— The Roaring 20s

A little over 2 years ago, magazine Lifestyle Asia was really so nice to include me in their annual list of Eligible “young ones.”

In that issue, I answered that my dream was to someday have a hotel. Without jinxing it, I hope Privato Tower consummates that goal for our start-up group, Green Asia Real Estate!

When the world was young!

This 2012, Lifestyle Asia celebrates their 25th anniversary by looking back at 25 of their featured Eligibles throughout the years. Again, they were beyond supportive and that’s why we are really thankful to their group!

Hope you can grab a copy as it also talks about Privato Tower and our future plans for Green Asia Real Estate. Thank you again to Lifestyle Asia for encouraging young people to forge through with their goals. Can’t thank you guys enough!

One of the good parts for Privato Tower is picking out hotel stuff. I was able to check out this place where everything hotel-related was available.

I really can’t say I’m a hotelier but this was really a sight to behold! From stages to dance floors to trolleys and anything hotel you can think of, it was all here!

Seeing all these stuff just makes my imagination for Privato Tower run wild!

Since I’m big on operations, I always get excited with plant tours. For Privato Tower, I recently got to check out this wood and window factory and was pleasantly overwhelmed!

Photos won’t really do justice since the plant was more than 20 hectares in size!

By the way, they are a legal company and I was informed they strictly follow the total log ban policy! Likewise, we shouldn’t support some small-scale companies that still go against this new rule.

Just like the other plants I was lucky to visit, this one similarly had high-tech equipment that allow them to go global in standards.

I always get inspired with these big operations since they don’t only give jobs and employment but they also show how world-class our manufacturers can be! Looking forward to learning more and actually working with these companies for Privato Tower!

Just got my copy of this month’s Metro Society. It’s their annual Business Issue with the Trumps on the cover. Hope you can grab one too!

Ever since I got the idea for Privato Tower, my traveling “activity” has since become hotel hopping to learn stuff that I could apply back home. So far, I have scoured the top hotels in Paris, New York and Hong Kong. That is why a huge chunk of my recent Shanghai trip was similarly dedicated to finding out how these premium hotels remain at the top of their game.

December to March are Shanghai’s coldest months with the temperature dropping to as cold as 2 degrees. So unless you’re a fan of the cold, might as well just wait for their summer season. On the upside, since January is their month for Chinese New Year, almost all establishments (including hotels) offer promos and deals.

This is one of the suites we booked at The Westin. Right smack in the Bund Center, their rooms are on the modern side with walls treated with bleached, Sapele-type wood veneer.

Apart from all the marble action, their bathrooms are beyond complete with amenities. One of the best I’ve experienced!

The Westin’s lobby is likewise impressive with a height scaling almost 5-storeys high.

One of the better boutique hotels is The Mansion. It used to be an actual Gangsters’ house so if you’re in the mood for a period experience, The Mansion offers old world Shanghai glamour.

The Mansion Suite is their biggest room that also features a personal sauna in its own bathroom!

Since you know that it was a previous mafia estate, all the stuff can either be conversation pieces or just a bit creepy.

At sharp contrast to The Mansion is the JIA Shanghai. Just like the JIA Hong Kong, this property has perfected the art of boutique experience.

Their penthouse suite is expansive and has its own fully-equipped bar. The manager said they market this room mainly for overnight parties or for visiting foreign artists.

The master bedroom reflects the same aesthetic and features a Bisazza-wrapped bathroom.

And of course, the Shangri-La looks like…well, like the Shangri-La!

Consistent with their opulent global branding, the Shangri-La decks every corner with a chandelier.

Of all the hotels, Shangri-La offers the best scenic views of the Bund River.

But when it comes to the jaw-dropping factor, no one beats the Presidential Suite of Le Royal Meridien. They probably customized it for a state leader or some sheik with oil coming out of his ears.

This is the receiving area of the Presidential Suite. It has its own corridor that leads to two other halls.

Deep into the suite is another receiving area with its own 10-seater dining table.

From the dining area, you can see a preview of the main bedroom.

As expected, the room is massive and has a strong Asian vibe to it.The whole place felt more like a house than a hotel room!

And so, what better way to start the Year of the Dragon than by visiting its Shanghai lair? I really enjoyed checking out their global standards that I could learn and apply to Privato Tower back home.

Maybe in the future, some young businessman would also include Privato Tower as a peg in his own developments. That’s wishful thinking but in the meantime, gotta roll up the sleeves and work on this landmark project!

When we were conceptualizing the rooftop bar for Privato Tower, our interiors architect Juan Carlo Calma suggested an “industrial” feel. I was at first hesitant since I have never really executed a project with that theme. Nonetheless, I am somehow familiar with the signature industrial works of Tadao Ando and local architect, Joey Yupangco.

To cut it short, Calma designed a balance of clean finish with hints of raw concrete.

This is the design Calma made where he put themes of “unraveling.” You’ll notice that the side ceilings would suddenly drop, exposing strips of raw concrete, and come back up again to become a table.

Since this got me into the industrial feel, here is one of my favorite spots in Shanghai, Shintori. Now this Japanese restaurant likewise shows how to do” raw” the right way.

Shintori is literally a hidden jewel in Shanghai. The place has no signage except for a small pathway that is lined with bamboos. You’ll be surprised when you discover that behind the small entrance is a massive warehouse-type, industrial restaurant.

It’s a two-story establishment supported by steel frames and all wrapped in treated concrete. Check out at its right side their all-glass “dumb waiter” used to transport the food.

Also interesting is their fully open kitchen where you can see all the chefs doing their thing. So if you’re a fan of the industrial aesthetic, Shintori is definitely a must-visit when in Shanghai.

I know this isn’t a food blog but here are some of their cuisine’s photos. They do the best plating.

I’m definitely excited to apply hints of this theme to Privato Tower‘s very own rooftop bar! Shintori, 803 Jin Lu Lu, Shanghai.

As a company committed to the environment, Green Asia‘s affiliates should similarly be dedicated to helping out Mother Nature. Recently for Privato Tower, we created a tie-up with the country’s most sophisticated and ecological sanitary landfill.

They’re actually the only landfill that boasts of their very own greenhouse facility and uses state-of-the-art Water Treatment procedures to clean waste water. It gets so sanitized that even fish are able to live in it again!

Apart from ensuring that there are absolutely no waste leakages, this sanitary landfill even has a viewing deck for people to appreciate the sweeping mountain views. Just wanted to say that Privato Tower is truly proud to work with a world-class and earth-friendly treatment facility.

Check out this article that talks about this hidden gem of our metropolis!!