Location is everything when it comes to finding your way around Shanghai - and these hotels are conveniently situated in Shanghai's key districts
Jing’an
1. Four Seasons Hotel Shanghai
The first luxury hotel to be built on the redeveloped area along Weihai Road, this 37-storey hotel boasts an Executive Club on the top floor, where you’ll be served refreshments throughout the day or cocktails from 5.30pm, as well as east-facing rooms with a view of Pudong’s Oriental Pearl Radio & Television Tower.
2. The Middle House
A top choice of accommodation for people in the know during events like Shanghai Fashion Week thanks to its trendy location and luxurious facilities, this hotel boasts a 2,600m2 spa that includes an indoor pool and gym. Be sure to enjoy the terrace views at Café Gray Deluxe or contemporary Chinese cuisine at Sui Tang Li.
3. The Sukhothai Shanghai
Designed by Neri&Hu Design and Research Office with custom furnishings and a curated selection of artwork, The Sukhothai Shanghai’s concept was inspired by its surroundings – the urban oasis that is Shanghai. It’s also just an eight-minute walk from The Middle House, and right next door to Four Seasons Hotel Shanghai, in the heart of the fashionable Jing’an district. Unwind at its spa, The Retreat, which offers Southeast Asian healing therapies as a nod to the hotel’s Thai roots, with herbal compresses and detox treatments.
The Bund
4. The Peninsula Shanghai
With expansive views of the Bund and Pudong, this elegant heritage hotel is as much of a destination in itself with a 25m-long indoor pool, indulgent spa and an excellent selection of restaurants including Sir Elly’s Terrace, the hotel’s rooftop bar. In keeping with the brand’s tradition, there is also a customised fleet of bespoke cars available, including extended-wheelbase Rolls-Royce Phantoms, BMWs and MINI Coopers.
5. The Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund
Formerly the exclusive Shanghai Club from 1911 till 1949, this beautifully restored building retains its original neo-classical architecture but with all the amenities of a modern, luxury hotel of today. Have a drink at the historic Long Bar, or enjoy a champagne brunch at the Grand Brasserie.
Pudong
6. The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai
Conveniently located in the commercial district of Pudong, and part of the Shanghai International Finance Centre complex, this towering 58-storey hotel offers views of the Bund across the river as well as of the Oriental Pearl Radio & Television Tower from its rooftop bar and restaurant, Flair. The hotel’s spa, which uses Valmont and ESPA skincare products, is worth a visit after a long day of sightseeing, as is the gorgeous indoor pool with floor-to-ceiling windows.
7. Park Hyatt Shanghai
A stay at this hotel, which sits atop the city’s second-tallest building (the 492m-tall Shanghai World Financial Center), is literally a sky-high experience from the minute you enter the 87th-floor lobby, to the moment you dive into the hotel’s infinity pool at the Water’s Edge spa. With a minimalist concept helmed by veteran hospitality designer Tony Chi, the hotel has an understated, zen-like quality with floor-to-ceiling windows that allow you to appreciate a bird’s-eye view of the city.
Get away
8. Amanyangyun
An hour’s drive out of downtown Shanghai will take you to Minhang, a district best known for its Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena that has hosted some of the world’s biggest sporting events. This award-winning historic village, painstakingly relocated from Fuzhou province along with 10,000 ancient camphor trees, is a tranquil place of retreat. Take your time exploring the Kerry Hill-designed estate with its five dining venues, an expansive spa and gym, and cultural centre.
Singapore Airlines flies daily to Shanghai. To book a flight, visit singaporeair.com
