THE Fairmont Peace Hotel, dubbed the "Mansion in the East" when it opened in Shanghai more than 80 years ago as the Cathay Hotel, finally lifted its veil yesterday after being shut for three years.

After a painstaking restoration process that cost some US$64 million, the luxurious Art Deco masterpiece, which opened on the Bund in 1929 by British trader Victor Sassoon, then the richest man in the city, is ready to receive guests from around the world with a renewed grandeur and majesty.

Comprising 270 guest rooms and suites, the hotel at the prominent corner of the Bund and Nanjing Road W. is among the city's finest and the most expensive. Daily rates for guest rooms start from around 2,300 yuan (US$340), while suites run between 6,000 and 7,000 yuan per night, according to Kamal Naamani, general manager of the hotel.

The centerpiece of the restoration is an octagonal glass skylight and an entire mezzanine level that were previously concealed. The two features were part of a luxury shopping arcade on the ground floor. Described in the 1930s as Shanghai's answer to London's Bond Street and Burlington Arcade combined, it once served Shanghai's elite with designer glass, jewelry, luxury watches, fashion and undergarments.

The hotel lobby has been returned to its original floor plan. It now once again resembles the Chinese character "feng," meaning harvest or prosperity.

Among other highlights are the Nine Nations Suites, a newly added Sassoon Presidential Suite, a new sky-lit swimming pool and spa, and as a Peace Hotel Gallery where memorabilia about the hotel will be on display.

The Nine Nations Suites, guest rooms decorated in the theme of different countries, have remained a unique feature. After rejuvenation, the Chinese, American, Indian and English suites have been preserved from the old hotel while the French, Italian, Spanish, Japanese and German suites have been redesigned in keeping with their original concepts.

The Sassoon Presidential Suite occupies the entire 10th floor penthouse where the hotel's flamboyant creator and former owner once lived.

And then there are six restaurants and lounges, the famed Jazz Bar - an institution since the 1930s - as well as the legendary Peace Hall with a sprungwooden dance floor.

The restored hotel is managed as a 50-50 joint venture between Shanghai Jinjiang International Hotels Group and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts.

• yesterday [´jestədi] n.&ad.昨天；前不久 (初中英语单词)
• majesty [´mædʒisti] n.壮丽；崇高；尊严 (初中英语单词)
• prominent [´prɔminənt] a.突起的；凸出的 (初中英语单词)
• expensive [ik´spensiv] a.费钱的，昂贵的 (初中英语单词)
• manager [´mænidʒə] n.经理；管理人；干事 (初中英语单词)
• luxury [´lʌkʃəri] n.奢侈(品)；享受 (初中英语单词)
• character [´kæriktə] n.特性；性质；人物；字 (初中英语单词)
• harvest [´hɑ:vist] n.&v.收获；收割 (初中英语单词)
• prosperity [prɔ´speriti] n.繁荣；成功；幸运 (初中英语单词)
• presidential [,prezi´denʃəl] a.总统的；统辖的 (初中英语单词)
• gallery [´gæləri] n.画廊；美术馆；长廊 (初中英语单词)
• indian [´indiən] a.印度的 n.印度人 (初中英语单词)
• italian [i´tæliən] a.意大利 n.意大利人 (初中英语单词)
• institution [,insti´tju:ʃən] n.建立；制定；制度 (初中英语单词)
• wooden [´wudn] a.木制的；呆板的 (初中英语单词)
• venture [´ventʃə] n.投机 v.冒险；敢于 (初中英语单词)
• international [,intə´næʃənəl] a.国际的，世界的 (初中英语单词)
• restoration [,restə´reiʃən] n.恢复；复辟；重建(物) (高中英语单词)
• trader [´treidə] n.商人；商船 (高中英语单词)
• previously [´pri:viəsli] ad.预先；以前 (高中英语单词)
• jewelry [´dʒu:əlri] n.珠宝(饰物) (高中英语单词)
• unique [ju:´ni:k] a.唯一的 n.独一无二 (高中英语单词)
• sprung [sprʌŋ] spring的过去分词 (高中英语单词)
• luxurious [lʌg´zjuəriəs] a.奢侈的；豪华的 (英语四级单词)
• masterpiece [´mɑ:stəpi:s] n.杰作；杰出的事 (英语四级单词)
• victor [´viktə] n.&a.胜利者(的) (英语四级单词)
• grandeur [´grændʒə] n.伟大；富丽；壮观 (英语四级单词)
• creator [kri:´eitə] n.创造者；设立者 (英语四级单词)
• designer [di´zainə] n.设计者 (英语六级单词)