HONG KONG, April 15, 2013 -- Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts' newest flagship hotel will open in the heart of Shanghai this June. The 508-room Jing An Shangri-La in West Shanghai will envelop guests in a world of luxury and modern glamour befitting one of the most exciting and influential international cities.

The hotel is the cornerstone of the new Jing An Kerry Centre, a 450,000- square-metre integrated complex with prime retail, office and residential space located in the fashionable Jing An District in Puxi, Shanghai. Jing An Shangri-La will present an approachable contemporary design that evokes a strong sense of place complemented by Shangri-La's inimitable heartfelt hospitality.

Every detail of the hotel has been meticulously considered, from the staff uniforms designed by top Chinese designer Han Feng, to over 80 intricate silk lanterns that appear to float magically in the Summer Palace Chinese restaurant, to the commissioning of large-scale artwork from two of the most renowned Chinese contemporary artists - Zeng Fanzhi and Zhou Chun Ya.

"We set out to create a hotel that would be part of this vibrant community. We look forward to opening our doors on the 29th of June to our many loyal guests, friends, Jing An neighbours, and the greater Shanghai community," said Shangri-La President and CEO Greg Dogan.

Jing An Shangri-La overlooks the focal point of Jing An Kerry Centre - a 3,000-square metre piazza featuring pathways, gardens, water features and al fresco dining. Guestrooms will occupy the top 29 floors of the hotel's 60-storey main tower, while restaurants, offices and retail shops will be located on the lower levels.

The spacious guestrooms' rich yet delicate interiors are a foil for the stunning views of Shanghai visible through nearly floor-to-ceiling windows. All guestrooms will feature bathrooms with heated marble floors as well as LCD TV and digital clock embedded in the bathroom mirrors.

The most spectacular view can be seen from the hotel's Horizon Club Lounge, which takes up the entire 55th floor and offers a 360-degree panoramic view of Shanghai. Horizon Club Lounge access will be available to guests staying in the 62-square-metre Grand Premier Room category and all suites.

Among Jing An Shangri-La's many draws is its array of restaurants and lounges. Shangri-La created a distinct environment for each venue.

The unique destination restaurant, Summer Palace, serves Southeastern Chinese cuisine with Cantonese flair. Inspired by Chinese ink paintings of poetic landscapes, a series of contemporary dining chambers each provide a different dining ambience and menu. The colourful rooms flow from the casual Pantry Chamber serving dim sum, to the Lantern Chamber with an open kitchen specialising in clay pot cooking, to the exquisite Imperial Chamber for formal dining.

The 1515 WEST, Chophouse & Bar is where old Shanghai film making meets classic American bar and grill decor. Executive Chef Franco Brodini will bring "ranch to table" dining to Shanghai, serving beef from hand-selected cattle raised in Australia specifically for The 1515 WEST. The main dining room features an open-grill kitchen complemented by a raw bar and The 1515 WEST bar, serving signature cocktails from a team of world-class mixologists.

The hotel's two-level Cafe LIANG & mezzanine will add a new twist to the gourmet international buffet dining experience Shangri-La hotels are known to offer. The cafe will feature a "tick box" menu card for main courses, integrating a buffet and table service experience. Main courses can be served family style for sharing, and al fresco dining will be available in the piazza area. A la carte Japanese cuisine will be served on the mezzanine level.

Opposite Cafe LIANG in the piazza is a modern Mediterranean restaurant and wine bar in a striking stand-alone two-storey glass-roof building clad in bamboo.

Also located within the piazza is the home in which Chairman Mao Zedong spent several months in 1920. Preserved amid the Jing An Kerry Centre's gleaming modern towers, the heritage home is currently being restored with the support of Kerry Properties and Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, in collaboration with the Jing An District Government.

Anticipating a need for meeting and event space in the central business district, the hotel offers an unparalleled 4,465 square metres of function space in West Shanghai. Jing An Shangri-La's Event Centre is housed in a five-storey podium block with a direct passage to the hotel tower on the third storey.

Its 1,740-square-metre pillarless Jing An Grand Ballroom is the largest in West Shanghai and boasts a 10-metre-high ceiling. The ballroom is complemented by a roof garden and a 1,039 square-metre pre-function area. In addition, the Event Centre houses a 514-square-metre junior ballroom plus six function rooms covering 659 square metres of space.

One signature event venue will be the Lifestyle Suite. Designed to provide the perfect combination of privacy and exclusivity, the self-contained Lifestyle Suite has its own bar, reception area, living room, dining room and courtyard.  It can cater up to 80 guests.

Other offerings at Jing An Shangri-La include Shangri-La's signature CHI, The Spa, a state-of-the-art health club and a 25-metre heated indoor sky-dome lap pool.

The hotel is steps away from the Shanghai Exhibition Centre, Jing An Temple and the famous Nanjing Road shopping street. It sits on a network of public transportation, including Metro Lines 2 and 7. It is a 45-minute drive from Pudong International Airport and a 20-minute drive from Hongqiao Airport via the adjacent elevated Yan'an Middle Ring Road.

The hotel and entire Jing An Kerry Centre development has been awarded the LEED Gold Pre-certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Jing An Shangri-La, West Shanghai is the third Shangri-La property in the city, joining the luxurious Pudong Shangri-La located in the city's financial centre opposite the Bund, and the vibrant Kerry Hotel, Pudong, a luxury lifestyle hotel located near Century Park and the Shanghai New International Expo Centre.

About Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts
Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts (www.shangri-la.com) currently owns and/or manages 78 hotels under the Shangri-La, Kerry and Traders brands with a room inventory of over 32,000. Shangri-La hotels are five-star deluxe properties featuring extensive luxury facilities and services. Shangri-La hotels are located in Australia, Canada, mainland China, Fiji, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Maldives, Philippines, Singapore, Sultanate of Oman, Taiwan, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates. The group has a substantial development pipeline with upcoming projects in mainland China, India, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Turkey and United Kingdom.