Walk into the striking lobby at the recently opened InterContinental Shanghai Ruijin and you’ll step back in time. Opened in March after a major renovation that started in 2010 (and will continue through 2014), the hotel, located in the heart of Shanghai, was built by British newspaper magnate H.E. Morris in 1916 as an estate surrounded by gardens. In 1979, it was converted into the Ruijin Hotel and was deemed the first state guesthouse in the city, with well-known global leaders, such as Mao Zedong, Richard Nixon and Chiang Kai-Shek, checking in for overnight stays.
Today, InterContinental Shaghai Ruijin offers 238 luxury guest rooms and suites across two buildings, making for a cozy respite amid the bustling city. In the Club InterContinental Building — reserved entirely for members — you’ll find marble floors, hardwood paneling and bespoke murals of early 1900s Shanghai. You can also explore the library, which holds a collection of film reels and photographs of Chinese film stars, honoring the 42 movies filmed at the estate (including The Last Aristocrats and Farewell My Concubine). The rooms here feature crystal chandeliers and spacious bathrooms (with a rain shower, freestanding tubs and Salvatore Ferragamo bath amenities), and many have large terraces looking out onto the gardens. Book a room in the Reception Building, boasting a lobby with a glass ceiling and oval atrium, and you’ll find airy, sunny rooms with Shanghai Deco-style furniture in addition to marble bathrooms that feature large bathtubs.
You have two dining options at InterContinental Shanghai Ruijin: XinYuanLou, a fine-dining Chinese restaurant, focuses on popular dishes from around the country such as dim sum; La Rue French Brasserie offers French fare and a seasonal menu with dishes such as foie gras terrine from the southwest of France and duck specialties from Normandy. The luxury hotel also features a spa with treatments that incorporate Chinese, Thai and Balinese techniques (for the most luxe service, try the The Spa Continental Opulence Experience, which includes an exfoliating Tropical Skin Renewal, a Tropical Oasis Body Wrap with anti-aging ingredients, a massage and Lumafirm Anti-Aging Face Therapy to diminish wrinkles), as well as a fitness center and an indoor pool that takes advantage of the gorgeous scenery by opening into a waterfall and sunken garden.
Photos Courtesy of IHG
