At the beginning of this year, the Shanghai Yangtze Boutique Hotel, located at 740 Hankou Road, embarked on a new journey after undergoing more than three months of preparation and soft furnishing upgrades.
This historic building, with a history spanning over ninety years, has unveiled a new look, showcasing its renewed splendor.
A Chinese-Owned High-End Hotel Refusing to Be Outdone by Foreign Competitors
In the 1920s and 1930s, Shanghai was already one of the cities with the highest concentration of high-end hotels in Asia.
However, at that time, most of the luxurious hotels were invested and operated by foreigners (such as the Richard Hotel, the Central Hotel, the Majestic Hotel, and the Astor House Hotel).
In June 1932, the Chinese-owned Yangtze Hotel Co., Ltd. was determined to build a high-end hotel on Hankou Road in Shanghai that would not be overshadowed by foreign-owned hotels.
The Yangtze Hotel was designed by architect Li Pan. Influenced by the Art Deco architectural style of the 1920s and 1930s, Li Pan designed the Yangtze Hotel in the Art Deco style.
The grayish-beige exterior color, the rich vertical linear decorations, and the gradually receding structural outline give the hotel building a unique Art Deco essence.
After the hotel’s completion, it immediately attracted the attention of Shanghai’s news media and social elites on its opening day.
Well-known newspapers in Shanghai, such as Shun Pao, promoted the hotel with the hot topic of “Chinese-owned high-end hotel challenges foreign-owned hotels.”
According to reports, the Yangtze Hotel was the first among Chinese-owned hotels in Shanghai to use air conditioning at that time. Its advanced facilities and management concepts earned it the reputation of being the “third-largest hotel in the Far East.”
After undergoing a rigorous historical hotel certification process, the Shanghai Yangtze Hotel was listed in the global historical hotel member directory in July 2019.
“Rose, Rose, I Love You” Premiered Here
The modern and fashionable Chinese-owned Yangtze Hotel attracted a large number of Shanghai’s social celebrities at that time, providing a space for people from all walks of life to socialize.
Celebrities from the entertainment industry, such as Ruan Lingyu, Zhou Xuan, Hu Die, and Xu Lai, often stayed here.
They were like today’s “internet celebrity” stars, bringing immense popularity to the Yangtze Hotel. Among them, Yao Li, known as the “Silver Voice,” was a frequent guest of the hotel. It is said that this “Queen of Pathé Records,” who was popular all over Shanghai at that time, regularly performed at the Yangtze Hotel’s ballroom from 1942 to 1946.
The classic old song “Rose, Rose, I Love You,” which was popular both at home and abroad, was first sung by Yao Li at the Yangtze Hotel.
After being adapted into an English song, it was recorded by American male singer Frankie Laine and topped the US pop music chart in 1951.
This was also the first Chinese song to gain widespread popularity and have a significant impact internationally.
Romantic Balconies Adorned with “Flowers”
The hotel’s “romantic balconies” adorned with flowers are undoubtedly one of the highlights of the Yangtze Hotel and a focal point for guests.
If you observe carefully, you will find that rose elements are hidden in every corner of the hotel, showing how important roses are to the hotel’s significance.
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