Where to Stay in Shanghai: The Bund, the Lanes, Jing’an and the Countryside Retreats

For grandeur and the river: the Bund

The Bund suits first-time visitors and anyone who wants the skyline across the water. The old waterfront has a polished, colonial-era glamour, with Lujiazui’s towers opposite. The Peninsula Shanghai is the established grand address at the northern end, an Art Deco-inspired hotel with an unmistakable sense of occasion.

Nearby, Regent Shanghai on the Bund is smaller and more intimate, at the mouth of Suzhou Creek, with balconied suites that look to the river and the skyline.

For the city’s current energy: Suzhou Creek and Jing’an

Jing’an is where Shanghai shops, eats and goes out: malls, dense restaurants and a lively evening scene. The creek side is quieter than the centre. Bulgari Hotel Shanghai pairs a contemporary tower with the restored former Chamber of Commerce building and looks across to the Bund.

Further in, Alila Shanghai sits above the shikumen lanes of Zhangyuan, and Upper House Shanghai, formerly The Middle House, offers studios designed by Piero Lissoni, a better fit for a long stay than a quick one.

For walking and slower mornings: the former French Concession

Tree-lined streets, Art Deco houses, cafés and independent boutiques give the Concession a European calm that is quite unlike the riverfront. It is the best district for couples and for travellers who prefer wandering to ticking off sights.

Capella Shanghai, Jian Ye Li places its villas in restored 1930s lane houses, which makes the architecture part of the stay. Before dinner, a walk between the Bund and the Concession shows how the two halves fit.

For leaving the city behind

Amanyangyun, in Minhang, is set among old camphor trees and relocated Ming and Qing houses, a retreat for travellers who want Shanghai as a day trip rather than a base. InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland is the opposite proposition, built down the face of a former quarry.

Whichever district you choose, the Shanghai dining guide is the companion for the evenings.

Sources: Wander in China: where to stay in Shanghai; Touropia: where to stay in Shanghai. Check the official websites for current information.