Many urban hotels aim to host restaurants, bars and lounges that are as much for locals as for travelers, but few are able to pull it off as seamlessly as The Shanghai EDITION. Cast your eyes about its Roof lounge and you’ll see a crowd of almost exclusively young Shanghainese enjoying afternoon tea across a dazzling vista of skyscrapers.
It’s a scene that might have come straight from the mission statement of the EDITION Hotels group. A brand envisioned by Ian Schrager, co-creator of New York’s Studio 54 and the “boutique hotel” concept, EDITION promotes multinational hotel muscle and design-forward luxury at properties from Times Square to Turkey. The 145 rooms here feature imported linens and light oaks. Lounges have backlit bars and seductive couches. There’s also a sleekly understated spa filled with soft tones and gorgeous hardwoods.
The sum of these parts is a downtown property that cultivates the feeling of being a city “insider” merely by being a guest of EDITION, underpinned by a focus on glamorous public spaces and elevated comfort.
Our Inspector's Highlights
- Stepping into The Shanghai EDITION from the heaving crowds on Nanjing East Road, the lobby creates a grand but serene first impression. It functions more like a lounge bar than a check-in area, thanks to a cocktail menu, fireplace, pool table and monumental light installation by renowned French designer Eric Schmitt.
- Impressive though the lobby is, it’s nearly outdone by the brooding charisma of the Club Room. In addition to a bar and lounge area, the wood-paneled space boasts a cozy screening room showing complimentary movies for hotel guests from double-seater chaise lounges.
- Those in the know will seek out the reservations-only Punch Room, a modern take on a 19th-century London private club. It specializes in serving shareable punch bowls designed to look like Ming porcelain, though the tasty tipples come in mini sizes for parties of two.
- Envisioned by acclaimed Chinese design firm Neri & Hu, The Shanghai EDITION’s interiors strike a balance between calming neutral hues and opulent architectural feats. Look out for the remarkable bronze-toned spiral staircase in YONE restaurant that leads to Punch Room, and the 85-foot-high floating garden in the atrium.
- You might not expect to find a pool in a hotel converted from a 1929 art deco building (formerly the headquarters of the Shanghai Power Company), but sure enough, The Shanghai EDITION has one, and a thermally engineered whirlpool, too.
Things to Know
- While not positioned directly on the Bund (Shanghai’s famous riverside promenade), the luxury hotel is close enough to enjoy views of Pudong’s skyscrapers across the river. Its location on busy Nanjing East Road means you’re less than a minute’s walk to one of the city’s main Metro lines.
- A visit during warmer times of year (May to September) will make the most of the hotel’s two alfresco spaces: the aforementioned Roof and the Roof Garden. The latter is a landscaped lounge where movie screenings are hosted by night and lawn games like croquet are available during the day.
- Those here on business can book time in the Meeting Studios, four compartmented conference rooms that can be joined together into a single space for up to 100 seated guests.
- Squeeze in a workout at the 24-hour gym, where you’ll find the standard weights and fitness machines, including treadmills with personal TV screens. An adjoining bamboo-lined terrace hosts alfresco yoga and tai chi sessions.
- While it’s closed for renovations, The Spa at The Shanghai EDITION features four treatment rooms and two VIP suites offering everything from diamond-infused facials to an oxygen- and lavender-enhanced stress-relieving massage.
The Rooms
- All rooms are clad in light oak paneling that complement a minimalist design scheme. This sleek look keeps your attention on those Bund views.
- Starting at 388 square feet, the rooms are spacious to begin with, but they make the most of what’s available with storage spaces cleverly inset within the walls.
- The accommodations may be minimalist, but luxe touches like fresh-cut flowers, Anichini linens and faux fur throws add a sumptuous feel. Stylish marble bathrooms (all with soaking tubs) are stocked with custom-scented Le Labo toiletries.
- Spacious suites provide extra room to spread out, as they begin at 947 square feet. A particular highlight is the excellent Bund view available from the bathtub, while the 1,927-square-foot Terrace Suite affords stellar vistas from its patio.
The Restaurants
- Shanghai Tavern is contemporary European, offering a seasonal, all-day dining menu featuring signature dishes. It presents a comfortable yet elegant restaurant to enjoy breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner.
- Canton Disco pays homage to the unprecedented mix of glamorous sophistication and primal hedonism of the legendary Hong Kong night club of the same name. The restaurant is a Kowloon nightlife love story showcasing sophisticated Cantonese cuisine, flamboyant disco cocktails and a riotous soundtrack in an energetic and opulent setting.
- YONE is a vibrant culinary endeavor that harmoniously blends tradition and innovation. Helmed by Chef Fumio Yonezawa, formerly the esteemed Chef de Cuisine at Jean-Georges Tokyo, and renowned mixologist Shingo Gokan, founder of the SG Group, YONE presents a modern interpretation of Japanese cuisine.
Amenities
Bar
Fitness classes
Gym
Indoor pool
Meeting rooms
Nightclub
Restaurants
Spa
Getting There
199 Nanjing Road East Huangpu, Shanghai, 200002 China
TEL021-5368-9999
