The iconic Shanghai Club Building has reopened as a Waldorf Astoria hotel following a comprehensive redevelopment of the property.

The 269-bedroom Waldorf hotel commands the space that previously housed the prestigious Correspondent's Club, which in its heyday boasted bowling alleys, restaurants, an oyster bar, games rooms, barber's shop and two wine cellars.

Its fabled Long Bar, extending 35 metres, was once the longest bar in the world.

The neo-classical building has been returned to its former glory by Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA)

HBA principal Ian Carr said: "Restoring this forlorn property was a tremendous honour and true labour of love, the ultimate challenge of taking historical context and adding up-to-date convenience and style."

The building had over the years accommodated office space, a casino, a cinema and most recently a fast food restaurant.

HBA used a vast photographic archive, dating back to the building's Victorian past, to guide it during the restoration of nearly every element - including its neo-classical interior and English colonial-inspired furniture.

The designs for the hotel's Waldorf Astoria Club resurrect the famous Long Bar – although one tradition will probably not return. At one time, patrons could gauge their relative social status by where they stood along it.

The original Long Bar was lost during the Japanese occupation, but is now recreated from photographic records to original specifications.

Other leisure facilities at the hotel include two restaurants, an indoor heated swimming pool, a large health and fitness club, a day spa and a vast library.