HONG KONG, Sept. 19, 2011-- Shangri-La Asia Limited announces it has signed an agreement with Huayuan Real Estate Beijing, one of China's major real estate companies, to open a new hotel in Changsha, capital of Hunan Province in south-central China, located on the lower reaches of Xiang River, a branch of the Yangtze River. The 460-room luxury hotel, operated by Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, is scheduled to open in 2015.

Shangri-La Hotel, Changsha will be part of the Central, a mixed-use development that includes an office tower, a large shopping mall, an exhibition centre and seven residential buildings. The hotel will be located in Tianxin District and is within walking distance of Furong and Wuyi Roads, the city's main financial and commercial streets, adjoining the main dining and entertainment area in Pozi and Jiefang Road. It will be 30 minutes from the airport and 15 minutes from the Changsha high-speed train station.

Shangri-La Hotel, Changsha will occupy the top 20 floors of the city's iconic 268-metre-high building, overlooking the Juzizhou islet (a famous scenic island for locals in the middle of the Xiang River), Yuelu Mountain and the city. The lower floors of the building will house offices and the hotel's food and beverage outlets and meeting facilities.

Designed with comfort in mind, and to take advantage of the views over the city and the river frontage, the hotel's 430 guestrooms will be an average size of 45 square metres and include 90 Horizon Club rooms, with the club lounge set on the top floor. There will be 29 Bay Suites ranging in size between 135 and 225 square metres and one Bay Presidential Suite spanning over 300 square metres.

The hotel will feature a variety of dining and entertainment options including an all-day dining restaurant, a Chinese restaurant with 15 private dining rooms, a rooftop speciality restaurant, a tea lounge, a bar and a lobby lounge. Recreational facilities including an indoor swimming pool, spa and health club will be available.

The meeting and banqueting facilities will include a 2,000-square-metre grand ballroom, a 500-square-metre junior ballroom and 10 function rooms. A Government VIP Room and Bridal Room will also be available.

Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, one of the world's premier hotel companies, currently owns and/or manages 72 hotels under the Shangri-La, Kerry and Traders brands, with a rooms inventory of over 30,000. Over almost four decades, the group has established its brand hallmark of 'hospitality from the heart.' The group has a substantial development pipeline with upcoming projects in Canada, mainland China, India, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Turkey and United Kingdom. For more information and reservations, please contact a travel professional or access the website at www.shangri-la.com .