Table No. 1 by Jason Atherton, the signature restaurant at The Waterhouse at South Bund, clinched 'Best Restaurant' at the Travel + Leisure 2011 Annual Design Awards held in Miami recently.

Said Nancy Novogrod, Editor-In-Chief of Travel + Leisure, "The 2011 Design Awards underscore and celebrate the significant impact that good design has on travel. The jurors look for exceptional function, unique statement and inventive reinterpretation."

The industrial-chic gastro-bar designed by husband-and-wife team Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu of Neri & Hu Design and Research Office (NHDRO) is nestled on the ground level of The Waterhouse at South Bund hotel. Diners are transported into an oasis of blonde wood and grey brick, illuminated with natural light. Sprawling communal dining tables in unfinished wood provide warmth and texture and look out onto a view of Shanghai's Cool Docks beyond while more traditional seating is offered on the side and in the private dining rooms.

The communal dining style allows diners to better interact as they sample Atherton's innovative creations, such as the signature Caramelized Squid Ink Croutons and Onion Puree and Slow Cooked Pork Belly and Mango, all of which are presented in sharing portions. Busy lunchers on weekdays can opt for an express 3-course set meal that can be served in under an hour.

Shanghai's most cutting-edge hotel also gets Honorable Mention for the Best Design Hotel category. The hotel's blurring or an inversion of internal & external spaces, creates a disorienting yet refreshing spatial experience for guests in search of something out of the ordinary. The public places allow glimpses into private rooms while the private spaces invite guests to peek into public areas. The result is a stay that both defines and distinguishes the visitor experience at The Waterhouse at South Bund.

In addition to being honored in the annual design award, the hotel was recently named by the same magazine to have the Coolest Hotel Lobbies in the World.

The 19-room retreat in Shanghai's Shiliupu dockyard district is the only Asian property to be featured. The three-storey-high lobby of this re-imagined 1930s warehouse is an aesthetic symphony of steel columns and beams, exposed brick and original unfinished concrete topped off with a majestic paper chandelier by Studio Job for Moooi.

FACTS AT A GLANCE:

• Total number of hotel rooms: 19 (some with private terrace) • Table No. 1 by Jason Atherton (restaurant) capacity：60 guests • Private dining rooms: 2 (The Chef's Table accommodates up to 10 guests while the smaller room seats 8 guests) • The Roof at Waterhouse lounge capacity：150 guests • Event warehouse total floor area: 743 sqm or 8,000 sq ft, capacity: 800 guests (standing) or 500 banquet-style seats

For information on The Waterhouse at South Bund, please visit www.waterhouseshanghai.com.

For hotel reservations, please email: reservations@waterhouseshanghai.com

For Table No. 1 by Jason Atherton restaurant reservations, please call: +86 21 6080 2918 or email: info@tableno-1.com.

For Private Events at Table No.1, please contact Lois Lin at +86 1376 431 7933 or email: lois@waterhouseshanghai.com

For Event Warehouse rental or enquiries, please contact Ann Wang at: +86 158 0037 7579 or email: ann@waterhouseshanghai.com.

For Media Enquiries, please contact Wye Leng Wong from LEAP Integrated Marketing Solutions at +65 98264097 or email: wyeleng@leapmarketingasia.com.