Ian Schrager brings signature style to his first hotel in China

New York hotelier Ian Schrager opens his first hotel in China on Dec. 9 with his signature playful elements — he’s putting bumper cars in for the kids (and adults), a plan he says he wanted to do way back when he co-owned Studio 54.

Schrager told On the Money that The Sanya Edition, with partner Mariott, will appeal to Chinese families and offer entertainment that works for kids and adults. “They are very family oriented and we had to something that would be really fun, sophisticated and really cool.”

He says the hotel, on Hainan, an island province at the southernmost part of China, is ultra-modern and will introduce a new kind of luxury experience in China, which is “changing so fast, it is like landing a satellite on a moving comet.”

“China is so different. It’s very exotic — it was a bit of a crossword puzzle figuring out the place and where it is headed. This hotel really shows the world how cosmopolitan it is. It’s really spectacular,” Schrager told Julie Earle-Levine.

The Sanya Edition is designed with all ages in mind — other than a bumper car rink, there’s a rock-climbing wall, a waterslide, mahjong rooms and a meditation forest and spa.

The property is set on 50 acres of lush tropical greenery, and has 512 private rooms overlooking the South China Sea. There’s also private ocean beach on the north shore, with coconut palms and white powdery sand.

The private ocean within the resort pumps in 10 million gallons of sea water from the South China Morning sea a day.

Guests can nibble on Peking duck pancakes, or Spanish tapas on floating platforms. All of the hotel’s 512 rooms have ocean views. Starting rates are $250 a night.

The China property is Edition’s first in Asia, and joins London, Miami and New York, where celebrity fans include Gemma Ward, Rihanna and Kim Kardashian.

Schrager is working on two hotels in New York, another Edition (Times Square) and Public, his private-label hotel. Commenting on the president elect, Schrager says: “I think we have to give Donald Trump a chance. He wants to be a great president and I think we need to give him a chance.”