Away from the standardised branding and aesthetics of big international chains, it’s refreshing to come across Thai brand Sukhothai, which is taking things a little bit freely. At the original Bangkok outpost – which opened 27 years ago – six acres of sprawling landscaped gardens hide lotus ponds in courtyards, small pagodas and guestrooms outfitted with dark, polished teak interiors and four-poster beds. In Shanghai, the scene couldn’t be any more different. Located on the edge of the recently opened mixed-use HKRI Taikoo Hui complex, the brand’s second opening is unapologetically modern and minimalist – all clean lines, terrazzo, pale wood and brass accents.
But while the aesthetics differ starkly, the ethos of the two properties both reflect the character of their home city while providing a retreat to getaway from it all. ‘From the very beginning, it was important for us to bring a sense of serenity, an oasis or an urban retreat in a busy city,’ say the designers of the Shanghai property, Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu of Neri & Hu Design and Research Office. ‘It was important to play on this scale and instead of grandness, we decided to focus on creating spaces that are convivial and intimate.’ It’s an admirable aim in the chaos that is Shanghai, and one achieved flawlessly by the architect duo.
And while the views from the hotel aren’t particularly noteworthy, what it lacks on the outside is more than made up for on the inside where the 201 rooms exude a homey residential warmth with textured clay walls (coloured pale pink, green and cream for ‘freshness and depth’), pale wood floors, and a mix of sleek furnishings- either from Neri & Hu’s own collection or from brands such as Hay, Poltrona Frau, Ingo Maurer and Flos. Plump for the Premier Room where an open-plan bathroom and a central bed create a spacious feel.
Details are equally as paramount at the hotel’s five restaurants and bars. Elegantly outfitted with an open kitchen dressed in blue-green, hand-glazed ceramic tiles, La Scala by chef Theodor Falser, offers contemporary farm-to-table Italian fare, like octopus salad and pesto-marinated pork neck, executed by chef Stefano Sanna. Vincenzo Pagliara, formerly of The Connaught in London, is behind the cocktail programme at The ZUK Bar, whose outdoor terrace casually spills out towards the street.
Located on the edge of the recently opened mixed-use HKRI Taikoo Hui complex, the brand’s second opening is unapologetically modern and minimalist
The Sukhothai Shanghai is all clean lines, terrazzo, pale wood and brass accents
But while the aesthetics differ starkly, the ethos of the two properties both reflect the character of their home city while providing a retreat to getaway from it all
And while the views from the hotel aren’t particularly noteworthy, what it lacks on the outside is more than made up for on the inside
Details are equally as paramount at the hotel’s five restaurants and bars
INFORMATION
Address
380 Wei Hai Road
Jing’an District
-
Watch dance, music and film collide at a unique event at Abbey Road StudiosIn this exclusive film, watch Abbey Road’s first Artist in Residence, Jordan Rakei, collaborate with industry-leading creatives to produce a dance performance in the hallowed Studio One
-
Frances Elkins gets her dues at Christie's this JuneYou can soon take home a piece of the legendary American designer’s legacy…including a $3 million Alberto Giacometti sculpture.
-
The new Phone 2 Pro from CMF combines generous scale with true affordabilityWe explore the ins and outs of the CMF Phone 2 Pro, the newest device from the Nothing sub-brand that focuses on bold design and carefully honed value engineering
-
Tour the best contemporary tea houses around the worldCelebrate the world’s most unique tea houses, from Melbourne to Stockholm, with a new book by Wallpaper’s Léa Teuscher
-
Prada and Wong Kar-wai dream up a cinematic restaurant in ShanghaiPrada partners with Wong Kar-wai to bring Mi Shang Rong Zhai to life, a dining experience influenced by the arthouse director’s seminal oeuvre
-
Enjoy heritage views and contemporary brews at a new Beijing caféJM Café, White Pagoda Temple by B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio nods to the history of the Xicheng District while injecting a shot of vitality
-
Must-visit cinemas with award-worthy designThere’s more magic to the movies at these design-led cinemas, from Busan Cinema Centre’s ‘flying’ roof to The Gem Cinema Jaipur’s art deco allure
-
China’s Alila Shanghai hotel is a stylish hub of idle tranquillityAlila Shanghai, the brand's first urban resort in Greater China, is a serene bolthole amidst the pulse of the Jing'an district
-
2025 getaways: where Wallpaper* editors will be travelling to this yearFrom the Japanese art islands of Naoshima and Teshima to the Malaysian tropical paradise of Langkawi, here’s where Wallpaper* editors plan to travel to in 2025
-
Travel back to the Ming dynasty at Beijing’s new Mandarin Oriental hotelMandarin Oriental Qianmen merges traditional culture with contemporary needs in a 600-year-old historical building complex
-
Inside Palazzo Versace Macau, a lavish, mosaic-rich hotelPalazzo Versace Macau, the brand’s first hotel in Asia, continues to preserve Donatella Versace’s swanky hospitality vision
