The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company announced it will open a new hotel in Chengdu in Sichuan province, China, in summer 2013.

The hotel will be located in the city’s largest commercial district and feature 353 rooms, including 55 suites, three restaurants, and meeting rooms large enough to host various kinds of meetings.

Sichuan is renowned globally as the home of the giant panda, one of China’s national treasures, while the city of Chengdu enjoys a rich history dating back over 2,000 years as a cultural and trading hub.

“China is already one of our most significant international markets. The opening of The Ritz-Carlton, Chengdu sees the company continue on a path that will double its China footprint in the next three years,” said Herve Humler, president and chief operations officer of the hotel company.

(wylee@heraldcorp.com)