The Shangri-La Hotel Tianjin, China - Review
I am a city boy, as the expression goes. You could be be a city girl. When I arrive at a city hotel, I want to feel I am in a city hotel. As I leave the subway station I walk about 5 minutes and see it in front of me, the Shangri-la Hotel, Tianjin. Yes, this looks like a city hotel. As I stepped into the lobby, the same thought stayed with me. That familiar signature Shangri-la white tea scent that permeates every lobby and of course the opulent but tasteful lobby lounge. Yes, this is indeed a city hotel, and a luxurious one at that. For my check-in I am shown to the elevator for the Horizon Club Lounge with its dedicated check-in area. Having taken a taxi, two high speed trains, and a subway ride, checking in with a glass of water in my hand is just what I need. The hotel has taken a very sensible approach with checking in guests amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and while health safety are prioritized, they have ensured the process is not as painful as I have found it at a few other hotels.
The Lobby
I highly recommend simply walking around the hotel to appreciate the paintings and sculptures on display. Some of the work would not be out place in an art gallery.
The Room
My Executive Suite, on the 31st floor, the highest floor for rooms, is one of the largest in the Shangri-la portfolio at 96SQM and certainly larger than any available in Beijing or Shanghai. The sense of space in the living room, bedroom and bathroom is immediately evident as I walk into the room. I am able to enjoy unobstructed views of the Tianjin River, which at night is quite spectacular.
One of the art pieces in my suite
There are several small things in the executive suite that standard rooms do not have - they end making a big difference. The over sized safe has a special box for watches and jewelry, something quite nice and I make sue of it. In the bathroom, a TV screen projects from the mirror and I must say, it too comes in a very decent size. Then, the now familiar L'Occitaine toiletries that are found in Horizon Rooms in Shangri-la Hotels just got better with full size 50ml bottles gracing the bathroom. Finally, and this I absolutely adore, the bath pillow. With all of these, how could you not but enjoy bath time at the hotel?
Bath pillow, TV remote and Gin and Tonic.
The Horizon Club Lounge
The lounge is ultra spacious and I love that they have resisted packing in more tables and chairs, which while they could, would rob the lounge of its open feel. It is quite common for some hotels to offer regular room guests an upgrade to the Club Lounge, resulting in an over capacity. That is clearly not the case here. The lounge gives guests that hotel within a hotel vibe that they pay for.
My favourite spot in the lounge is certainly the best one - a corner sitting area that affords the best views of the Tianjin skyline. It also offers tranquility away from the other guests. There are three pet hates I have when it comes to guests in club lounges. First, parents who leave their children to run wild as if they were at home. Second, guests who ignore the needs of others by playing their electronic devices loudly without using earphones. Finally, guests who come to the lounge wearing flip flops and skimpy post-swim clothing as if this were a beach resort. These are hard to regulate, but not impossible. I would like to see staff find effective ways to combat these issues. So, until that time, you would love the little corner, as I call it.
Afternoon tea is served in the brand's stunning Narumi china. A selection of sweet and savoury treats make the trip from my room to the lounge worth it. It is a substantial offering, highlighted by a very good Dilmah tea selection. In the absence of Earl Grey tea, rather odd I must say, some new teas are recommended to me which I quite enjoy. Carrie's choice of Osmanthus is an astute one. It is a sensuous tea with unexpected complexity and surprising sweetness. I love it when staff can recommended something with complete self belief.
Evening Cocktails and Canapes are even more worth going to. An array of spirits and other drinks adorn the common area and I must say, it is quite an impressive drinks selection with everything from apéritifs to digestifs. I start off with a glass of Prosecco and help myself to some of the finger snacks on offer. The latter, too, ensure that the guest can actually leave the lounge without having to go for dinner. A choice of soup, dim sum, sushi, cold cuts and salad are some of the what is available. Furthermore, Cocktails and Canapes run from 17h30 to 20h00 - very generous indeed.
With Sophia and one her cocktails
I spend most of the evening sampling the wine selection. The high point for me are, firstly, a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Forrest 2018 from the Marlborough region and also, an Australian Pinot Noir, De Bortoli Villages 2017. These are wines I would gladly buy by the glass, so kudos to the F & B team for their inclusion. However, I turn to the wonderful staff on duty and ask Sophia if she could surprise me with a cocktail - I am always curious to check on staff and how they are trained. A little naught= actually. Well, Sophia does not disappoint and comes with a Brandy based cocktail that has a hint of lemon. I love it. She later creates something else with rum as a base - quite pretty actually. For me it is not about the end result. It is about a young woman's desire to put herself out there for the guest and in the end, it was so much fun. Well done Sophia.
This floral centre piece will greet you in the Club lounge.
Breakfast the next morning is where The Club Lounge pulls out all the stops, with a buffet spread complemented by an a la carte menu. I decide to take my breakfast to another level by having Veuve Clicquot NV champagne with mine. Guests can order a bottle and have it charged to your bill. As I like to say, if breakfast has no bubbles, it is just breakfast.
Recreation
Visiting the pool after an evening of drinks and hors d'oevres is just a sublime way to end the day. I find that the pool tends to be emptier at that time and the infinity pool gives a different perspective compared to the day as I look out the high floor to ceiling windows. The mini cabanas give a shade of privacy of that is what you want, another added bonus to the pool area. The hotel does boast a gym and spa, activities I am likely to participate in on on my next visit.
Service
This, for me, is the corner stone of this hotel, notwithstanding the other wonderful elements to my visit. There are obvious mentions like Serena and her team made up of Ruby, Carrie and Sophia who work tirelessly in the lounge, dealing with demanding guests at times, but always with a smile. Looking back now, I want to mention arriving at the lounge at 6.30am asking Serena to chill the champagne and set it up for me on my return an hour later. Then, there is the turn down service requested and done in a timely fashion. I can say the same about my laundry and shoe shine request. One of the little things that turned out quite big was the delivery of tea with my wake up call. This is a standard feature of the club experience. I love it! Finally, I have to highlight my departure. When I got to Tianjin station, I realised I had left my ipad at the hotel. I called Sam Yang, Director of Rooms, who found it and met me at the subway station with ipad in hand...
Hardware in a hotel is essential, but even more essential are the people.
Serena, Club Lounge Manager
Carrie and Sophia in the Club Lounge
When not quite ready to get out of bed, the tea delivered to my room helped ease me out.
Verdict
With COVID-19 causing so much uncertainty for people, now more than ever we are likely to be very conscious of spending in hotels and will be out to look for value for money. This is certainly my mantra, which is why I love the Club concept as much as I do. However, to bastardise Orwell, some clubs are more equal than others. So, just because it is a Club booking, does not mean it is a Club experience. Here, it is an experience. At Shangri-la Tianjin it is by no means perfect, but it comes pretty close especially if you consider that some hotels are not even offering it right now. The hotel offers excellent balance between service, facilities and price and has by far been my best Shangri-la experience in China.
The Essentials
Shangri-la Hotel
Address: No. 328 Haihe East Road, Hedong District,
Tianjin 300019 China
Phone: (86 22) 8418 8888
E-mail: sltj@shangri-la.com
Getting there:
Closest Subway station Da Wang Zhuang, Line 9
Exit D, 5 minute walk.
Brandon Stoltenkamp
https://instagram.com/bmstoltenkamp/
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