What it is

A 260-room fount of comfort built into a 1911 building on the Bund, with six top-notch restaurants, an indoor pool and a beloved spa.

What it isn't

Waking hours only. Everything from the library lounge to the business center are open 24/7, a boon for travelers with wicked cases of jet lag.

What we think

Guests of Waldorf Astoria Shanghai may feel as if they’ve checked into a palace—and we don’t blame them. Rooms are palatial (even the starter category begins at 484-square-feet, with floor-to-ceiling windows peeping out on the cityscape). Each is fitted with sumptuous silken linens, sculptural furniture and glittering chandeliers, plus tech-forward touches like hidden tvs within the sleek marble bathroom’s mirrors. In the spa, all treatment rooms are like miniature suites, complete with private rain showers and steam rooms. But what really makes you feel like you’re carrying the delicious weight of a crown? Lovely service from everyone you encounter, from your dedicated butler to the multilingual concierge.

You're here because

The heated, minimalist indoor swimming pool is an all-to-rare amenity in this town, and you don’t think it’s a vacay unless you can pack your suit.

The Moment

You’re told the hotel’s Long Bar was here, fittingly, long ago—1911, to be exact. That’s when this portion of the hotel was the Shanghai Club—home to the longest bar in Asia (some 110 feet long, and hewn of timeless mahogany). You decide to order what they’re famous for—oysters flown in from France—and an extra dry Monkey 47 martini, which tastes like Bond on the Bund.

Restaurants & Bars

Grand Brasserie - Features delectable dishes from around the world

Pelham's - Modern French cuisine prepared with local ingredients

Wei Jing Ge - Authentic Chinese regional cuisine; dim sum lunch

Long Bar - Featuring classic cocktails, champagne, selections of fine wines and premium whiskeys

Salon de Ville - Features the famous red velvet afternoon tea

Peacock Alley - The ideal spot to enjoy coffee or tea

Location

The hotel is a mere 50 minutes from Shanghai Pudong International Airport and 30 from Shanghai Hongqiao International, and settled on a particularly tony stretch of the Bund Promenade. The circa 1577 Yu Garden, where Ming dynasty pavilions are as commonplace as leafy trees, is about a 15 minute stroll away.