Rising star added to hospitality landscape

With the Bulgari Hotel Beijing opening its doors on Wednesday, a stunning urban resort blending art and nature is adding its new attractions to the skyline of the capital.

It is the latest addition to the Bulgari Hotels & Resorts collection - the first in five years - following the launch of the Bulgari Hotel Milan in 2004, the Bulgari Resort Bali in 2006 and the Bulgari Hotel London in 2012.

The Bulgari Hotel Beijing has risen up within the new Genesis complex, an oasis of tranquility that balances art and nature with sculpted gardens. The complex extends along the Liangma River and includes the Genesis Art Foundation, designed by Tadao Ando.

As with all Bulgari hotels and resorts, the Bulgari Hotel Beijing was entirely designed by renowned Italian architectural firm Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel.

They conceived both the interiors and exteriors in a process comparable to the creation of a prime Bulgari jewel: By pairing rare, raw materials according to color, texture and feel, they sculpted them into objects of enduring beauty.

In the spirit of integral design dating back to the 1930s, the architects hand-selected or custom-designed every element for consistency, comfort and purity, allowing the hotel's design to maintain an uncompromisingly Italian style, while simultaneously incorporating the uniqueness of its destination.

Each piece, from the marble bathtubs to the sculpted door handles, hails from fine quality materials and is incorporated in a unified, seamless fashion.

The hotel's 119 exquisitely furnished rooms - using outstanding Italian luxury residential furniture brands such as Maxalto and B&B Italia - include the exceptional Bulgari Suite, with some of the best views over the city.

Measuring nearly 400 square meters and offering guests modern Italian design with touches of Chinese tradition, coupled with cutting-edge technology, the Bulgari Suite is one of the largest suites in Beijing.

The 1,500 square-meter Bulgari Spa adds a further luxurious touch to the guest experience. It features 11 treatment rooms, a fitness center and a 25-meter pool made of shimmering mosaic tiles inspired by ancient Rome, which recall the patterns of the historic Terme di Caracalla Roman baths.

When it comes to fine dining, Bulgari hotels are famed and the Bulgari Hotel Beijing will be the first Bulgari property presenting the new collaboration with Michelin-starred Italian chef Niko Romito.

For Bulgari Hotels & Resorts, Romito has established a true "canon" of contemporary Italian cooking by specially designing a new concept, which preserves his fundamental philosophy of simplicity, synthesis and a quest for the quintessence of flavor.

Working from his headquarters in Italy and regularly counseling his personally trained chef who will be resident in the hotel, he will bring to Il Ristorante in the new Bulgari Hotel Beijing, a menu that expresses the culture, elegance and vitality of "Made in Italy".

Romito's contemporary Italian cuisine is complemented by an extensive choice of Italian wines and a selection of fine international labels, in an ambience that has been crafted to ensure a seamless dining experience, amid sweeping views over the hotel property and park.

Il Bar, where guests can enjoy cocktails, fine wine, champagne and Bulgari's renowned aperitivo at the signature steel and bronze Oval Bar, opens up to the outdoor terrace overlooking the gardens and the river.

In the lobby lounge, guests can enjoy Italian-themed tea by the signature fireplace that has become an icon for all Bulgari Hotels & Resorts regulars.

The spacious Bulgari ballroom on the second floor of the property is a modular space that can be customized for both corporate and private events, and offers state-of-the-art technology.

The gardens surrounding the property are an oasis of green serenity designed by Swiss-based landscape artist Enzo Enea. He conceived them as a dialogue between the Italian and Chinese landscape traditions, complementing the exquisite Italian-inspired interiors through a fusion of outdoor and indoor spaces.

The Bulgari Hotel Beijing is ideally located next to the trendy Sanlitun area, a 10-minute drive from the 798 Art Zone, an avant-garde artistic community of galleries and museums. It is 30 minutes by car from the Beijing Capital International Airport, the Ping'an International Finance Center and the East Second Ring Road office zone.

Slightly farther afield, the historic attractions of the Lama Temple and the Forbidden City can be conveniently reached in the comfort of the hotel's Maserati limousines.

As the two ancient cultures have been inextricably linked since the days of Marco Polo hundreds of years ago, and continue to share an appreciation for family, art, food and design, China and Italy enjoy a closeness that reaches its aesthetic apex with this hotel.

"The combination of the natural landscape with the artistic content will make this development a new benchmark for enlightened luxury living in the future," said Silvio Ursini, Bulgari Group executive vice-president in charge of Bulgari Hotels & Resorts.

"China is a key market and the launch of this new hotel in Beijing marks another successful milestone in Bulgari's hotel ventures," Ursini said.

Antonio Saponara, general manager of the new hotel, said: "The product and services that this hotel brings to Beijing are unparalleled and we strongly believe it will open an entirely new chapter of luxury hospitality in China."

The inauguration of the Bulgari Hotel Beijing will be followed in close succession by the opening of additional Bulgari hotels in Dubai in December, Shanghai in 2018 and Moscow in 2019.

(China Daily 09/27/2017 page15)