Andaz heads into Asia-Pacific market

You know that the competition between Shanghai’s hotels is headed for a new level when a brace of five-stars, from rival groups, are facing off in two almost identical towers slap next door to each other.

What we're talking about is the newly soft-opened Andaz Shanghai and its neighbor, The Langham Xintiandi, which threw open its doors in October 2010.

Confident in China’s future

Founded in 2007, Andaz is an affiliated brand under Chicago-based Hyatt Hotels and Resorts and describes itself as a “boutique-inspired hotel.”

Situated hard by Shanghai’s entertainment and tourist landmark Xintiandi and the Huangpi Nan Lu metro station, Andaz Shanghai is the brand’s first hotel in Asia-Pacific and its sixth worldwide, after London, San Diego, Los Angeles, and New York, where there are two.

"The China market is central to Hyatt’s international growth strategy and is the fastest growing hospitality market in the world," said Mark Hoplamazian, CEO of Hyatt Hotels Corporation.

"The Shanghai market has a diverse and sophisticated consumer base and therefore is an excellent market for the launch of our first Andaz in Asia."

According to Lillian Zhang, Hyatt's China director of corporate communications, the group chose Shanghai over other cities in the region because it is very confident in China’s future.

The other important factor that drew the hotel to Shanghai is its location: Xintiandi.

Zhang noted that Andaz is a neighborhood-based hotel and Xintiandi’s “sophisticated, easy-going and creative” atmosphere and customers fit Andaz’s bill perfectly.

The two honeycomb-styled buildings were originally built to house two other luxurious hotels, Conrad and Jumeirah, before Hong Kong property tycoon Vincent Lo Hong Sui(罗康瑞) took them over in 2010. 

Rooms and amenities

The 28-story Andaz boasts 307 guestrooms, ranging from 41 square meters to 409 square meters in size, a 2,200-square-meter gym with an indoor pool, a spa offering TCM-inspired services, a French patisserie, and Hai Pai, a four-level food and beverage space housing two restaurants and one bar.

Besides free non-alcoholic mini-bar drinks, all-day light snacks at the lounge and Wi-Fi access, Andaz Shanghai also provides guests with fragrances by Italian perfume maker Lorenzo Villoresi, who will create a new scent in collaboration with the hotel for global release in early 2012.

Click the above gallery to see Andaz Shanghai’s room decorations.

The hotel is currently going through a soft opening. The grand opening date is yet to be announced.

Hyatt China expansion

The opening of Andaz Shanghai is a part of Hyatt’s China expansion.

The group has recently sealed 11 management deals for new hotels due to open in China in the next two years, reported Reuters. 

Hyatt's new China properties include two Hyatt Place hotels and one Hyatt House in Shanghai, and eight other hotels in various destinations, including Lijiang in Yunnan province and Hefei in Anhui province.

The first Hyatt House and Hyatt Place hotels in China will be located in Shanghai’s Jiading New Town and Xin Jiangwan Cheng, both away from city center.

Andaz Shanghai, 88 SongShan Lu, near Xing'an Lu 嵩山路88号, 近兴安路, + 86 21 2310 1234, www.shanghai.andaz.hyatt.com