China’s first carbon-neutral hotel, the hip 26-room URBN Hotel Shanghai, will officially open this spring. Conceived by owners Scott Barrack and Jules Kwan, URBN promises to be the start of a new boutique hotel empire.

No strangers to luxury developments or to China where they have lived for 10 years, the two plan to open another 20 URBN hotels in China in the next three years, starting with Beijing, Hangzhou, Dalian and Suzhou. The hoteliers will go as green as possible by rehabilitating existing structures, using recycled materials, maximizing green space and introducing eco-friendly solutions.

URBN Hotels & Resorts first property in Shanghai is a 26-room design and earth-friendly hotel in a converted factory warehouse. China’s first Carbon… URBN Hotels & Resorts first property in Shanghai is a 26-room design and earth-friendly hotel in a converted factory warehouse. China’s first Carbon Neutral hotel, URBN Hotels focus is to immerse the traveler deeply into their surroundings beyond offering the traditional hotel experience.

URBN Hotels, Shanghai is the first a property of URBN Hotels & Resorts – and its URBN Hotels & Resorts aim to operate innovative stylish hotels. Located adjacent to the French Concession in a neighborhood of local store fronts and turn of the century lane houses, and a block away from Nanjing Road – Shanghai’s premium shopping, entertainment, and business district, URBN Hotels, Shanghai embraces the surrounding city. Imaginative contemporary design with Chinese influences and indigenous materials give you a true sense place from the moment you walk through the hotel’s doors. Old Shanghai is reveled in the texture of the walls, in the wood floors you walk on, in the services you’ll experience, but the atmosphere is fresh, young and charged with modern Shanghai’s energy.

URBN Hotels, Shanghai’s 26 distinctive rooms and suites were inspired by the nature of Asian spaces. Contemporary design complimented by natural materials – wood floors, linen curtains and rustic silks in shades of cream, coffee and beige, create a relaxing ambiance to please the most discerning tastes. Each room carefully includes all the modern essentials, and some special creature comforts, for savvy international travelers.

A destination - URBN offers unique services such as tai chi and yoga classes, mandarin lessons and Shanghai walking tours.

The partners have a unique, personal perspective on what works and what doesn’t for a luxury traveler in China. To give visitors a true Shanghainese urban experience — something they felt was missing — they invited international Shanghai-based collaborators with similar sensibilities to convert a 1970s post office building to the stylish URBN Hotel Shanghai. The result is an impressive fusion of contemporary and Chinese design.

URBN Hotels, Shanghai’s Roomtwentyeight Restaurant & Lounge offers a private garden and courtyard setting, with all-day dining from 6am. The restaurant features global cuisine.

URBN Hotels, Shanghai’s focus is to immerse the traveler deeply into their surroundings, beyond offering a traditional hotel experience; with localized extra services such as tai chi and yoga classes, in room beauty and health treatments, unique bike and walking tours, Chinese cooking classes and basic Mandarin Chinese lessons.

URBN’s spatial concept, interior and facade design are by A00 Architecture, a partnership of three Canadian architects, best known for conversions of Shanghai’s historic houses into unique residences. The hotel’s interior designer is Brazil native architect, Tais Cabral, known for her commercial, cultural, residential and retail work in Paris, as well as her furniture design.