While still a new concept in Shanghai, and even in China, boutique hotels are popping up and there are a few posh properties that the discerning traveler will enjoy taking advantage of.
Prices indicated are list prices, be sure to ask for promotional rates when booking.
1. URBN Hotel
Photo courtesy of URBN Hotels, Shanghai. All rights reserved.
- Address: 183 Jiao Zhou Road (near Beijing West Road)
- Telephone: 021 5153 4600
- Fax: 021 5153 4610
- Email: info@urbnhotels.com
- Website: URBN Hotels
- Description: URBN is a contemporary hotel housed in a converted postal warehouse. Behind a wooden gate in a pretty local neighborhood (close and convenient to downtown SH), you'd never know it's there. It has a beautiful garden where the on-site hip Room Twenty Eight restaurant spills out into the courtyard. Billed as Shanghai's first green hotel, it boasts carbon neutrality and uses recycled materials in its design. Rooms are cool and zen-like, some facing a wall of bamboo. You'll see Shanghai's hip crowd mingling about.
- Price: Around US$280 - contact the hotel for their seasonal offerings.
2. JIA Shanghai
Courtesy of JIA Shanghai. All Rights Reserved.
- Address: 931 West Nanjing Road
- Metro: Shimen No.1 Rd
- Telephone: 021 6217 9000
- Website: Jia Shanghai
- Description: Jia is Mandarin for "home". Super-hip sister of the Jia hotel in Hong Kong, Jia Shanghai offers the traveler luxury within minutes of all the sights. Located on shopping-central street Nanjing road, the visitor will find himself within easy access of People's Square, museums and the Bund. Your guide loves the fact that all 55 rooms are equipped with a kitchenette, I just love eating breakie in my pjs.
- Price: US$275 but inquire about special packages.
3. Mansion Hotel
© 2007 Sara Naumann, licensed to About.com, Inc.
- Address: 82 Xinle Road, Shanghai
- Telephone: 021 5403 9888
- Fax: 021 5403 7077
- Website: Mansion Hotel
- Description: Housed in the Green Gang's #2 Man's offices, you step back in time to 1920 as soon as you cross the threshold. If you can get around the rather flashy furniture, the lobby is quite lovely with loads of period antiques and old photos on the walls. If nothing else, head up to the fifth floor for a drink on the roof terrace to afford some of the best views in Shanghai.
- Price: US$380-880
4. Pudi Boutique Hotel
- Address: 99 Yandang Road at Nanchang Road, Shanghai
- Telephone: 021 5158 5888
- Fax: 021 5157 0188
- Email: reserve@boutiquehotel.cc
- Description: Pudi ("poo-dee") is a clever play on words: Chinese for boutique but the Chinese characters mean rough jade - or in the Western sense "diamond in the rough". What does this mean? Behind the hard-to-find doors, you'll discover a dark, private place to escape the cacophony of street-side Shanghai. Focusing on privacy, art and service, Pudi prides itself on its 24/7 butlers. Rooms are comfortable, especially if you're working (the desk set, printer and comfy chair are enough to make any worker-bee happy about having to stay in working on that presentation for Monday).
- Price: starts at US$345
5. Lapis Casa
- Address: 68 Taicang Road
- Telephone: 021 5382 1600
- Website: Lapis Casa Hotel
- Metro: Huang Pi Nan Lu Station (Line 1)
- Description: Small twenty-room hotel opposite dining and shopping center Xintiandi. The rooms are exquisitely furnished with touches of 1920s Shanghai and if you like what you see, you can buy it. The furnishings are also for sale. Ask for a room with a view over Huai Hai park.
- Price: $190-315 (but ask for promotional rate)
6. M Suites
This property seems to be closed at the moment. The person who answered the phone said it was because of "the police". Perhaps you might want to try one of the other listings.- Address: 88 Yi Chang Road
- Telephone: 021 5155 8399
- Website: M Suites
- Description: M Suites is located in Pier One on Suzhou Creek, the latest in the up-and-coming gentrification projects in Shanghai. Once a brewery, Pier One, the name of the concept is one of Shanghai's cutting edge renovated factory properties. A drawback is the fact that M Suites is a bit out of the way, but the area is rapidly developing. But still, you can enjoy lovely walks along Suzhou Creek, you're not far from Moganshan Road, the artists district, and taxis are plentiful.
- Price: US$130-360
