Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney announces the confirmed renovation of the hotel's largest event area, the Grand Ballroom, at the iconic Sydney property.

Renovations will begin in June 2013 and run throughout the winter, during the hotel's low season, with expected completion in October 2013.  The physical location of the Grand Ballroom, on the lower floor of the hotel, means there will be minimal disruption to the hotel's operations.  Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney has 17 other event spaces, including the iconic Altitude Restaurant on level 36 with capacity to cater for up to 120 people for a seated event.

"We are very excited about this renovation and the prospect of a completely new venue to offer our Sydney clientele and guests.  We can expect to see a very chic event space with advanced technology, unique ceiling design and an increased capacity, which can be customised for various events," said General Manager Franz Donhauser.  "We foresee great potential for large business and social events in Sydney, with many international conferences and global events coming to Sydney over the next few years.  We look forward to launching Sydney's newest contemporary ballroom later this year."

The Grand Ballroom at Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney is an iconic destination for large events and conferences in Sydney.  The grand opening of the new space will occur well before the closing of the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre in December 2013, which will undergo its own refurbishment over the next three years.

For enquiries and further information, please contact Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney on (61 2) 9250 6000, e-mail slsn@shangri-la.com or visit www.shangri-la.com.

Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts currently owns and/or manages 78 hotels under the Shangri-La, Kerry and Traders brands with a room inventory of over 32,000.  Shangri-La hotels are five-star deluxe properties featuring extensive luxury facilities and services.  Shangri-La hotels are located in Australia, Canada, mainland China, Fiji, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Maldives, the Philippines, Singapore, the Sultanate of Oman, Taiwan, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates.  The group has a substantial development pipeline with upcoming projects in mainland China, India, Malaysia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Turkey and the United Kingdom.  For more information and reservations, please contact a travel professional or access the website at www.shangri-la.com.  

PRESS CONTACT:              
Jessica Somers

Director of Communications

Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney

Tel: (61 2) 9250 6151

Fax: (61 2) 9250 6116

E-mail: Jessica.somers-haggie@shangri-la.com

Website: www.shangri-la.com

For digitised pictures of the group's hotels, please go to http://www.shangri‑la.com/imagelibrary.