Shangri-La to open second luxury hotel in China's Xian City

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, will open its second five-star hotel in Xian in November 2006. This 400-room hotel will complement the group's first hotel in Xian, the 423-room Shangri-La Golden Flower Hotel, Xian, which opened in 1993, as well as Shangri-La's current portfolio of 17 hotels in mainland China.

The Shangri-La Hotel, Xian will be located in the new central business district of Xian, a 40-minute drive from the international airport.

With a minimum room size of 40 square metres, the hotel will provide guests with the full array of Shangri-La amenities, including 24-hour room service, same day laundry and valet service, satellite TV, data ports and broadband internet services. In addition, there will be wireless access in the hotel's public areas. The three floors of Horizon Club accommodation will offer a host of special amenities and privileges, as well as a Horizon Club lounge for daily breakfast and cocktails, meeting rooms, express check-in and check-out services.

The Shangri-La Hotel, Xian will also provide a selection of bars and restaurants including a lobby lounge, coffee shop, and Chinese restaurants. The highlight of its meeting and banqueting facilities will be a 1,800-square-metre grand ballroom, which will be one of the largest in the city. Other facilities will include a business centre and a health club with an indoor swimming pool.

Commenting on the new hotel, Shangri-La's chief executive officer and managing director, Giovanni Angelini, said: 'The historical city of Xian is positioning itself as the business hub of west China. Our new hotel in the city's dynamic economic zone will cater to the increasing demand for luxury hotels and further strengthen Shangri-La's presence in mainland China, which remains the key focus of the group's expansion plan in Asia.'

As one of the six ancient capitals in China, Xian is renowned for its cultural relics. Its Qin Dynasty Terracotta Warriors, which are only about an hour's drive from the upcoming Shangri-La Hotel, Xian, are one of the most spectacular wonders of the world.