The landmark Portman Ritz-Carlton, Shanghai on prestigious Nanjing Road West has unveiled an exciting new social destination: The Ritz Bar & Lounge.

Promising to be a first call for global travelers and Shanghai's fashionable set, the city hotspot segues from elegant lounge by day to sexy cocktail bar and nexus of Shanghai's famous nightlife scene.

Designed by Gensler, a famous integrated architecture design firm, the Ritz Bar & Lounge makes a dazzling impression as guests enter the refurbished hotel lobby. Inspired by Shanghai's glamorous 1920's and 30's and the exotic mood of "Night Shanghai," the lounge is decorated in tones of soft turquoise and jade with seductive glints of deep bronze and gold.

A four-story-high ceiling cascades into a dramatic curtain glass wall beneath which stands a chic island bar. Art Deco motifs and contemporary design elements are mixed and stirred with the flair that is characteristic of Shanghai, Pearl of the Orient.

The Ritz Bar & Lounge is styled for different moods and occasions from early morning until late evening. In the morning, guests find it an elegant spot for breakfast business meetings and light lunches.

It then becomes an alluring venue to indulge in the romantic Ritz-Carlton tradition of high tea, with dainty sweet and savory treats paired with fine teas and a choice of organic coffee. The sound of cocktail shakers and live musicians set the scintillating mood as guests relax at the end of the day.

Celebrating Shanghai's impressive craft cocktail culture, helming the bar is Shanghainese mixologist Jackael He. His signature cocktails, The Noodle Soup and The Shanghai Dirty Martini, champion unique Chinese influences and fresh ingredients. The Noodle Soup is a gin-based cocktail that offers a modern twist on a classic local dish, infused with herbs and spices and served in a teapot and soup bowl on a custom wooden tray. The Shanghai Dirty Martini swaps olive juice for Chinese fortified wine giving it a salty kick.

"The Ritz Bar & Lounge presents a dramatic transformation for The Portman Ritz-Carlton, Shanghai and will stand alongside the city's finest independent cocktail bars and afternoon tea lounges. Shanghai has never had a five-star lobby bar of this scale, design and central location," said Derek Flint, general manager of The Portman Ritz-Carlton, Shanghai.

Editor: Vince Xie