The 345-room St. Regis Shanghai joins The St. Regis Beijing as a member of Starwood's prestigious luxury St. Regis brand. The St. Regis Beijing celebrated its entry to the St Regis brand on March 1, 2000.

The St. Regis Shanghai is owned and developed by Shanghai HongTa Hotel Co. Ltd., which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Yunnan HongTa Group (one of the largest conglomerates in China).

The St. Regis Shanghai is located in the newly emerging central business district of Pudong in Shanghai, just 25 minutes away from the Pudong International Airport. Situated in the east of the Huangpu River and adjacent to the downtown area of Shanghai, Pudong is poised to become China's economic, financial and commercial center. The rapid development of Pudong is backed by the Chinese government, which has invested heavily in the building of the city's infrastructure and encouraged foreign investment with special incentives.

"China's burgeoning economy has led to a strong growth in the number of business travelers who demand high-quality, luxury accommodation, especially in new commercial areas like Pudong. We have invested RMB800 million (approximately US$97 million) in The St. Regis Shanghai, which will be the first international luxury hotel to open in Shanghai in the 21st century which has been designed to operate to five star standards. When completed, The St. Regis Shanghai will be our contribution to the development of Pudong's international financial center and our group's showcase to the world," said Liu Hui Jiang, Director & General Manager of the owning entity, Shanghai HongTa Hotel Co. Ltd.

The 38-story St. Regis Shanghai, designed by Sydness Architect of New York and constructed by Shanghai No. 8 Construction Engineering Co., boasts a distinctively modern and sleek architectural design -- set to be a landmark in Pudong. It will have 345 rooms with the finest furnishings, including 50 suites, and feature the largest hotel rooms in Shanghai with each standard room measuring 48 square meters in size. Other facilities of the hotel will include:

• Five food and beverage outlets (Western restaurant, Chinese restaurant, Japanese restaurant, an international all-day dining restaurant and a lobby lounge)
• 1,800 square meters of banquet and meeting space
• A health club facility with indoor swimming pool, tennis court, games room, massage rooms and spa
• A business center
• A beauty salon
• Retail shops

"We are very proud to introduce yet another St. Regis in China, one which will provide the exclusive personal service of St. Regis. Such legendary service, which previously could be experienced only at the flagship St. Regis in New York and a select group of St. Regis hotels in the USA and Rome, can now be experienced at The St. Regis Beijing and soon, at The St. Regis Shanghai. We are aggressively pursuing opportunities to expand the St. Regis presence globally, through the strategic acquisition of only the most outstanding properties, and we aim to have a St. Regis hotel in every gateway city in Asia Pacific in the next five years," said Ted Teng, President, Asia Pacific, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

"The St. Regis Shanghai will provide the comfort, luxury and attentive service found only in the most gracious residences. It will be a home away from home for discerning travelers. Whether dining intimately or entertaining family, friends or business associates, a social function or a corporate event at The St. Regis will be an unparalleled experience," Teng continued.

Guests at The St. Regis Shanghai will also enjoy traditional English-style butler service -- the St. Regis hallmark. Trained St Regis butlers will be available round the clock to anticipate and meet each guest's needs, right down to the smallest detail, and customize each guest's stay according to his or her specific tastes and requirements.

Reservations may be made through the worldwide Luxury Collection Reservations offices, reachable toll-free in 34 countries (1-800-325-3589 in the U.S. or Canada). Corporate customers will have the benefit of The Luxury Collection's easily accessible global sales office; and travel agents may now book reservations using all of the latest technology, including direct connections to all global distribution systems. Reservations also may be made by visiting the worldwide web site www.stregis.com.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., through its St. Regis, Luxury Collection, Westin, Sheraton, Four Points and W brands, is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 700 hotels in 80 countries and 120,000 employees at its owned and managed properties.