[photopress:pre_catalan.jpg,full,alignright]In a piece of PR hyperbole Accor has had a rush of stars to the head and says the future Sofitel Wanda Beijing has been built according to platinum standards which is higher than five stars. It will officially open in early 2007 on the most auspicious date possible, according to Chinese tradition — a date yet to be announced. The property owner wants his hotel to be the best in that city.
There are already several mock-up rooms. In them you have wireless Internet connections; electronic curtains; special glass walls in the bathroom that become opaque at the flip of a switch. (This is done with the magnetic release of a gas sandwiched between two panes and possibly may make a showerer feel slightly exposed.) There is, but of course, a built-in television in the bathroom.
I am not sure what sort of homes the executives of Accor come from but they say the decoration will be ‘homelike’, with marble floors, dark wood paneling in the bedroom with light wallpaper. We didn’t have marble floors at home. I don’t know anyone who did.
The site was carefully feng-shui-ed before construction began and will again be feng shui décor-adjusted before the opening so that it is full of positive energy flow.
The hotel will feature a French restaurant catered by Pré Catelan where the chef is Frédéric Anton. That is a two Michelin star restaurant (shown here) which is in the Bois de Boulogne (wonderful garden setting) and is comfortable rather than sharp edged and nouvelle cuisine. Be interesting to see how it translates to Beijing.
Source: HVS International
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