Mainland China's first JW Marriott Hotel celebrates its Grand Opening

Mainland China's first JW Marriott hotel brand and Marriott Executive Apartments, the 342-room JW Marriott Hotel Shanghai and 255-unit Tomorrow Square Marriott Executive Apartments, celebrated their official grand opening late last week. 

During a press conference preceding the opening ceremonies, Martyn Standen, general manager of the JW Marriott Hotel Shanghai and Tomorrow Square Marriott Executive Apartments announced the three recipients of the inaugural "JW Marriott Hotel Graduate Training Programme." The awardees, Chen Liang, Zhao Shen-Yan and Lu Yan-Fei, from the Shanghai Institute of Tourism and Shanghai Jiao Tong University were selected out of 42 trainees to participate in a six-month tailor-made programme with overseas opportunities to train at JW Marriott hotels in Bangkok, Dubai and Hong Kong. "The JW Marriott Hotel Shanghai aims to set the trend to provide learning opportunities to talented students every year," Standen said.

The celebration included a colourful ribbon cutting and lion dance ceremony, followed by a luncheon, to mark the grand opening. Some 400 guests, including government officials, celebrities, trading partners and media representatives attended the gala Grand Opening ceremony.

Both properties are owned by Shanghai Tomorrow Square Company Limited. Speaking on behalf of the owning group, Zhang Luo Min, the Chairman of Shanghai Tomorrow Square Company Limited said, "We are very pleased to have chosen Marriott International as our management company. As the leading international hotel management group, Marriott International is well-known for its long history, excellent brand image, innovative management philosophy, as well as its worldwide marketing networks." Zhang continued, "We need a hotel operator with high quality international service and a global reservations network. Marriott International provides us with both and more."

Standen said, "We aim to provide Marriott's world-class personalised service and products topped with a superb level of hospitality for business guests and leisure travellers alike."

Since the soft opening on China's National Day, October 1, the hotel has enjoyed a positive reception of high profile guests and events, including the 2003 Channel Young Lycra In Style Fashion Awards, the Audi International Fashion Show Case, where designers, celebrities and models from all over the world stayed at the JW Marriott Hotel Shanghai.

President and Managing Director of Marriott International Lodging, Ed Fuller joined the celebration and expressed optimistic views about the China market.

"The launch of JW Marriott Hotel Shanghai and Tomorrow Square Marriott Executive Apartments sums the number of Marriott properties in China to 33. Shanghai is the first city outside the US that has the full portfolio of Marriott International lodging brands," he said. "Growing our lodging portfolio in China is our primary focus in the region. This will enable us to create synergy and leverage our opportunities for both domestic and international visitors to China."

Fuller acknowledged Shanghai is poised to become one of the world's major international trade and financial centres. "We are confident that these two properties will successfully participate in the city's tourism infrastructure," he said.

Standing at 60 stories high, the hotel and serviced apartments are located in Shanghai's power centre, one block from the People's Square, People's Park, Shanghai Grand Theatre and Shanghai Museum of Fine Arts. Within walking distance is The Bund, the nation's financial business centre. The famous Nanjing Road Pedestrian Shopping Walk and the newest entertainment centre, Xintiandi, are only a stone's throw away.