St. Regis Debuts High-Rise Hotel in Qingdao

The ultra-luxe brand’s twelfth property within Greater China offers more than just jaw-dropping vistas.

An Ocean View room at The St. Regis Qingdao. (All photos courtesy of Marriott International)

This week, the coastal city of Qingdao in China’s northeastern Shandong province saw the opening of a new luxury hotel that quite literally soars above the competition. Occupying the 58th to 78th floors of the 369-meter-high Haitian Center⁠ — the tallest building in all of Shandong ⁠— The St. Regis Qingdao promises guests sweeping views of the Yellow Sea from its position on Fushan Bay, where sailing competitions were held during the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Singapore-based studio LTW Designworks took its cues from the hotel’s scenic location to combine local touches with St. Regis’s classic-contemporary aesthetic. In the high-ceilinged lobby, the crystal chandelier was inspired by a famous dress of golden thorns worn by Caroline Astor, matriarch of the brand’s founding family; the brightly lit grand staircase (a recurring feature in all St. Regis hotels) comes backdropped by a 74-meter-high atrium art wall, whose delicate appearance recalls the traces left on the beach by the ebb and flow of the Yellow Sea.

The hotel has 233 guest rooms, including 30 suites, that feature soothing tones and bedside backplates adorned with camellia motifs — a nod to Qingdao’s official flower. All guests will have access to St. Regis’ signature Butler Service. Whether one needs help packing or unpacking luggage, making restaurant reservations, or organizing off-site excursions, the property’s team of butlers are on hand to offer personalized, anticipatory service around the clock.

The St. Regis takes up the uppermost floors of the Haitian Center on Qingdao’s waterfront.

Dining at The St. Regis Qingdao is another highlight. Guests can nibble on an indulgent afternoon tea spread at The Drawing Room as they take in the views from its 59th-floor perch. Yan Ting harnesses freshly caught local seafood in its authentic Cantonese cuisine; Social, the hotel’s all-day restaurant, serves international fare at breakfast, while Western grill dishes and ocean bounty star on the lunch and dinner menus. The Carvery presents a classic New York steakhouse experience, and if it’s craft cocktails you’re after, The St. Regis Bar is the place to be. Each St. Regis hotel offers a local variation of the brand’s signature Bloody Mary — Qingdao’s contribution uses sparkling Tsingtao Beer, fresh local clams, and sea salt to create the GáLa Mary.

Wellness-minded travelers should head to the St. Regis Spa, whose five treatment rooms include the St. Regis Spa Suite, a space where couples, families, and small groups of friends can relax in total privacy as they enjoy tailormade therapies. The hotel also features a fitness center and an indoor infinity pool with ocean vistas.

Learn more about The St. Regis Qingdao here.

Find the original article on DestinAsian’s website here.