i think the post is a bit misleading... the announcement was made on dec 6, 2001, but the hotel itself won't actually be opened until early 2004...

Shangri-La To Open Hotel In China's Fujian Province
December 6, 2001
Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts announces that it will open a hotel in Fuzhou, the capital of China's Fujian province, in early 2004. The Shangri-La Hotel, Fuzhou will be situated in the heart of the city, which is located on the southeast coast of China.

"Shangri-La is very committed to expansion in the Chinese mainland, where we are already the largest luxury hotel group. We're excited to announce this new project in Fuzhou. With China entering the World Trade Organisation, Fuzhou offers future growth opportunities," says the group's Chief Executive Officer, Giovanni Angelini.

Nearly half of Shangri-La's 38 hotels are located in China, and the group recently announced it would open two other new hotels in China, in Zhongshan and Zhengzhou, both of which are slated to open in July 2003.

The Shangri-La Hotel, Fuzhou

The Shangri-La Hotel, Fuzhou will overlook the main Wuyi Square and scenic areas of Wushan and Yushan, making it ideal for both business and leisure travellers. The 416-room hotel is being designed by Tokyo-based KKS Architects and Singapore-based Wilson Associates.

The property will feature a variety of restaurants, including a rooftop bar and restaurant on the 26th floor, a Chinese restaurant, an international cafe restaurant, a lobby lounge and a deli. The hotel will also have a business centre, shopping arcade, gift shop and beauty salon.

Recreational facilities will include tennis courts and a heath club with a gym, spa, sauna, Jacuzzi and swimming pool. The Shangri-La Hotel, Fuzhou's meeting facilities will include a 1,700-square-metre ballroom that will be complemented by a full range of meeting and function rooms.

The hotel's guest rooms will offer the full array of Shangri-La amenities, including 24-hour room service, same day laundry and valet service, coffee and tea making facilities, data ports and satellite TV. There will be three floors of Horizon Club accommodation, which feature special amenities and privileges that cater to the needs of executive travellers.

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2001. The company has nearly 20,000 rooms and 38 properties in the Chinese mainland, Fiji, Hong Kong SAR, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. For more information on Shangri-La or hotel reservations, please visit www.shangri-la.com.

Notes to editors:
The 5,000-year-old city of Fuzhou is the political, economic and cultural capital of the Fujian province, with a population of around 5.75 million. Today, Fuzhou's main industries include food processing, chemicals and textiles. The mountains surrounding the city produce many famous teas, and Fuzhou has become a centre for the arts of tea brewing and tea tasting. The city is also famous for Shoushan stone carving, a method of carving alabaster that has been practised in the region for 1,500 years, and bodiless lacquerware, a unique craft that along with porcelain and cloisonné is considered to be one of China's three folk art treasures.