Marking a special occasion in Centro's history, June 11 brought Centro's three day going-away party to a summit high, creating a new milestone in Beijing's nightlife scene.

Personalized electronic greetings and wishes broadcast on to walls, free-flowing champagne and cocktails, costume-clad service staff and a summer-wear fashion show all came together and culminated in a Centro-style night of glamour.

Electro-funk spins by Singapore-based DJ Jon White, matched in pitch with the jazz vocals of Tabitha King and friends, thumped out to the beats of African drums, added further fuel to the party atmosphere.

Another key highlight of the night's festivities was the "My Cocktail, I Decide" auction for the naming rights to five specially designed cocktails that would be featured in Centro's new beverage menu. The night's charity cocktail auction raised a grand sum of Rmb 43,000, with all proceeds to be donated to Children's Hope Family, one of the hotels' championed charity organizations under Shangri-La's "embrace" Caring People Project. Of the five cocktails, one went under the hammer at Rmb 22,000.

Over 380 guests partied on until the small hours of the morning, determined to see Centro off on its last night of operations.

Scheduled to reopen at the end of August after its renovation, Centro promises to continue doing what it does best: offer real cocktails, fine wines, sultry music and a seductive ambience.