Peninsula Moments | The Peninsula Hotels

The Peninsula Shanghai

Featured short film: The Peninsula Shanghai

Click here to watch The Peninsula Hotels’ short film.

The Peninsula Shanghai’s film recreates the look and feel of the glamorous era when Shanghai was feted as “The Paris of the East”. The film features a journey in a bespoke Rolls-Royce beginning at Shanghai’s iconic Garden Bridge, passing heritage buildings along the historic Bund, phasing in and out various memorable moments created at The Peninsula Shanghai and ending with exceptional magnificent views of the Pudong skyline and Huangpu River from Sir Elly’s Terrace, one of the best known vantage points in the city.

Enjoy an in-depth look behind the scenes and the facts, figures and stories involved in the making of the Peninsula Moments campaign.

Bringing back the glamour from Shanghai’s golden era of the 1920s, we re-created the Lobby Ball of a luxurious ballroom in 1920s Shanghai. A professional vocalist, 18-piece orchestra and three pairs of award-winning dancers were hired for this shot. The dancers were dressed by Shanghai Tang and made-up by professional stylists Tao Yong Quan and Liang Hui, who have been appointed by Meng Jing Hui, the most renowned drama director in China, as Heads of Style for most of the filmmaker’s works.

The Rolls-Royce shot took place at 5:00 am to avoid traffic on the Bund. It gives an unusual feel to the historic Bund since the area was completely free from the usual hustle and bustle. Our four custom-made Rolls-Royces, as well as the six bespoke BMWs in the fleet, are equipped with wireless internet access and complimentary cutting-edge long-distance and international VoIP phone calls that wowed the crew who couldn’t stop trying it!

Named for one of the HSH hotels in Shanghai from the 1920s to the ’40s, the Majestic Suite commands magnificent views of the Bund, Huangpu River and Pudong skyline. Located on the 9th floor, at 250 sq m The Majestic Suite has become a popular choice for many celebrities and heads of state. Miko Liu, Room Service Waiter, is the featured talent for this shot. He insisted on being filmed in this location to reflect his daily work, although he was in fact offered another opportunity to be filmed with more visibility at another work location.

It took longer than expected to finish the shoot at the Chinese kitchen. Chef Dicky To is the highlight of this shoot. Born in Hong Kong, Chef To has garnered high-level culinary experience at luxury hotels and prestigious restaurants. He exquisitely prepared for his dishes and carried his favourite dish, “Double-Boiled Winter Melon Broth”, in a silver pot weighing more than 5 kg, between the kitchen and Chefs’ Table more than 30 times!

Art Deco is the main architectural theme of The Peninsula Shanghai and the replica of an antique lift is fondly appreciated by many guests. The model for the elevator was located by Sir Michael Kadoorie, our Chairman, when he visited the Belgium Lift Museum. Sir Michael wanted to buy the artefact from the museum for use in the hotel, but the museum declined his request. Then Sir Michael turned to Schindler & Co., the manufacturer of the original lift, to request a replica. Schindler & Co. accepted the commission, and created the piece now seen at the hotel.

Ivy Fan, the Pagegirl in the scene, is also a legend of The Peninsula Shanghai. Ivy was recruited as a Pagegirl through the hotel’s collaborative programme with Compassion For Migrant Children in 2009. Ivy’s outstanding performance made her the Employee of The Year in 2011 and after that, she was promoted to Front Desk Agent.

The Making of The Peninsula Shanghai’s Short Film

Here are the faces, places, takes and breaks involved in the making of the Peninsula Moments collection of short films.

Watch the video

As much about our destinations as our hotels, “Peninsula Moments” showcases the very best and unique aspects of each city with style, sophistication and elegance to reflect an authentic sense of destination.

The Peninsula Shanghai

The Forbes Five Star Peninsula Shanghai has just been honoured as the World’s Best Business Hotel 2012 by Travel + Leisure magazine. Evoking the charm and glamour of Shanghai in its 1920s “Golden Age”, The Peninsula Shanghai affords guests an authentic taste of Art Deco luxury, while providing every modern convenience. Ideally situated on the banks of the Huangpu River, the hotel offers sweeping views of the city, river and lush gardens. Rooms are elegantly designed, with exquisite retro-style interiors blending effortlessly with contemporary comforts.

The Bund

The Bund is one of the most recognisable architectural symbols of Shanghai. The word “bund” derives from an Anglo-Indian word for an embankment along a muddy waterfront and that is what it was in the beginning. When the first British company opened an office there in 1846, the Bund became the epitome of elegance during Shanghai’s history as a city of trade. Now many attractive new edifices have been erected side by side with the historical buildings. Some years ago, a 771-metre long levee for flood control was built along the Bund, paved with colourful tiles and dotted with flowerbeds and European-style garden lights. Atop the wall is a spacious walkway for sightseeing. It is a good place for a leisurely stroll and a view of the Huangpu River and the classical architectural styles of the buildings, including Gothic, Baroque, Romanesque, Classicism and the Renaissance. The Bund itself is a short stretch of buildings, numbered from 1-33 – The Peninsula Shanghai is no.32. Other “Bund” areas off the Bund itself are now being marketed (North Bund, South Bund etc), but only 1-33 can claim that they are really “on the Bund”.

Garden Bridge

The Garden Bridge is the first all-steel bridge in China, and the only surviving example of a camelback truss bridge. The fourth foreign-designed bridge built at this point across Suzhou Creek, the present structure was completed on 29 December 1907. Seen from any angle, the bridge is an appealing sight - to its south is the city’s fabled Bund, to its north is the Art Deco Broadway Mansions and the classically styled Russian Consulate-General building. For more than a century, the graceful Garden Bridge has remained one of the best-preserved symbols of Shanghai.

Jing’an Temple

The Jing’an Temple, one of the most famous temples in Shanghai, is located in West Nanjing Road. In 1983, the temple was put on the list of protected key structures in China. The temple has a history of more than 780 years. First built in the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280), it was named Hudu Chongyuan Temple. Relocated, renamed and reconstructed, the whole temple was finally opened to the public in 1990.

Jing’an Temple is a good place to escape the downtown crowds and enjoy the marvellous paintings and calligraphy by Yangzhou’s Eight Eccentric Painters in the Exhibition Hall of Buddhist Relics. An important artefact in the temple is the bronze bell from the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644).