Press Releases

A PHOENIX TO REMEMBER: THE PULI HOTEL AND SPA

The PuLi Hotel and Spa (The PuLi), Shanghai’s first urban resort opened in September, 2009. This much anticipated oasis within the metropolis has partnered with some of the best to deliver an understated product of grandeur, luxury and elegance.

Making its mark as Urban Resort Concept’s debut hotel, The PuLi carries a logo of a stylized phoenix and the phoenix tree, as a mark of their exclusivity. In Chinese mythology, the phoenix is a symbol of high virtue and grace and is often associated with the phoenix tree. “The phoenix is peregrine by nature, typically traveling in pursuit of their specific nesting place, the phoenix tree. We hope our target group of like-minded guests will come to Shanghai, just to find their own comfort at The PuLi,” says Mr. Martijn van der Valk, General Manager.

Being a fine example of Chinese culture and aesthetic appreciation, jade is often admired for its durability, warm brilliance and textural qualities. From humble beginnings to its exquisite emergence in the house of precious stones, jade is a highly prized gem and The PuLi’s name is synonymous with beautiful un-carved jade.

“We want The PuLi to be truly an inscrutable gem. Just as jade has healing properties and is one of the most precious stones in the world, we want The PuLi to be an oasis of refreshment for our guests from their busy schedule,” says Martijn.

Environmental Friendly Touches-
Guests at The PuLi can also expect environmental friendly additions, which include solar panels that gather energy for use in hotel operations, a heat-proof facade for higher energy conservation via temperature adjustments and monitor, windows that uses low-emission glass to reduce consumption and using heat from the pool towards recycling. Automated sunshades in every room are designed to adapt to different times of the day, and is especially useful during summer and winter seasons. They automatically lower if guests are not in their rooms between 12 to 5pm during summer, enabling heat retention and energy conservation. The same principle is applied during winter by having the sunshades raised between 12 to 5pm to allow penetration of sunlight to reduce energy consumption. This is a long term approach to environmental efforts and reduced environmental impact in the hotel’s day-to-day operations.

Interior Design and Lighting-
Australian design firm LAYAN DESIGN GROUP, in collaboration with renowned Indonesian design firm JAYA & ASSOCIATES and award-winning Australian lighting design firm THE FLAMING BEACON, were enlisted to execute the stunning interiors of the hotel’s public areas and guestrooms as well as the garden and landscape design around the hotel.

Reference and connection to the local Chinese culture comes mostly through materials used, giving rise to a synthesis of old and new, creating a distinctive Chinese flavour, yet cosmopolitan in outlook at the same time.

Commonly used for exterior facades of buildings, the use of Shanghai brick allows the hotel to be creative in architectural aesthetics and function, through a juxtaposition of old world elements and new world technology. The century-tile flooring in the hotel lobby took a long time to produce and is specially created by the same manufacturers who worked on the Forbidden City. The designers put the material to impressive use in the lobby, turning a traditional construction material uncommonly used today into a timeless showpiece. Dragon-scaled screens and cast bronze basins in every room are other nuances which weave a meaningful common thread between the east and west, old and new.

“The hotel is a kaleidoscope of sights and senses waiting to be discovered, with a seamless coalesce of eastern and western elements. Calling this simply a ‘hotel’ does not do justice to the extraordinary experience that awaits guests. We want them to savour moments and specific details about the hotel throughout their stay,” adds Martijn.

The dominnt role played by light is a consistent theme applied to every aspect of The PuLi. To bring references to nature and resort lifestyle into the urban context of the hotel, The Flaming Beacon created a series of static and animated projections to help suspend this disbelief of place to bring out its magical aura. A unique range of lihting devices and decorative fixtures were designed in close alignment to the interior architecture. Many of the custom designed lights drew inspiration from traditional Chinese forms but were given a modern unexpected twist by the designers.

“Bringing this groundbreaking concept into Shanghai has inspired us to be remembrance of Shanghai.”

The first urban resort in China, The PuLi is managed by Urban Resort Concepts and is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World.