A corner of Hongqiao CBD. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Hongqiao's Central Business District is becoming a new hotspot for luxury accommodation in Shanghai. The western suburb's first five-star hotel officially opened on Sept 1, and seven more five-star destinations will open in the area during the next three years, according to Hongqiao CBD management committee.

InterContinental Shanghai NECC, the first hotel to open, is located adjacent to the National Exhibition and Convention Center, and many of the other hotels under construction are clearly also targeted at visitors attending events at the huge 1.5 million-square-meter complex.

The InterContinental is specially designed to allow guests directly to enter the NECC exhibition space from the hotel, while its banquet hall and conference room will be used to make up for a shortage of conference facilities at the convention center during peak times.

The hotel is also ideally located just 10 minutes from the Hongqiao Hub, where conference attendees can catch a high-speed train or flight home.

Another eight luxury resorts are also under construction in the 3.7-square-kilometer area between the NECC and Hongqiao Hub, with the next to open set to be the New Hualian Sofitel Hotel on Sept 28, according to Fei Xiaomei, deputy director of Hongqiao CBD Management Committee.

The opening of the new hotels is expected greatly to reduce pressure on Hongqiao's transport network during major exhibitions. In the past, the area could become quite crowded as attendees traveled to and from downtown Shanghai, but waiting times should reduce significantly once more people choose to stay in Hongqiao CBD.

Once open, the eight five-star hotels will provide 1,113 rooms, greatly expanding Hongqiao's accommodation capacity, said Fei. The management committee will also provide an extra 112 apartments by March 2017, which will serve as accommodation for talent working in the district.