St. Regis on the river

There are many elegant hotels in Tianjin, but only one has the advantage of a patio right on the banks of the Haihe River. Xu Lin visits the St. Regis and experiences life on the right bank.

More and more Beijing residents are fleeing the capital's smoggy streets for the more relaxed lifestyle in Tianjin where more and more international hotels are taking advantage of the weekly migrations to create a cornucopia of luxury living and food and beverage choices.

It is the perfect getaway, just a half-hour away by the high-speed trains that leave Beijing South station every 10 minutes. On the other end of the line, a different world awaits those looking for a retreat.

The St. Regis Tianjin is about a five-minute walk from the Tianjin Railway Station. Located on the south bank of the Haihe, the mother river, the 274-room hotel offers both leisure and business guests cutting-edge design, its famous St. Regis butler service, fabulous amenities and unique dining experiences.

Tianjin has another name, Jinmen, an ancient name which means "gateway to northern China".

When the port city was thrown open to foreign trade in 1860, Tianjin became a major attraction for the West, and many countries established concession areas in the city, a development that laid the foundations of the Self-Strengthening Movement, a campaign during the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) to modernize China's economic and military sectors.

The St. Regis Tianjin is part of another wave of development for modern Tianjin, and has proven its worth with such awards as the "2012 HA+D Award for Design Excellence" for Hotel Architecture. This annual award by the United States-based Hospitality Architecture and Design magazine is for innovation, excellence and sustainability in product and project designs.

The distinctive 18-floor building rises alongside the Haihe River in the shape of a hollowed cube, further emphasizing the Jinmen or "gate of Tianjin" concept and redefining the city's skyline with its bold design.

The lobby's centerpiece is a multi-dimensional mural, The Golden Times, created from 230 handmade ceramics depicting ripples, reflecting the riverine theme, and the waves of progress.

Tianjin's shipping history is similarly echoed in many of the hotel's public spaces. On each floor, mounted on the walls of the lift lobby are copperplate etchings that trace customs, cultural icons, old maps, significant events and historical spots.

What makes the St. Regis brand stand out are iconic in-house traditions that are about 100 years old. At the St. Regis Tianjin, at 6:30 pm each Thursday, the chief butler would revive the ceremonial champagne sabering to celebrate the transition from day to evening and celebrate the occasion with wine and canapes for guests.

Another tradition is the 24-hour St. Regis butler service which makes sure guests are pampered with beverage service, shoe shining, even packing and unpacking. St. Regis butlers, all trained in the English tradition of impeccable service, are always on call to attend to individual requests and ensure guests leave with the best memories, and return for more.

Another cherished tradition that comes to life at St. Regis hotels is the English afternoon tea, which originated from the best society teas.

If tea is too tame, then head to the St. Regis Bar where you can get to taste the original Bloody Mary, and a host of its closest cousins. Every St. Regis has its own signature Bloody Mary and at the hotel, it's called the Jin Mary, made with Tianjin's own chilli-garlic paste and lapsang souchong tea.

The virgin Jin Mary is also served at breakfast, and a jug sits at the entrance of the cafe where guests can help themselves to the spicy, savory drink for an instant eye-opener, or to chase away a hangover.

If you have any questions about the St. Regis Bloody Mary collection, the man to go to is Oscar Martinez, the hotel's food and beverage director, who is also the creator of a few of the unique cocktails.

As for dining, Promenade restaurant offers all-day fare with both Asian and Italian dishes, while Riviera has a mixed Mediterranean menu. In summer, guests will be able to dine al fresco and enjoy an up-close view of Tianjin's famous waterway.

"We try to create a cozy environment for guests. Our food is both simple and tasty. Heavy dishes, such as beef and lamb, keep you warm in winter, but in summer, we will have a lighter menu," says Frank Koppelkamm, executive chef of the hotel.

Koppelkamm is a trained baker as well, and guests get to enjoy real German jam doughnuts as well as pound cakes that taste like Mom's.

At Promenade, the Asian influence is more pronounced, with dishes such as Hainan chicken rice, Indonesian chicken satay and pickled vegetables, and a local specialty: Tianjin goubuli steamed buns. Koppelkamm also recommends pizza, mushroom soup and lumpia - prawns - and-chicken spring rolls that come from a recipe from his Indonesian-Chinese wife's grandmother.

"Mediterranean cuisine is very healthy, consisting of more than 65 percent vegetables and about 10 percent red meat. In winter, we offer marinated salmon and original cold dishes, such as grilled vegetables," says Li Pandong, the Riviera's specialty chef.

After such feasts, there is no lack of choices for recreation. In summer you can take a cruise down the river and admire Tianjin's beautiful bridges. It's somewhat like a trip down the River Seine.

In winter, however, you can simply walk out of the hotel, step on the icy river and try your hand at ice fishing, a common pastime for many local residents when the ice is thick enough to walk on.

We asked the chefs if they'd tried the fishing. Food and beverage director Martinez says he did, last year. Asked if he caught anything, Martinez said, deadpan: "A cold."

Contact the writer at xulin@chinadaily.com.cn.

(China Daily USA 02/17/2014 page10)