Xintiandi is Shanghai’s most fashionable address, and now it also has one of the city’s most fashionable new hotels, The Langham, Xintiandi.

Worldwide, the Langham brand has maintained a reputation for excellence for over 120 years, not just in the impressive and expansive lobbies, high quality food and beverage outlets and elegant rooms, but also in the details of hospitality. As you pull up at the new The Langham, Xintiandi and enter through the imposing double doors, you won’t get far inside before a staff member approaches you, asking how they can assist. Guided to the reception desk, the formalities are concluded with a minimum of fuss before the real fun begins.

Although it is eventually slated to feature 357 rooms, for its soft opening period The Langham, Xintiandi has started off by opening 90 rooms to guests. Each of the rooms features modern décor with timeless elements and offers all the amenities you could expect from a luxury hotel, including a 40 inch flat-screen TV, interactive digital audio system with an iPod docking station, wall-to-wall wireless broadband internet access and individual espresso machines.

The décor oozes sophistication with minimalist lines that are not traditionally popular with the local crowd, but will certainly please the eye of international guests. The one place things get somewhat complicated are in the bathrooms, where toilets come equipped with enough buttons to launch a nuclear bomb (no pun intended). But seriously, the warm seat is a nice touch and the white marble bathrooms are both spacious and stunning in their style and simplicity.

The views of Xintiandi from the rooms are another highlight, the aerial outlook of the development is an under-exploited aspect of Shanghai’s landscape and overlooking the shopping and tourism Mecca gives visitors an interesting perspective on Shanghai. Xintiandi is, after all, the area of Shanghai which best captures the city’s simultaneously unique and ambiguous historical, economic and ideological position in modern China.

The proximity to Xintiandi will also probably fuel the hotel’s popularity as a venue for weddings and other events. As well as having a grand ballroom that can cater for over 300 guests, The Langham, Xintiandi also has special permission to allow wedding photographs to be taken within the landmark development, something of a coup considering the photographic potential for stunning wedding albums with Xintiandi as the backdrop.

Currently the F&B options open at the hotel are limited to Cachet Restaurant, a lobby level, all-day dining venue which serves a range of international dishes, prepared before your eyes at interactive cooking stations, and Cachet Lounge. The latter hosts traditional afternoon tea, chocolate tastings, an extensive wine list and the finest selection of whiskies and cognacs Shanghai has to offer.

As the weather warms up, the hotel also plans to open Cachet Al Fresco. This European-style outdoor dining area is sure to be a hit, particularly with local office workers looking to capitalise on the combination of location and quality.

In short, the whole experience of staying at The Langham, Xintiandi is a stylish one, accompanied by the warmth of a well-trained coterie of staff and complemented by its unique and sought-after location.

Until the end of this month, to celebrate the opening of the hotel, The Langham, Xintiandi is offering a special introductory rate of RMB 1,865 per night* including breakfast for two in Cachet Restaurant, complimentary internet access, dinner for two in Cachet Restaurant (food only in the lifestyle cooking stations) and welcome amenities including Voss water, fruit basket and chocolate pralines.

* Offer is subject to availability. A minimum two nights’ stay is required and black out dates may apply.

Web: http://xintiandi.langhamhotels.com