Yi Garden at Shangri-La

The latest addition to one of the PRD’s truly top-notch hotels is the Yi Garden. In a classic setting, the Shangri-La’s Huaiyang restaurant serves eye-catching, mouth-watering dishes from Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces – a cuisine that generally goes by the name of Jiangzhe. This is a welcome change from the usual Cantonese and Chiu Chao dishes that feature on the menus of PRD hotel restaurants, and provides an opportunity for some gastronomical exploring of a celebrated cuisine little-known outside China. Try the “chicken in huadiao wine” (太白鸡) for a cold starter along with the restaurant’s signature “shredded bean-curd soup” (文思豆腐羹). Highly recommended main courses include the “fresh mushroom with peach” (黄桃百灵菇) and the “pork belly on choi sum” (金塔扣肉).

The Yi Garden is just one of the many features at the Shangri-La that has literally transformed Zhongshan as a destination for international business travelers since it opened two years ago. What makes the Shangri-La stand out from its provincial peers is its atmosphere, which is more that of a “city resort” than a typical business hotel. This is helped in large part by the deluxe spa, which is the best value for money in Guangdong, offering a wide range of beauty treatments and massages. The spacious rooms of the South Wing, which includes Horizon Club floors, add to the feeling of being where there is less need to rush.

The Lobby Lounge is a great place to while away the evening with a Filipino band. Meeting facilities are top-notch, and include the biggest pillarless ballroom in Guangdong.