Introduction
Once the tallest building in the Far East, the granite-clad Fairmont Peace Hotel now stands shoulder-to-shoulder with a parade of other magnificent historical relics that once housed foreign banks, trading houses and consulates, strung along the elegant curve of the Bund.
Seeing the strong increase of incoming international visitors to Shanghai recently, a trend that will just be ongoing, not to the mention the consistent number of domestic travellers, I thought it would be timely to do a review on this glorious historic property, the Art Deco masterpiece on Shanghai’s Bund.
And so last Friday I visited the hotel with the mission in mind. With the help of their diligent Marcom team, I managed to finish the work. There was even a delightful appearance of Mr. George Wee, the Area General Manager, China and General Manager of Fairmont Peace Hotel, Shanghai. I bid George hello.
Back Story
Originally called the Cathay Hotel, and now part of Fairmont’s global stable, when it opened in 1929, the property was complete with the distinctive copper-sheathed green pyramid on top that glows at night.
The property was originally started as a commercial enterprise Sassoon. Construction on Sassoon House started in 1926, named after its owner Sir Victor Sassoon, an entrepreneur and a hotelier from the Sassoon banking family, the most prosperous Jewish family in 1920s and 1930s Shanghai.
After Sir Victor established his own company, Cathay Hotel Limited, in Hong Kong in 1928, he decided to adapt his building in Shanghai and create a contemporary hotel Cathay symbolizing the future of his business.
The Cathay Hotel was arguably his greatest achievement, with its art deco design emblematic of the vibrancy and entrepreneurial spirit of Shanghai at that time, and a symbol for hospitality excellence.
Sir Victor even brought over its first general manager from the Taj Mahal hotel in Bombay (now Mumbai).
However, by 1937 the war between Japan and China was all but imminent, situation had become unsustainable, and Sir Victor decided to leave Shanghai.
With the changing post-war political landscape, Sir Victor moved to the Bahamas. He married Evelyn Barnes in 1959, and continued calling Nassau home until his passing in 1961 at the age 79.
First Impressions
Fairmont Peace Hotel’s 11-floor art deco facade is designed in the Gothic style of the Chicago school. The green copper sheathed triangular roof had since become a defining feature of the splendid Bund skyline.
Entering the hotel through one of four vintage revolving doors I immediately felt a sense of the style and sophistication of its 1930s heyday.
A stunning octagonal stained glass lays light. And an entire mezzanine level that had for decades been covered up with gypsum board, have once again been revealed setting a dazzling art deco tone.
Dining Options
Fairmont Peace Hotel has 5 dining and entertainment venues, from seasonally inspired menus to dining experiences that will satisfy any craving.
The Cathay Room and its namesake Terrace (Ninth-Floor Terrace) are located on ninth floor. They offer inspired European cuisine and Sunday Brunch.
The vibrant 70-seat dining room evolves from bright breakfast hall to sun-drenched lunch venue and seasonal themed afternoon tea and seductive evening restaurant.
The Cathay Balcony at the Cathay Restaurant
Cathay Balcony, the location for romantic moments. It fits only one table, for two guests, and gives diners a broad view of Shanghai’s most beautiful scenery. The balcony has its own butler and sommelier. Chef can prepare tailor-made menus.
For guests who want the evening to be even more memorable, the balcony can be decorated to suit the occasion and diners can choose live musical accompaniment to suit their mood.
The 170-seat Dragon Phoenix is on the eighth floor facing the Bund.
Approaching through corridors lit with specially designed Lalique glass, the alluring Oriental ambience is enhanced by original 1930s detailing, including carved columns and plasterwork ceiling panels depicting mythological motifs from the Forbidden City in Beijing.
Service standards remain as impeccable as ever, with fine bone china and elegant linens adorning the tables.
Extending from the Fairmont Peace Hotel lobby, Jasmine Lounge is bathed in soft sunlight filtered through the antique octagonal stained glass skylight.
It is famed for its refined selections of exquisite tea and coffee, especially the legendary tea dance every Saturday afternoon.
Jasmine Lounge serves legendary tea sets from morning to evening, with selections tailored according to the different times of the day.
From the warm comforts of tea to the evening’s winding down with famed aperitifs or flutes of chilled Champagne, the lounge prepares an extensive selection of wine, classic cocktails and signature Martinis that are served tableside.
The lounge has been noted as a spot for special occasions of birthday celebrations, cocktail events and bridal showers.
An Art Deco delicatessen offering an international café menu and showcasing the finest handcrafted pastries and artisanal breads.
The large display-windows looking onto Nanjing Pedestrian Street also tempt in shoppers passing along the street famed since the 1930s as ‘Shanghai’s Fifth Avenue’.
Victor’s also creates seasonal gourmet gifts, such as beautifully packaged mooncakes, Christmas and Easter hampers, and Mother’s and Father’s Day treats.
Originally designed as an English pub named Horse & Hound, it was a showcase for the popularity of jazz in the 1930s, and the bar’s successful jazz bands provided entertainment for many politicians, celebrities, movie stars and global travelers.
The legendary Jazz Bar is the oldest live music venue in Shanghai, where guest have been entertained by a live band since the golden era of jazz in the 1930s. To this day, there is nightly live Jazz from the oldest Jazz Band in the world.
A memorable milestone was reached in 1980 at the hotel when the hotel’s legendary Old Jazz Band performed once again at The Jazz Bar.
In 2007 the Peace Hotel closed three years for extensive repair to restore as far as possible to its former Art Deco glory.
August 1 2019 was 90th anniversary of the opening of the Peace Hotel. Blasts from the past included an appearance by 99-year-old Zhou Wanrong, leader of the Old Jazz Band when it was revived in 1980.
Another reminder of the hotel’s extraordinary history was a recital played on the Steinway piano that was ordered by Sir Victor for the hotel’s opening.
There is even a documentary film about the Old Jazz Band called ‘As Time Goes By in Shanghai’ which was chosen to be premiered at the Toronto and Shanghai International Film Festival in 2013. Link here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw4Th7P-9XU&feature=youtu.be
Rooms & Suites
Fairmont Peace Hotel has a total of 270 rooms and suites.
Vintage furnishings conceal state-of-the-art in-room technology, like wireless and Broadband Internet with ‘plug-and-play’ connectivity. Marble clad bathrooms feature double vanities, a bath-side LCD screen and rainforest shower.
The Sassoon Presidential Suite and the Nine Nations Suites reflected Sir Victor Sassoon’s advocacy of internationalism at the time.
During the 1930s, Sir Victor lived in the 10th floor penthouse (now Sassoon Presidential Suite), a living quarter of spacious and luxuriously appointed rooms that affords sweeping vistas of the Bund and Huangpu River.
The Nine Nations Suites
Below the Sassoon Presidential Suite, on floors 5, 6 and 7, are the Nine Nation Suites. Each of the 178-sq-metre suite commands romantic panoramic views of the river and the city.
The Nine Nations Suites were designed to pay homage to the different cultural characteritics of nine nations. They had hosted countless VIPs, diplomats and celebrities over the decades, including Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks and Noel Coward, who finished the play Private Lives during his stay.
Each suite has a separate living room and dining room, which accommodates up to 8 guests. The glamorous marble bathrooms feature deep claw-foot tubs.
Meetings & Events
For creative event planners, the hotel has exceptional venues that cater for all function and gathering needs.
Especially popular are the award-winning heritage dining venues.
Anything from a private breakfast for 150 guests in Chinese restaurant Dragon Phoenix, to an exclusive dinner for 12 to 250 guests on the Ninth-Floor Terrace, can all be arranged by Fairmont’s experienced events team.
The Peace Hall is a stunning venue for banquets and receptions for up to 300 people.
Sharing the eighth floor with the Peace Hall are three multi-functional salons, each is named after a seminal year in the hotel’s history.
Salon 1929 – the founding year of the Cathay Hotel, the precursor to the Peace Hotel. It is ideal for boardroom meeting or banquet up to eight people.
Salon 1956 – commemorating the year the Cathay Hotel was renamed the Peace Hotel. It is good for hosting reception up to 20 people or banquet up to 12 people.
Salon 2010 – the opening of the revived Fairmont Peace Hotel. It is ideal for classroom, theatre, boardroom or banquet between 30 and 50 people.
Nine Heaven on the 11th floor (also known as the “Banker’s Club” in 1990s) embraces sweeping views across the stunning Pudong skyline.
England Room and Scotland Room, two of the most exclusive private dining venues in Shanghai, nestle discreetly on the rooftop of the hotel.
The Heritage Room on the second floor is an additional 55 square meter meeting room for mid-size boardroom conferences and cocktail events for 50 people.
Chun Shen Room and Thames Room locating on the mezzanine level both offer compelling views of The Bund.
Willow Stream Spa is Fairmont Hotels & Resorts’ signature spa brand.
It features an integrated fitness centre, a yoga studio, a sky lit indoor swimming pool, a tranquil reflexology lounge.
Additionally there are nine single suites and two couples suites each with its own private hydrotherapy, bathing and lounging areas.
All therapies at Willow Stream Spa are “energy inspired” featuring prestigious international spa brands like Eve Lom and Aromatherapy Associates.
Therapies available 5 days per week (Sun, Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri)
2 sessions: 7.30am – 8.30am or 8.30am – 9.30am
Other times available by appointment only.
There are currently three Willow Stream Spas in China. In addition to the Fairmont Peace Hotel, Willow Stream is in Fairmont Yangcheng Lake in Kunshan, and the Fairmont Beijing.
Nearby Attractions
Fairmont Peace Hotel is located in the heart of Shanghai’s downtown and Bund area. Nearby attractions are plenty, they include:
The Bund
People’s Square
Shanghai Art Museum
Taikang Lu
Shanghai History Museum
Bund Sightseeing Tunnel
Shanghai Grand Theater
Yu Yuan Garden
Jade Buddha Temple
Oriental Pearl TV Tower
Shanghai Museum
Xin Tian Di
Jing An Temple
Call or book online:
4001 200 634 (Toll Free room reservations only)
20 Nanjing Road East, Shanghai 200002, China
All photos courtesy of Fairmont Peace Hotel
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of the hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the entity.
