The perfect way for a fashionista to travel in the city? A Rolls Royce, Bentley or Ferrari, among the world’s most luxurious hotel transfers? Nice, but not a fashion statement.
The Langham, Shanghai, Xintiandi, a headquarters for Shanghai’s annual Fashion Week, has the answer: a British style pink taxi. Painted in the hotel’s iconic rose petal pink, the car is locally named Pinky or Fen Xiao Xiao (Little Pink) in Chinese. It’s offered for guests of the hotel’s posh club floor for a one way transfer within 5 kilometers of The Langham. Up to four passengers with luggage can be accommodated, and it’s free. Advanced reservations are required (first come, first served) and it operates from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (makes sense since who will see the pink in the evening!). Not planning to go to Shanghai? The good news is that Langham hotels in London, Boston, Chicago and Melbourne also offer Pinky. Now wouldn’t that be a great addition to a girls’ getaway!
And if and when you go to Shanghai, don’t miss the Xintiandi Style Mall a few minutes walk from The Langham. It has shop after shop of clothes from emerging Chinese fashion designers, the most cutting edge fashion I’ve seen anywhere. Whether you like it or not, it’s total eye candy. On walking through the mall I was wondering how these emerging designers could afford to be in such high rent real estate. My Chinese friend in the know said their uber rich parents set them up in business. Guess it’s not surprising, since China now has the second most billionaires in the world.