White Swan Hotel

The White Swan Hotel (simplified Chinese: 白天鹅宾馆; traditional Chinese: 白天鵝賓館; pinyin: báitiān'é bīnguǎn; Jyutping: baak6 tin1 ngo4 ban1 gun2) is a 28-story luxury hotel in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, located on Shamian Island, overlooking the Pearl River and facing the White Swan Pool. The hotel is reached by its own private 635 metres (2,083 ft) causeway.

Not to be confused with The White Swan Hotel, Alnwick.
White Swan Hotel
白天鹅宾馆 or 白天鵝賓館
Shamian Island, White Swan Hotel
White Swan Hotel is located in Guangdong
White Swan Hotel
Hotels location within Guangdong Province
General information
StatusCompleted
TypeSkyscraper
ClassificationHotel
LocationShamian Island
Address1 Shamian South Street, Liwan District
Town or cityGuangzhou, Guangdong
CountryChina
Coordinates23°6′21.5″N 113°14′33.1″E
Completed1983 (1983)
OpenedFebruary 6, 1983 (1983-02-06)
Renovated2015 (2015)
Height
Architectural328.08 feet (100.00 m)
Roof328.08 feet (100.00 m)
Technical details
Floor count33
Other information
Number of rooms520
Number of restaurants5
Number of bars2
FacilitiesHealth club
Outdoor pool
Spa
Website
www.whiteswanhotel.com/en

History

The hotel opened on February 6, 1983. It was built by Hong Kong businessman Fok Ying-tung. Located on the Cantonese equivalent of Dejima of pearl-rich Nagasaki in Japan (Exit Island in Japanese), the Hotel`s surroundings are rich in history of the Merchant houses incorporated in the Nations of the "Great Powers" and Holland; often attributed to have been the greatest force of modernisation in East-Asia. The colonial-era buildings are within easy walking-distance, and are a quaint reminder of Guangzou`s historical multiculturalism.

The hotel was built by Fok Ying-tung on Shamian Island for political reasons, and the hotel soon after hosted Hu Yaobang, Zhao Ziyang and Deng Xiaoping.[1]

Inside the White Swan Hotel

In the early 2000s, after 20 years of private operations, the hotel was handed out to the Chinese government. The hotel now belongs to The Ministry of Land and Resources of People's Republic of China.[1]

The hotel closed down for renovations during three years and reopened in July 2015,[2] on the 15th.

Description

The hotel has 520 rooms and suites. The White Swan's Jade River Restaurant, with its garden decor, is noted for its Cantonese cuisine.

Many American families who adopt children from China stay at the White Swan while in Guangzhou awaiting visa paperwork. A children's story book[3] is based on this.[4]

Famous guests

The Guangzhou White Swan Hotel has received over 40 heads of state and government, including :

Awards
  • Member of "The Leading Hotels of the World" (1985)
  • 5 stars by the Chinese Government in February 1990[7]
  • "China's 50 best hotels" in 1996
  • "China's best well-known hotel" in 2008.[8]

References
  1. Lau, Mimi (26 July 2015). "Thanks for the memories: landmark Guangzhou hotel attract nostalgic crowds". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
  2. Li, Wenfang; Zheng, Caixiong (2016-05-21). "Renowned hotel reopens". China Daily. Retrieved 2020-11-22.
  3. Okimoto, Jean Davies; Aoki, Elaine Mei (2002). "The White Swan Express". ISBN 0618164537. Retrieved 2008-05-01.
  4. Barboza, David (2003-03-31). "The adoption prized The White Swan Hotel". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-05-01.
  5. "Kim Apparently in China's South". The Washington Post.
  6. "1986年英国女王丽莎白二世莅临白天鹅宾馆". Retrieved 2009-12-08.
  7. "1985年7月1日白天鹅宾馆率先被世界一流酒店组织TheLeadingHotelsoftheWorld接纳为正式成员". Retrieved 2009-12-08.
  8. "中国最老牌酒店". Retrieved 2008-10-01.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to White Swan Hotel.

23.1057°N 113.2426°E / 23.1057; 113.2426

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.