Guangzhou’s urban development has consistently progressed from west to east. As the formerly foreigners-only Baiyun Hotel opened to overseas guests, the area around Huanshi East Road and Taojin gradually came to life. Today, The Garden Hotel Guangzhou stands as a widely celebrated landmark, a symbol of the city’s collective memory from a defining era.
Just as work restarted, James Henry Mason Lee passed away suddenly in 1983, leaving the project leaderless. After discussions between Lee’s wife and Chinese representatives, Mrs. Lee agreed to take over as Chairman of The Garden Hotel, shouldering the responsibility of resolving the financial crisis. Through persistent efforts, The Garden Hotel finally opened in August 1985, becoming a beacon for Guangzhou and the national hospitality industry.
The architectural design of The Garden Hotel’s exterior was created by the Chinese-American master architect I. M. Pei. This is the only work in his hometown by this world-renowned architect, who was born in Guangzhou. Pei designed a distinctive arched canopy for the main entrance, featuring an interlocking metal grid with glass bricks set into each section. Sunlight or artificial light refracts through the glass, creating a shimmering, radiant effect. The main structural design was carried out by Hong Kong architect Szeto Wai, appointed by Pei. Building on Pei’s modernist style, the hotel features two Y-shaped towers inspired by the kapok flower. The Y-shape not only symbolizes “youth” and hope but also maximizes room capacity, provides expansive views, and achieves an efficient, compact layout.
For management, James Henry Mason Lee initially planned for his own Lee Gardens Hotel team to take charge. However, after the success of The Peninsula Hotel’s management of the Jianguo Hotel in Beijing, he reconsidered and entrusted The Peninsula Group with the operation just before opening. What remains most memorable is the transitional concierge lounge in the hotel’s front area. Its low ceiling creates an intimate, serene welcome atmosphere, with colorful beams shimmering in the light. Passing through this space, guests step into the grand, soaring lobby—a sudden expansion that delivers striking visual impact. This progression from restrained to expansive mirrors the subtlety and grandeur of traditional Eastern hospitality.
Four decades on, The Garden Hotel still stands tall, retaining its dignified presence. Its lobby remains the largest hotel lobby in China at the time of its opening, and the 3,800-square-meter space continues to inspire awe. The golden murals in the lobby, as radiant as ever, are led by the magnificent “Dream of the Red Chamber—Grand View Garden” mural facing the front desk. Inlaid with over 200,000 gold leaf pieces, it is the hotel’s most recognizable visual symbol. Above the center of the lobby ceiling hangs the largest “Golden Dragons Playing with a Pearl” caisson in Guangdong Province. Meticulously crafted in the style of ancient Chinese palace ceilings, it is majestic and ornate, embodying the beauty of Eastern ceremonial aesthetics.
Every year-end, the Christmas tree in The Garden Hotel’s lobby lights up as scheduled. For years, it has been the tallest and most majestic tree in the hearts of longtime Guangzhou residents. Visiting The Garden Hotel became an essential ritual for locals during Chinese New Year and Christmas—not just to witness the spectacle, but to reconnect with the memories of that era.
