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| GRAND HOTELS AND METROPOLISES IN EAST ASIA |
| Thierry SANJUAN |
| Department of Geography, University of Paris 1, Paris 75005, France |
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Abstract This paper focuses on the role of grand hotels in the metropolises of East Asia.The attention is iniatilly paid to the historical characteristics of grand hotels in Europe and North America, and the three different models of grand hotels created in the nineteenth century.Then the case of the first grand hotel in China is analyzed:the Astor Hotel in Tianjin.The main times of building g rand hotels in China-before 1949, 1980s and 1990s-correspond to diverse localizations and functions in the Chinese cities.Grand hotels are centres of diffusing new technologies, new architectural forms and social behaviours.They are places where Chinese people can get in touch with foreigners.So, grand hotels symbolize the opening and modernity of Chinese cities.They play an important role in the development of local urban societies.
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Received: 12 March 2002
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2003, Vol. 18 
