To me Shanghai is a city of distinct old and new separated
by the Huangpu River. On one side you have the Bund, a very nice area along the
river, and Pudong, with the iconic views you are used to seeing in pictures of
Shanghai, on the other side. Shanghai is one of the most western cities in
China and I would say it is very similar to New York.
I have been to Shanghai 4 times, each time staying at a
different hotel in a different district of the city. The first time I stayed at
the Sofitel Hotel close to the free trade zone. I also stayed at the Crowne
Plaza in the older section, the Grand Hyatt in Pudong and the Equatorial Hotel
kind of in between. I will describe these later in the post. My first 2 trips
were for work and the last 2 were vacations.
Shanghai reminds me of New York with its diverse districts,
foods, shopping, external influences and nightlife. There is the street food to
steak houses, Chinese Opera to Jazz, street knock-offs to high-end shopping.
Districts have their own character. Pudong is ultra-modern with its skyscrapers
and in the older sections you will find international influences from pre-WWII
where Shanghai was considered as one of the top cities in the world with New
York, London and Paris.
I will only recommend places I have been to.
Places to stay:
Sofitel Hotel Pudong – This is a high rise French hotel
chain. On the top floor is a circular rotating lounge and restaurant with
beautiful views. Rooms are large and modern. I would recommend this hotel if
you have business in the free trade zone.
Crowne Plaza – This one is in the older section of Shanghai.
It is very large and set for doing business or holding large meetings. Great
location and is kind of in a quiet area. I would recommend for doing business
in central Shanghai.
Grand Hyatt – I had to stay here for the experience. It is
located in the Jin Mao Tower in Pudong and is one of the highest hotels in the
world with the lobby located on the 54th floor. This hotel has some
of the best views of Shanghai. The Cloud 9 Lounge is located on the 87th
floor and was known when I was there as the tallest bar in the world. It is in
a great location in the heart of Pudong. It is close to shopping, the Pearl
Tower and the river.
Hotel Equatorial – I have been staying at the Hotel
Equatorial in Penang, Malaysia for 16 years so I decided to try their hotel in
Shanghai. I was impressed with the hotel but its location is not central to
either the Bund or Pudong and not within walking distance to any attractions. I
would stay there if you have business in the area.
Nightlife:
CJW stands for Cigar-Jazz-Wine and is a must see when in
Shanghai. There you can listen to Jazz artists from around the world while
enjoying a glass of vintage wine and maybe a cigar. There are 2 locations, one in
the Bund and the other in Xintiandi.
Xintiandi is an affluent car-free shopping, eating
and entertainment district of Shanghai. It is in a redeveloped area of 19th
century buildings. I would highly recommend going there to shop, eat and relax.
Walk the Bund at night to get the best views of Pudong.
You will have never seen anything like the Pudong skyline all lit up. It will
take your breath away.
Take a river cruise at night. Cruises depart from
the Bund side of the river. Even the boats are all lit up. Some of them look
like giant dragons.
If you want a taste of the USA go to the Hooter’s.
The wings are the same as they are back home. Hooter’s is located behind the
Super Brand Mall. There is also a Hard Rock Café in Shanghai. I didn’t make it
there but, from experience, when you are traveling internationally and want a
burger with ketchup and mustard that takes the same in America the Hard Rock
Café is the place to go.
Just like in Zhuhai, there are the fast food chains.
KCF is very popular everywhere in China.
Shopping:
Super Brand Mall is a very large mall in Pudong along the
river. It is one of the top places to shop in Shanghai.
Xintiandi – mentioned above.
Yuyuan Old Street and Bazaar is a huge shopping area in
Shanghai with the style of the buildings in older Chinese architecture. It is
the place to go for Chinese souvenirs and street food. You can have BBQ
scorpions, brown eggs, and other assorted goodies if you are brave enough.
Attractions:
The Chinese Grand Prix is the Formula One stop in China and
is usually at the begining of the season around April.
Yuyuan Gardens is inside the Yuyuan Bazaar complex. It was
built in 1577 and has a rock garden inside. It is worth the admission.
Pearl Tower is one of the icons of Shanghai and Pudong. Take
a tour inside.
The World Financial Center has a great observation area. It
is taller than the Jin Mao Tower where I stayed and has a taller hotel, The
Park Hyatt, which is on the 79th to 93rd floors. The
building was completed after my last stay. I think it is still the tallest
building in Shanghai.
Getting Around:
Shanghai is so populous that getting a taxi is difficult.
When one pulls up many people go for the same taxi. Don’t be timid or slow, you
won’t get a taxi.
As always, please contact me with any question. My website is www.popsipedia.com .
After another
overnight train, next stop Beijing.
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