Shanghai Snow World Hotel, Vignette Collection

For over a century the Alps have been a winter playground for sports enthusiasts in Europe to navigate the challenge of the mountain slopes. From Courcheval to St. Moritz, the sheer drama of the undulating terrains, covered in snow, have been a place to connect with nature and an energizing retreat from urban life.

Now envision a skiing destination spanning over 98,800 square meters, accessible year-round and designed for enthusiasts of all skill levels. Pair this with an array of entertainment options, all within a world-class, themed resort environment. The L+ Snow Indoor Skiing Theme Resort Complex in Shanghai, China is a groundbreaking indoor, all-season ski resort that proudly holds the Guinness World Record for the World’s Largest Indoor Ski Facility. This iconic destination attracts skiers from around the globe while also inspiring a new wave of domestic enthusiasts eager to embrace the Alpine lifestyle in a truly innovative setting.

The client’s vision was to craft a ski hotel that redefines luxury, elevating it to match the resort’s global prominence while offering a fresh take on traditional ski retreats. Wimberly Interiors Singapore approached this vision with a deep dive into the essence of the ski experience, consulting seasoned skiers and drawing inspiration from iconic ski destinations. Their goal: to evoke the magic of Alpine adventure through a contemporary lens.

Inspired by traditional Swiss ski resorts, the design incorporates dark, textured wood to evoke rustic charm, paired with a neutral palette for an effortless and relaxing atmosphere. Luxurious accents of marble, leather, and sumptuous hide add refinement while maintaining a feeling of warmth and intimacy.

The main lobby, with its striking four-story volume, captivates guests with a bespoke suspended centerpiece—a series of patterned panels inspired by ski trails—creating a grand, yet human-scale experience. The reception desk is thoughtfully positioned in a lower-ceilinged nook to balance the space’s grandeur with intimacy.

To enhance guest journeys, dynamic wall art depicting the fluid movements of skiers transforms typically monotonous corridors, ensuring visual engagement as guests traverse through the space.

The Après Ski Bar provides a quintessential post-slope retreat, blending relaxation with a vibrant connection to the action outside. The all-day dining venue is designed for versatility, seamlessly transforming into a co-working space during non-meal times, catering to modern travelers.

The double-story Presidential Suite, the grandest room offering within the resort, takes flexibility further with a design that allows the two floors to be closed off for exclusive corporate events during low-occupancy seasons, maximizing the property’s functionality and revenue potential. It is also designed with an extraordinary array of amenities from its own massage room, chef’s kitchen to an entertainment room, raising the bar for personalized luxury and elevated guest experiences. Suites are also designed with direct access to ski slopes, for ski-in ski-out convenience.

This design approach balances luxury, functionality, and comfort, offering guests an unforgettable Alpine-inspired experience that feels both timeless and innovative.

By moving beyond the rustic charm of traditional ski chalets, the design embraces a modern urban-alpine fusion, blending cosmopolitan energy with the warmth and comfort of a classic ski resort. As skiing continues to gain popularity among a younger, more diverse demographic, the design responds to this shift by offering experiences that appeal to both seasoned enthusiasts and newcomers seeking something novel.

Wimberly Interiors blended a fresh urban-Alpine aesthetic with time-honored design principles, creating a property that not only captivates guests but also ensures enduring value. Leveraging extensive expertise in hotel design and operations, the team seamlessly integrated functionality with strategic revenue-generating opportunities to secure the property’s long-term viability and success. The project exemplifies Wimberly Interiors’ ability to craft innovative and trend-responsive hospitality experiences across a wide range of typologies.

“At Shanghai Snow World Hotel, the tradition continues. Influenced by the grand hotels of the old, regarded for their indulgent comfort and hospitable warmth, we aim to recreate this ambiance, but reinterpreted for the modern world – at once familiar, but equally unique. Our design language is inspired by the natural beauty and geometry of the Alpine landscape, in particular the pattern of tracks that skiers carve out on the slopes, creating a delicate tracery.” – Deepu Mahboobani, Studio Director of Wimberly Interiors Singapore.