Upgrade plan brings back old guests

SHANGHAI: Nostalgic guests are returning in larger numbers to savour the ambience and hospitality of the oldest hotel in this city before it closes down for a year for renovation in March.

The 100-year-old Peace Hotel, comprising two Gothic-style buildings, announced its renovation plans late last month. The cost of the refurbishment would, however, be higher than building a new luxury five-star hotel, public relations manager Ma Yongzhang said yesterday.

The hotel's interiors are the main target of the renovation, with its faade just getting a facelift, so it would look the same from outside.