The Oriental Pearl TV Tower is located in Pudong Park in Lujiazui, Shanghai. The tower, surrounded by the Yangpu Bridge in the northeast and the Nanpu Bridge in the southwest, creates a picture of ‘twin dragons playing with pearls’. The entire scene is a photographic jewel that excites the imagination and attracts thousands of visitors year-round.

This 468 meters high (1,536 feet) tower is the world’s third tallest TV and radio tower surpassed in height only by towers in Toronto, Canada and Moscow, Russia. However, even more alluring than its height is the tower’s unique architectural design that makes the Oriental Pearl TV Tower one of the most attractive places anywhere.

The base of the tower is supported by three seven-meter wide slanting stanchions. Surrounding the eleven steel spheres that are ’strung’ vertically through the center of the tower are three nine-meter wide columns. There are three large spheres including the top sphere, known as the space module. Then there are five smaller spheres and three decorative spheres on the tower base. The entire structure rests on rich green grassland and gives the appearance of pearls shining on a jade plate.

Visitors travel up and down the tower in double-decker elevators that can hold up to fifty people at the rate of seven meters per second. The elevator attendants recite an introduction to the TV Tower in English and Chinese during the rapid 1/4-mile ascent. Once you reach your destination, you will be amazed at the variety of activities available as the various spheres and columns actually house places of interest, commerce, and recreation.

The inner tower is a recreational palace, while the Shanghai Municipal History Museum is located in the tower’s pedestal. The large lower sphere has a futuristic space city and a fabulous sightseeing hall. From here, on a clear day a visitor can see all the way to the Yangtze River. The base of the tower is home to a science fantasy city. The five smaller spheres are a hotel that contains twenty-five elegant rooms and lounges. The pearl at the very top of the tower contains shops, restaurants, (including a rotating restaurant) and a sightseeing floor. The view of Shanghai from this height fills you with wonder at the beauty that surrounds you. When viewed from the Bund at night, the tower’s three-dimensional lighting makes it a delight of brilliant color.

It is amazing that this ultra-modern tower combines ancient concepts such as the spherical pearls, with 21st Century technology, commerce, recreation, educational and conference facilities. All of this and it really is a TV and radio tower that services the Shanghai area with more than nine television channels and upwards of ten FM radio channels. Truly, ‘oriental pearl’ is the most suitable name for this tower.

Hotel Group Brands (4 winners)

China’s Most Popular International Hotel Group Brand of 2009

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts

China’s Most Popular Local Hotel Group Brand of 2009

Jinling Hotels & Resorts

China’s Most Popular Serviced Residence Brand of 2009

Ascott Property Management (Shanghai)Co., Ltd

China’s Most Popular Economical Chain Hotel Brand of 2009

Home Inn

Hotel Management Companies (2 winners)

2009 China’s Most Investment-value International Hotel Management Company

Accor China

2009 China’s Most Investment-value Local Hotel Management Company

New Century Hotels & Resorts

Individual Hotels (30 winners)

China’s Top 10 Most Popular Business Hotels of 2009

Pudong Shangri-La, Shanghai

Grand Hyatt Shanghai

Jinling Hotel Nanjing

InterContinental Hong Kong

Sofitel Wanda Beijing

New Century Grand Hotel Hangzhou

InterContinental Shenzhen

The Ritz-Carlton Beijing, Financial Street

Kowloon Shangri-La

Sheraton Shenzhen Futian Hotel

China’s Top 10 Most Popular Resort Hotels of 2009

Banyan Tree Lijiang

The Venetian?? Macao-Resort-Hotel

Yalong Bay Mangrove Tree Resort

Kayumanis Nanjing Private Villa & Spa

Sofitel Zhongshan Golf Resort Nanjing

The Interlaken OCT Hotel

Sanya Hilton Hotel

Sheraton Suzhou Hotel & Towers

Le Meridien Sheshan Shanghai

Wuyi Mountain Yeohwa Resort

China’s Top 10 Best New Opening Hotels of 2009

Park Hyatt Shanghai

Banyan Tree Sanya

Park Hyatt Beijing

The Ritz-Carlton, Sanya

JW Marriott Shenzhen

The Ritz-Carlton, Shenzhen

New Century Grand Hotel Beiji

Grand Soluxe Hotel & Resort Sanya

Howard Johnson Resort Sanya Bay

Howard Johnson ITC Plaza Chongqing

Hotel Figures (10 winners)

Best Hotel Managers of 2009 (2 winners)

Mr. Cetin Sekercioglu，Vice President and General Manager of Pudong Shangri-La, Shanghai

Mr. Claudio Nardini，General Manager of Sheraton Shenzhen Futian Hotel

Figures with Distinguished Contributions to China’s Hotel Industry in 2009(5 winners)

Mr.SunJian, CEO of Home Inn

Mr. Chen Miaolin, Chief of Board, President of Zhejiang NewCentury Tourism Group

Mr.Wilburt Chang，Chairman & CEO，Howard Johnson International (China)

Mr. Wang Jinjun, President of Gloria Hotels & Resorts

Leaders of the Hotel Industry of 2009 (3 winners)

Mr.Robert Murray，Senior Vice President-Accor Greater China

Mr.Jerry Huang，Senior Vice President Operations Greater China IHG

Mr.Qian Jin，Senior Vice President,Operations,China & Taiwan Starwood Hotels & Resorts

Separate Items: (30winners)

Separate Items of Hotel Group Brand (6 winners)

China’s Most Competitive Local Hotel Brand of 2009

HNA International Hotels & Resorts Management Co., Ltd

China’s Local Hotel Brand with Most Developing Potential of 2009
Gloria Hotels & Resorts

China’s Most Competitive Hotel Management Company of 2009
Howard Johnson International (China)

2009 China’s Most Influential Serviced Residence Brand
Frasers Hospitality

China’s Best New Opening Middle and High range Business Hotel of 2009
H Hotels

Separate Items for Individual Hotels:(24 winners)

Business Hotels (13winners)

China’s Most Cultural Characteristics Business Hotel of 2009

New Century Grand Hotel Ningbo

China’s Best Business Hotel in Sports Theme of 2009

Hilton Shanghai

China’s Most Innovative Business Hotel of 2009

Jin Jiang Tower

China’s Top Luxury Boutique Hotel of 2009

Sky Fortune Boutique Hotel Shanghai

Best Business Hotel in North-East China of 2009

Kempinski Hotel Shenyang

Most Popular Hotel in Shanghai with Bund Landscape of 2009
Broadway Mansions Hotel

Most Popular Business Hotel in West China of 2009

Crowne Plaza Chengdu

Most Popular Business Hotel in East China of 2009

The Eton Hotel，Shanghai

China ’s Best Business Conference Hotel of 2009

Hua Ting Hotel & Towers Shanghai

China’s Business Hotel with Most Developing Potential of 2009

Songjiang New Century Grand Hotel Shanghai

Most Luxury Business Hotel in West China of 2009

Sofitel Forebase Chongqing

Best Business Hotel in Central China of 2009

Sheraton Changsha Hotel

Best Business Hotel in Southwest China of 2009

Sheraton Guiyang Hotel

Resort Hotels (1 winners)

China’s Best Spa Resort Hotel of 2009

New Century Grand Hotel Kaifeng

New Opening Hotels (10 winners)

China’s Best New Opening Resort Hotel of 2009

Le Meridien Shimei Bay Beach Resort & Spa

China’s Best New Opening Theme MICE Hotel of 2009

Crowne Plaza Sun Palace Beijing

China’s Most Comfortable Sleep Hotel of 2009

Sofitel Wanda Ningbo

Marco Polo Wuhan

Best New Opening Business Hotel in East China of 2009

Howard Johnson Business Club Hotel Shanghai

Best New Opening Business Hotel in North China of 2009

InterContinental Beijing Beichen

China’s Best New Opening Resort Villa Hotel of 2009

Pullman Sanya Yalong Bay Resort &SPA

China’s Best New Opening Luxury Business Hotel of 2009

Kempinski Hotel Suzhou

China’s Best New Opening Convention and Exhibition Hotel of 2009

Doubeltree by Hilton Huaqiao,Kunshan

China’s Best New Opening Leisure Business Hotel of 2009

Yao Jiang New Century Grand Hotel

Behind Shanghai’s skyscrapers, Art Deco edifices, and colonial bungalows lies a maze of lanes lined with teahouses, ancient markets, and sidewalk stalls—a parallel world that reveals an untold history. Recent transplant Emily Prager steps out her back door and into a hidden city few outsiders ever find

I had lived in Shanghai for about two months when I learned that behind every building which fronts the street is a second and far more enticing world: a labyrinth of winding lanes and alleyways that contains all kinds of eclectic little businesses and historic houses. It is an intimate Shanghai, and one that I got to know mostly by setting out and searching on foot.

I had moved here from Manhattan with my twelve-year-old daughter, Lulu, and had rented a lane house in the former French Concession. For the first few weeks, all of our movements were concentrated on the front of the house. Then one day, I unlocked the back door and stepped outside.

Here was a narrow sunlit passage with two-story, gray-brick lane houses like mine on both sides. It was lunchtime, and the weather-beaten wooden doors and rusty casement windows were flung open wide, and inside, people were bending over sizzling woks on hot plates in tiny hallway kitchens. Brown sparrows swooped and chirped and alighted on bamboo poles overhead, prancing on the laundry hanging there. Some women were laughing and chatting with one another as they scrubbed greens at an outdoor sink, and others squatted over pink and red tin basins of water, peeling root vegetables. Farmers, their faces dark brown from countryside sun, hawked cherries with a songlike cry, the fruit piled in woven baskets hung on shoulder poles across the back of their bent necks.

I walked slowly down this lane, turned the corner, and found that the lane wound on, connecting to an even narrower alley which led to two other lanes that twisted and turned around a natural garden of fruit trees and rose bushes and eventually snaked out onto Xinle Road, the street parallel to mine.

I stared up at the old Art Deco apartment buildings which line that road, and I thought that they were almost like storefronts on a movie set. Behind them, thousands of people lived unseen. Further, there were secret ways to move around the city incognito. I determined in that moment to perform a Cheever-esque act. I would try to cross the entire French Concession by secret lanes without ever using a main street or avenue.

Two distinct worlds have existed in Shanghai since the end of the First Opium War in 1842. After the British attacked the Tao-Kuang emperor and took the city, they demanded that Shanghai become an open trading port and that Britain be granted city land for an exclusive settlement run entirely under British law. Not long after, the French and the Americans each claimed the same thing, and lands along the Huangpu River were designated the International Settlement and the French Concession, behind which lay the all-Chinese city proper.

In time, the foreign settlements expanded and eventually encroached on the Chinese city, shoving it back behind the new, elaborate colonial buildings (which we now identify as the Bund), forcing it to squeeze itself into a warren of alleyways and lanes. So was born a Westernized, urban Shanghai, peopled for the most part by foreigners, rich Chinese and their retainers, and the desperately poor. That modern, bustling Shanghai of the 1920s and ’30s flourished until the Japanese invaded in 1939.

“I am very proud to anounce that Readers of Travel + Leisure (China) voted Nikko Hotel Dalian among the top 100 hotels in China in the 2008 “Readers’ Choice Awards,”

This is fantastic that our customer by choosing our property in the selecting and voting process, have shown recognition for the hard work of all the team members of Nikko hotel Dalian. The spirit and dedication of the team, together with a desire to go the extra mile giving a memorable experience to our customers and always with a smile is very commendable. As the general manager of Nikko Hotel Dalian I am proud to be part of this team” Said Nicolas C. Solari, General Manager, Hotel Nikko Dalian ]]> http://www.xabala.com/2008-china-readers-choice-awards-nikko-hotel-dalian/feed 0 http://www.xabala.com/guangzhou-introduction http://www.xabala.com/guangzhou-introduction#comments Wed, 17 Sep 2008 05:45:50 +0000 admin http://www.xabala.com/?p=52 Guangzhou,located at ther north the Pearl River Delta,is an important trading center as well as a busy port and the capital city of the province of Guangdong.The city has an ara of over 16,000 square kilometers and a population of 6.7 million.

Like Athens of Greece and Rome of Italy,Guangzhou also has a history of more than 2,800 years.

Guangzhou WuYang

There are a lot of interesting legends concerning its past.One of the beautiful stories which gives the city its name Goat Town says that five gods riding on five goats brought the firest grain to the city.So,Guangzhou is also known as the City of Five Goats.Besides tales and stories,here and there stand monuments of the city’s democratic and revolutionary past.The monument to against a British invading force.The Huang Hua Gang Park Keeps alive the spirit of the 72 martyrs killed in an uprising in 1911 against the Qing Dynasty.The National Peasant Movement Institute is the former cadre-training school founded and run by Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai in 1925-1926.The Guangzhou Memorial Garden is in memory of those who lost their lives during the Communist Uprising in 127.

The climate of Guangzhou is sub-tropical.August is the hottest month and January is the coldest month.The rainy season falls between April and August.The average annual rainfall is 1,720 mm.

Guangzhou Pearl River Bridge

Guangzhou is a beautiful city with an ever-green scnery and blooming flowers all the year round.The city boasts many tourist attractions,among which the highlights are White Cloud Hill Scenic Spot.Yuexiu Park,Gyuangzhou Zoo,Six Banyan Temple and Flowery Pagoda,Dr,Sun Yatsen Memorial Hall,etc.Inthe Suburbs,there are such scenic spots on Conghua Hot Springs,Xiquao Hill Scenic spot,Seven Star Crags,and Foshan City.Lots of tourists to Guangzhou like to visit one or two of them for out-of-city pleasure.

Guangzhou is also one of the most important centers of foreign commerce in South China.The Chinese Export Commodities Fair has been held twice a year in the city since 1957.

It is also a cultural center.There are several universities,the Zhongshan University.the South China University of Technology,the Ji-nan University and other higher educational establishments.The city is renowned ofr its arts and crafts,namely the GuangDong embroidery,ivory-carving and ceramics.

Eating in Guangzhou

“Eating in Guangzhou” has become a popular saying both at home and abrad.Guangzhou ranks first in the number of restaurants and tea-houses in the country.Cantonese cuisine is good in color,fragrance,taste and presentation.In addition,the delicate Cantoness pastry is also well-known for its wide range of varieties,delicious flavor and beautiful color.Cantonese cuisine is among the most famous four in the country.

Guangzhou used to be part of the so called “Maritime silk Road” that linked sounthern China with India,South_east Asia,the Middle East,and Africa. As a result of the lnks with the Middle East,a mosque was established in the city in 627,and a small Muslim community has lasted to this day.Furthermore,because the sixth patriarch of Zen Buddhism was born in Guangzhou where he taught the famous Platform Sutra and established a monastery in the north of the city,Guangzhou has maintained a strong conection with this school of Buddhism.

The Hainan Island is like a circle island. From the center spread outward, the rugged hills, plains and sea were linked one after another. The plain area covers more than 60 per cent of the total island. The main rivers are Nandu River, Wanquan River and Changhua River. It enjoys a tropical monsoon climate and has no frosting period all year round. Those islands in the South Sea are flat and small. Zengmuansha is the hottest place in the southwest. Iron ore and some other gold ore materials account for 70 percent of the nation’s mine resource. Reservation of oil and natural gas are strong. And there are rich tropical sea and fishery resources as well.

Hainan Province was established in 1988, and thereafter had been designated as a special economic zone in China, and became one of the key economic cities and the youngest province in China. With the high speed of economic development, it becomes the key production base of tropical products in China, with products include sugar cane, peanuts, tropical fruits, seafood, timber and plastic.

The traffic infrastructure of Hainan Province is well developed. There are air, railway and water transports around the island. Specially, the railway connects the south and the west part of the island.

In Hainan Province, the climate is warm all the year round with sunshine most of the times. With blue clear sea and fresh air, couple with soft and small sands and beaches, the island is covered with beautiful tropical plants and is definitely one of the well known international tourist spots. There are many famous places to visit, such as the Five Officials Memorial Temple in Haiku City, the scenic spot of End-of-the-Earth, Dadong River and Yalong Bay in Sanya City. The traditional productions are shell carving, pineapple, coconut, mango, and bird-nests.

It was first built in the period 1488 to 1505 of the Ming Dynasty.These buildings were rebuilt in 1882 and 1946 respectively.Fangrant Flower Mound used to be the place where Bao Zhen studied.During the Ming Dynasty,Song Guangming,the governor of Hefei,saw this scenic spot and the ancient temple into Baogong Academy.In the memorial hall display the statue of Baogong,stone carved image,cultural relics and relevant materials.By the side of the memorial hall,there is a pavilion with a well in it.

The well is named Honest and Clean Well.Legend has it that those officials who have not been honest and clean dare not to drink the water from the well.Bao Zhen,popularly known as Bao Gong,was prefect of Kaifeng,capital of the Northern Song Dynasty.He was famous in popular legend as an upright and capable official and fearless,impartial judge with a knack of passing true verdicts in all the cases he tried. The people called “Just Judge Bao” in the Northern Song Dynasty.

On May 16, Jin Jiang International Hotel Management Co., Ltd was awarded “2008 Most Investment-Worthy Local Management Company of China” at the Forum for Development Opportunities and Challenges for China Hospitality Industry & the fifth Golden-Pillow Award of China Hotels.

Sponsored by China’s leading financial media “21^st Century Business Herald” in association with China’s top business travel magazine “Business Travel” in 2004, the Golden-Pillow Award of China Hotels is the most prestigious award for the hospitality industry in China and even in Asia, in an aim to provide more business consulting for global business travelers as well as provide authoritative and advisory opinions for the development of China’s hospitality industry.

Jin Jiang International Hotel Management Co., Ltd is the largest hotel management company in China. It dedicates itself to quality hotel management, boasting professional management teams with rich experience. And the Jin Jiang brand is highly reputed in China. The company has the corporate website in four languages, i.e., Chinese, English, Japanese and French, and a new brand identification system as well as a sophisticated central reservation system. The company is poised to launch its Loyalty Program in 2008 amongst its over 100 star-rated member hotels across China.

Mr. Chen Hao, CEO of Jin Jiang International Hotels Development Co., Ltd, the parent company of Jin Jiang International Hotel Management Co., Ltd said, “The staff of ‘Jin Jiang International Hotel Management Co., Ltd feel great honored to receive such a prestigious award. We appreciate the recognition and encouragement from the hospitality industry and customers for our work. Jin Jiang International Hotel Management Co., Ltd will continue moving toward its “going global” strategic goal.”

The “Golden Pillow Award of China Hotels”, recognized as one of the most prestigious hotel evaluations in China and the Asia region, has been hosted yearly by 21st Century Business Herald since 2004. The professional award utilizes first-hand knowledge of a panel of senior industry experts and business people along with field investigations by editors and reporters of the newspaper, to gain a comprehensive look at China’s hotel industry, supply travel news to the extensive Chinese business community and offer suggestions and directions for the industry’s development.

“China is welcoming a new era of rapid development in the business travel industry. High-end business customers have demanded more rigorous requirements for both high-end business and luxury hotels. Factors such as the environment, facilities, services and brand expertise are crucial in their consideration when selecting a hotel. The Golden Pillow Award endeavors to providing professional advice while identifying the best choices for business travelers,” said Mr. Murray. “We appreciate the professionalism of the award and it is an honor for Accor to be named as “The Best Hotel Management Company of 2008” in China.”

As one of the pioneer international hotel management companies to enter the China market, Accor China currently operates 61 hotels (over 17,000 rooms) in 29 cities with approximately 80 projects under development.

All Accor hotels in China are situated in major metropolitan areas, gateway cities, popular resort destinations, and are developing fast into tier two and tier three cities under 6 different brands: Sofitel, Pullman, Grand Mercure, Novotel, Mercure and Ibis, covering a full spectrum of markets from luxury to economy.

“The accolade endorses Accor’s reputation in hotel development and management in China, and will certainly raise the confidence of our associates and attract more investors to partner with Accor,” Mr. Murray added.

Accor’s Senior Vice President for Greater China named “Leader of the Hotel Industry of 2008”

Meanwhile, at the same award ceremony, Mr Murray was honored with “The Leader of the Hotel Industry of 2008” award. Mr. Murray’s stint in China commenced in 2005. He has over 25 years management experience in the hotel and tourism industry. His primary focus is on improving the performance of the existing Accor hotels network within China, while ensuring that the company infrastructure is capable and ready to feed the development pipeline.

Michael Issenberg, Accor Asia Pacific Chairman and COO, said, “Accor is delighted with this accolade for our senior manager, Robert Murray. These two awards are an acknowledgement not only of Robert’s leadership but is also an endorsement of Accor’s innovativeness, entrepreneurial flair and dynamism as a company.”

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Natural resources: Minerals
There are more than 90 known mineral types in Tibet, reserves of 26 of which have been proved while 11 of them rank among the top five in the quantity of reserves in China. The minerals include chromite, lithium, copper, gypsum, boron, magnesite, barite, arsenic, mica, peat, kaolin, salt, natural soda, mirabilite, sulphur, phosphorus, potassium, diatomaceous earth, iceland spar, corundum, rock quartz and agate.

Energy
Tibet is rich in water, geothermal, solar and wind energy. It produces approximately 200 million kilowatts of natural hydro-energy annually, about 30 percent of the nation’s total. It has 354.8 billion cubic meters of surface water resources, 13.5 percent of the nation’s total; and 330 billion cubic meters of glacial water resources. Tibet has about 56. 59 million kilowatts exploitable hydro-energy resources, 15 percent of the nation’s total. Tibet also leads China in geothermal energy. The Yangbajain geothermal field in Damxung County, Lhasa, is China’s largest high temperature steam geothermal field, and also one of the largest geothermal fields in the world.

Plants
Tibet is like a giant plant kingdom, with more than 5,000 species of high-grade plants. It is also one of China’s largest forest areas, preserving intact primeval forests. Almost all the main plant species from the tropical to the frigid zones of the northern hemisphere are found here. Forestry reserves exceed 2.08 billion cubic meters and the forest coverage rate is 9.84 percent. Common species include Himalayan pine, alpine larch, Pinus Yunnanensis, Pinus armandis, Himalayan spruce, Himalayan fir, hard-stemmed long bract fir, hemlock, Monterey Larix potaniniis, Tibetan larch, Tibetan cypress and Chinese juniper. There are about 926,000 hectares of pine forest in Tibet. Two species, Tibetan longleaf pine and Tibetan lacebark pine, are included in the listing of tree species under state protection. There are more than 1,000 wild plants used for medicine, 400 of which are medicinal herbs most often used. Particularly well known medicine plants include Chinese caterpillar fungus, Fritillaria Thunbergii, Rhizoma Picrorhizae, rhubarb, Rhizoma Gastrodiae, pseudo-ginseng, Codonopsis Pilosula,