The Luxury Collection, part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., announces that the famed European-inspired castle overlooking Dalian’s Xinghai Bay is undergoing a transformation to become The Castle Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Dalian. Set to open in 2014, The Castle Hotel will join the legendary Astor Hotel in Tianjin, Twelve at Hengshan and The Hongta Hotel in Shanghai, and The Royal Begonia Resort in Sanya, as an enchanting and iconic landmark along the Dalian coast in Northern China.Originally built in 2002, the palatial Bavarian-style castle is in the final stages of a complete interior renovation by the Dalian Yifang Group. When it opens this summer, The Castle Hotel will be one of the few luxury hotels in Asia to be housed inside a castle, featuring 292 luxurious guest rooms and suites and 67 apartments – most of which offer stunning ocean views – along with a sophisticated collection of restaurants and lounges, including an authentic German beer café with home-brewed specialities.
A Contemporary Urban Retreat
The Castle Hotel is situated above Dalian on Lotus Mountain, surrounded by lush foliage, overlooking Xinghai Square as well as Xinghai Bay and the Yellow Sea. The Castle Hotel is also the starting point for the romantic Binhai Road, the coastal route that winds along China’s northern coast for 32 kilometres. For visitors new to the city, Dalian offers a unique blend of European, Russian, Japanese and traditional Chinese architecture reflecting the city’s fascinating history when its ports were used as an international trading hub during ancient times.
The exterior of The Castle Hotel in Dalian remains true to the original European-inspired architecture, which has long been a favourite icon for locals and visitors alike. The interior of the castle has been re-imagined by HBA Interior Design with an opulent and contemporary design that complements the city and the building’s European heritage as well as its new role as a modern, luxury hotel. The vibrant interiors feature rich stonework, handcrafted wood furnishings and soaring ceilings along with bright skylights, massive windows and intimate terraces overlooking Dalian and the sea.
The Castle Hotel features three restaurants and two lounges with creative and authentic cuisine options, including: Zhenbao, offering fresh Chinese seafood, and Collections, an all-day dining restaurant with an international menu. In a nod to Dalian’s rich European heritage, the Royal Cellar will feature home-brewed German beer and northern European specialities. The Castle Hotel also offers a spacious indoor swimming pool, state-of-the-art fitness centre and a luxurious destination spa.
With its prime location, The Castle Hotel is an outstanding meeting and event venue offering over 2,600 square meters of meeting spaces, including a 1,400 square meter grand ballroom and 8 other function rooms; the 4,000 square meters open air rooftop garden provides an elegant space for memorable occasions from grand-scale weddings, to intimate cocktail parties, to important business gatherings.
