The Secret Garden

By

Shi Yingying

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-09-12 10:55

 

Villa 1 first built in 1934 is hidden in the hotel's huge gardens.

Entering the grounds of the Radisson Plaza Xing Guo Hotel Shanghai is like walking into a national park.

With four plush gardens taking up a massive 80 percent of the hotel's seven hectares of land, the hotel represents a tempting green getaway in the heart of the old French Concession.

"There is no other hotel in the city with gardens as big as ours in the city center," said General Manager Ma Kejun. "More than just providing great views for the hotel rooms, the gardens also filter out noise from the over-populated city."

Though near Xujiahui's shopping center, the Bund and People's Square, the hotel still manages to find a quiet corner in which to tuck itself. In contrast to the neighboring ultra-modern shopping malls, it also retains a sense of history - some 20 of its 400 trees have been around just shy of a century.

The first cluster of 20-odd villas was built in 1934 by Swire Pacific, one of the earliest British business firms to set up shop in Shanghai. In keeping with the area's colonial past, other villas feature French, German and Spanish architectural elements. One of the villas even served as the residence of Shanghai's first mayor Chen Yi in 1952.

"We have spent lots of time and effort protecting and renovating the buildings since they are now regarded as heritage sites," said Ma, "Even the oldest trees here are registered as these [heritage sites]."

In the evening, guests can lounge in the hotel lobby to the strains of traditional Chinese musical instruments before retiring to their suites overlooking the picturesque garden.

Although the hotel maintains its old Continental charm, all 190 rooms have been updated and modernized to blend convenience with history and beauty.

Much like it was in its heyday, the Radisson remains an ideal location for business functions and conferences, but it has since expanded its operations. Harping on the appeal of its natural scenery, it caters to some of the city's most elegant weddings.

"The 2,700-sq-m lawn is the perfect place to witness that magical moment between a couple. We hold the ceremony in the garden, followed by photos outside and on a red carpet to give guests a memorable outdoor wedding experience, that is hard for other city hotels located under skyscrapers to achieve," said Ma.

The hotel also aspires to reach out to non-Chinese clientele. Almost 75 percent of its guests are foreigners, an accomplishment the hotel credits to its new management team formed in 2001.

Foreign guests clearly appreciate the personal touch. "The staff always greet me by name and remember my favorite foods and how I like them prepared," said one German guest who gave his name as Larry Ziebarth. "I have a sense of seeing helpful friends who value and enjoy providing great service.

"The hotel has even gone to the trouble of embroidering the sheets, towels and bath robes with my full name. So if I wake up in the middle of the night and if I'm not sure where I am, at least I know who I am," he joked.

Shi Yingying