Hundreds of years ago, Zheng He, a Chinese mariner and diplomat of early Ming dynasty, came across a beautiful island country then called Ceylon on his expeditionary voyages to Southeast Asia.

On November 16, 2017, a new Shangri-la hotel was opened in Colombo, capital of Sri Lanka. As Zheng He's fleet brought about the thriving prospect to Ceylon through trades with China, the newly-opened five-star hotel in Colombo also sent an inspiring signal to this country's tourist industry.

As a long-term partner of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Vantaly Consultants, like Zheng He, voyaged across oceans this time to embark a special art project in Colombo.

Public Area

Hotel Reception

As a preeminent Chinese hotel brand, Shangri-La Hotel has established its presence in Colombo – extending into the modern era the long-standing bonds of friendship forged centuries ago when Ming-dynasty diplomat and navigator Zheng He visited Sri Lanka four times during his historic seven voyages to the Western Seas.

Inspired by this heritage, we have commissioned a sunset-gilded painting titled Zheng He's Oceanic Voyages for the hotel lobby.

The colossal fleet led by Zheng He, comprising 317 ships on its maiden voyage alone, dominates the artwork. These vessels – depicted through ceramic beads scattered like constellations – create an indelible impression on guests, evoking the grandeur of an immense Go board.

In the background, Ming-dynasty "colossal treasure ships" resemble elegant tea leaves – a design ingenuity inspired by the Ceylon tea trade along the Maritime Silk Road.

Hotel lounge

Named "Sapphyr Lounge" in homage to Sri Lanka's famed blue sapphires, the hotel lobby bar embodies the gemstone's luminous clarity in its social ambiance. To crystallize this aesthetic, renowned artist Zhang Yuanyuan was commissioned to create a featured artwork of water lilies – Sri Lanka's national flower – adorning the bar's backdrop.

The artist employs her distinctive woodcut technique to render clusters of delicate lotus blossoms unfurling across a beige canvas, evoking serene visual tranquility.

On the tea table, a circular ornament features copper wire tracing intricate geometric patterns along its curved rim – an elegant abstraction inspired by marine turtles gliding through ocean currents.

Circulation area

Adorning the hotel corridors, decorative panels in refreshing aquamarine and verdure tones evoke limpid island waters and lush tropical foliage of Sri Lanka.

Geometric mosaic tessellations scintillate with marine light patterns—evoking sunlight dancing on crystalline waves.

A tea leaf-inspired sculpture rests against the mural, while sculptural abstractions of banana leaf vessels emerge beneath undulating waves – whispering legends of the Maritime Silk Road.

The oceanfront location offers panoramic views from every window. Within guest rooms, blue-grey haze tones in the décor cultivate an atmosphere of serene repose.

Weaving together Sri Lanka's craft traditions—where endemic reverence for nature converges with geometric virtuosity—our curated spaces integrate rattan weaving, bamboo artistry, and textile elements. These coalesce into artworks of unpretentious materials yet potent modernity.

All Day Dining Restaurant: Table One

Table One All-Day Dining curates heritage recipes globally, with spotlight on endemic Sri Lankan flavors—ensuring guests savor hyperlocal gastronomy at peak freshness.

At the restaurant entrance, exuberant sculptures of endemic tropical fruits—crafted through artistic hyperbole—offer an immersive taste of Sri Lanka's vibrant culinary ethos.

Capital Bar & Grill

The Capital Bar & Grill embodies transposed British elegance, where mahogany cabinets display tiered stemware constellations.

Under integrated illumination, crystal goblets radiate luminous refraction—reminiscent of Ceylon's finest sapphires.

Above the bar, sepia-toned historical photographs—housed in gilded Western frames—unfold cinematic sequences of the island's past.

Vibrant contemporary oils with clashing palettes and abstract forms amplify the space's transcontinental artistry.

Chinese Restaurant：Shang Palace

Xiang Palace Chinese Restaurant, celebrated for its uncompromised culinary authenticity, manifests Sinic cultural resonance through meticulous artistry in every detail.

Savoring authentic Chinese cuisine in an exotic land, one inhales fragrant whispers of Eastern elegance carried on Indian Ocean breezes—where transcultural artistry manifests with precisely calibrated grace.