The unfortunate thing that happened over summer was that our partner cafe Closed Door was forced to close down. Since the cafe opened two years ago, our neighbors have not been happy about the noise caused by the cafe's popularity. In China, your neighbors wield a lot of power over you and after continual efforts to stay open, they finally decided to pack up in July. We were sad to see them leave, as our guests really enjoy the food and ambiance afforded by the cafe.
In place of the cafe, we converted the downstairs space into a 6th guest room and a cozy dining room. The new room is called the Oriental Pearl, which was the nickname the West coined Shanghai back in the 1920's during its heyday. The room features a glass sitting room, which was once a part of the cafe's veranda. It's the perfect place for the room guest to enjoy an idyllic afternoon reading or sipping tea. The room also has a large square bathtub that is lined with mother of pearl mosaic -- the soft glow from the interior of the tub is ultra romantic when a candle is lit.
We kept most of the breakfast menu in tact, having retained the sou chef from Closed Door. We added a light option with fruits, muesli, and yak yogurt from Qinghai for people who are concerned about gaining weight after feeding on our other gourmet breakfast choices.
With the sixth room, Quintet is now Quintet+ ;-)
