IHG's masterpiece in the Central Plains

Integrated hotels have always been an intriguing proposition, especially as perfect carriers of lifestyle such as department stores and hotels. Both are important forces in promoting the prosperity and excitement of a city. In Zhengzhou, the gateway to the Central Plains of China, its high-end commercial ecosystem has been activated, nurtured, and expanded by the Dennis Group since 1997. Its latest generation shopping center, David City, has attracted top luxury brands like Hermès, Loro Piana, and Chanel to open their first local stores, with sales ranking among the top 10 luxury department stores in the country. This also piqued my curiosity about its first 'cross-border' hotel project—the InterContinental Zhengzhou Dennis Plaza, which 'grows' atop its commercial complex. The original site of the hotel once housed the Henan Province Yu Opera House. To inherit Yu Opera, an extremely important cultural treasure of the Central Plains comparable to the 'Oriental Aria,' and to recall the past when wonderful Yu Opera performances were continuously staged at the original site, Yu Opera has become an important creative symbol throughout the hotel's interior design. With the design theme 'Xiang Yu,' it unfolds throughout the hotel, making the space more dramatic. For integrated hotels, how the hotel's dining coexists and differentiates itself from the dining ecosystem within the complex is a key and worth pondering proposition. The InterContinental Zhengzhou Dennis Plaza, which has been open for just over half a year, has created a unique dining concept, making it a city social and leisure hub illuminated by gourmet aesthetics.