It has been, literally, a symbol of Chinese power for almost 90 years, but now what is arguably Shanghai’s finest, and most important, building is taking on a new lease of life as a luxury hotel.
The 24 floors of the art-deco former headquarters of Shanghai Power Company on the Nanjing Road has become the latest creation of the American visionary and pioneer of boutique hotels, Ian Shrager.
And the most recent addition to the EDITION chain is, as Shrager puts it, “a new kind of hotel in China that the city of Shanghai didn’t know it needed”.
The Shanghai EDITION’s expansive lobby bar
The Shanghai EDITION brings to the city a blend of leisure and entertainment within one luxury hotel, fusing the historic Power Building with its restaurants, bars, rooftops, spa and events areas to a new skyscraper housing the 145 guest rooms.
Shanghai Power Company was the city’s main electricity supplier until 1949 and provided 80 per cent of electricity to the city. Now the building embraces Schrager’s vision of “simple sophistication” which translates into “understated luxury”.
Communal spaces include
- A series of modular meeting and event floors
- A fully landscaped tropical Roof Garden, equipped with a bar and cinema
- The Urban Lobby that connects the heritage building and the postmodern tower
- A swimming pool sunk in stone and overlooking the urban landscape
- Gym, spa and multiple terraces
Following the success of the EDITION Hotels in London, New York, Sanya, China and Miami Beach, The Shanghai EDITION represents a modern oasis of comfort at the heart of one of the world’s most populous cities.
The stunning night skyline of Shanghai from a Bund View suite, above, and the suite’s bathroom, below
In the new tower, 145 luxurious rooms and suites, many with unrivalled views of The Bund waterfront area, are accompanied by an array of wining and dining spaces, including HIYA, a new Japanese restaurant by Jason Atherton on the 27th floor and Shanghai’s stylish incarnation of Punch Room, the sophisticated cocktail lounge first made famous at The London EDITION and ROOF, a garden rooftop bar with 360 degree views of Shanghai.
The historical pedigree of the development and renovation are rich. As well as the local heritage of the Shanghai Power building, the public spaces were created with an eye to an old-world sensibility; the likes of a traditional, English country estate or the quintessential London private gentleman’s club.
Rates start at CNY1,788 (£206) per night.
