Shanghai's hotel scene is one of Asia's finest, with an extraordinary concentration of luxury properties and some of the world's most storied hotel addresses clustered along The Bund. Staying on the Bund puts you at the geographic and atmospheric centre of the Shanghai experience, with the Pudong skyline glowing across the water from your window.
Shanghai's hotel scene is one of Asia's finest — the city has an extraordinary concentration of luxury properties and some of the world's most storied hotel addresses. The Bund is the city's most prestigious hotel address: the Fairmont Peace Hotel (the former Cathay Hotel, opened 1929) is one of the great art deco hotels of the world; the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai occupies the historic 1910 Shanghai Club building next door; the Peninsula Shanghai and Bellagio Shanghai complete a remarkable cluster of luxury properties along one of Asia's most spectacular waterfronts. Staying on the Bund puts you at the geographic and atmospheric center of the Shanghai experience, with the Pudong skyline glowing across the water from your window.
The Former French Concession is the most atmospheric alternative base — a neighborhood of plane-tree-lined boulevards, excellent restaurants, and independent boutiques that feels more like a European city quarter than a Chinese metropolis. Several excellent boutique hotels and design properties operate here, along with the Hotel Indigo Shanghai on the Bund and various Marriott properties. Xintiandi, at the French Concession's northern edge, is another popular base with excellent nightlife access. Pudong offers the city's most spectacular tower views from the opposite bank — staying in the Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, or Four Seasons Shanghai offers the Bund panorama from a different perspective, ideal for those who want to photograph the skyline without being in it.
For budget travelers, Shanghai is one of China's more expensive cities, but still affordable by global standards — good hostels with private rooms run $25–45 per night, and clean mid-range business hotels are available from $60–90 in neighborhoods slightly removed from the Bund. The subway system is excellent and extends throughout the city, making it practical to stay in less expensive areas while accessing the Bund, French Concession, and Pudong easily. Jing'an, Changning, and Luwan districts all offer good mid-range options with easy metro access to the city's highlights.