Review: Langham Place Xiamen, China

WHAT’S IT LIKE Stepping into this modern tower in the financial district is a pleasure after navigating the hustle of Xiamen traffic. It is close to the highway, which makes it a huge bonus for those with business in the area or others worried about a long drive to the international airport.

The airy, sunlit lobby teams with art and clever decor. It is certainly a conversation starter. The glass sculpture of Disney’s Mickey Mouse is simply a way for the hotel to show off its creative and energetic side; this is no stuffy business hotel. Those unfamiliar with the Langham Place brand, sibling to the more traditional Langham name, will find it to be youthful and modern, appealing to millennial business travelers.

There is a flowing theme of music and art that runs through the property, and the nearby shopping mall provides ample diversion to the hotel’s own recreational amenities.

DINING Pop into the lobby bar for a lavish afternoon tea, especially on Sundays, which features a London-proud array of sandwiches and pastries.

It is not uncommon for locals to stop by to collect a handy bundle of to-go boxes with the same elegant presentation as those who dine in can enjoy. The fact that the free wireless Internet and iMac computers off in the corner lure business-minded guests is not lost on the hotel, which keeps a lively bar atmosphere going at all hours.

In The Place, numerous open kitchens and buffet stations serve international cuisine including Indian curries, Chinese noodle bowls prepared to order, Mongolian stir fry, and a dessert station packed with jars of candy and drawers of cakes.

Ming Court, the hotel’s well-received Chinese restaurant, is sibling to the two Michelin-starred restaurant of the same name in Hong Kong. Take note of the hotel’s glassed-in wine cellar featuring 3,360 bottles of international vintages that pair perfectly with both restaurants’ menus.

AMENITIES The Chuan Spa features a menu of massage and beauty treatments that follow the practices of traditional Chinese medicine, which can be customized based upon one’s mood and feeling for the day. It is not a chore to work out in the modern fitness center, which features a wall of glass windows overlooking town. The heated indoor swimming pool has natural lighting and plentiful lounge chairs ringing it. In China, donning a swimming cap is often a local regulation so don’t be surprised if asked to wear one. The hotel also boasts impressive meeting space with wave-like chandeliers and space for as many as 700.

ROOMS The same attention to detail found in public areas continues in the guest rooms, which have marble foyers and soft in-room carpeting. Floor-to-ceiling windows oversee the bustling cityscape below while the beds are covered with the thickest of duvets and pillows that can be customized from a bespoke pillow menu.

Fresh fruit and bottled water are replenished by twice-daily housekeeping. International travelers will find that the plethora of power outlets keeps them charged up for the day ahead, which is also why those on the side of the bed are equally important. The wireless Internet is speedy, free, and free of many of the locally imposed restrictions that other hotels have on certain sites like Google and Facebook.

Flat-screen cable TVs, coffeemakers, minibars, closets with plentiful space, robes, and slippers are standard. Glass shower stalls with deep soaking tubs set nearby are perfect for relaxation after a long day. Premium level rooms come with the added bonus of a 25th floor club lounge serving all-day drinks, evening cocktails, and snacks from one of the friendliest teams around town. It helps that there is also a pair of massage chairs, a PlayStation room, and fridge stocked with goodies, too.

CONCLUSION The tradition of Langham continues at Langham Place from the signature pink-clad dresses of the hotel staff to the little details like fresh flowers everywhere. This is truly one of the most elegant options in town, and foreign travelers, especially business guests, have been quick to catch on to its mystique.