .
Because of its strategic location overlooking the entire Bund , and its importance in showcasing Wanda Hotels & Resorts ’ top-tier brand , Reign , it took three years for Wanda HDI to design this new flagship , compared with its usual design cycle of 18 months , says Jeff Ning , senior vice president of Wanda Commercial Properties , to whom HOTELS was directed on questions relating to design .
The team was discreet about the project due to its significance , says Ning , and was given enough time to go into the details and deliberate the technology aspects .
Their biggest challenge was to interpret the concept . “ Our hotel is located in Shanghai , whose culture is known as Haipai . It ( evolved from ) the integration of traditional Chinese culture in the south regions of the Yangtze River with the far-reaching European and American cultures introduced after Shanghai opened in 1843 ,” Ning explains . “ So Haipai culture is both ancient and modern , traditional and trendy , different from other Chinese cultures with its own open and unique style . So at the concept design stage , the biggest challenge was fusion .”
Ning is not worried that meticulousness
The membersonly Club Reign at Wanda Reign on the Bund includes facilities ranging from a wine and cigar bar to the Shui Spa and this Universe KTV karaoke room .
The hotel features 193 guestrooms , including 14 suites . The Chairman Suite includes this living room .
48 hotelsmag . com January / February 2017