Four Seasons Shanghai

BACKGROUND

Four Seasons Shanghai is a 37-storey high-rise in the centre of Puxi, within walking distance of a major shopping mall and a number of cafés, including most notably the world’s biggest Starbucks. It opened in October 2002 and was revamped in 2015. A total of 196 out of the 420 guestrooms and suites were renovated, along with the ballroom, restaurants and main lobby.

WHERE IS IT?

In the Jing’an neighbourhood, about an hour’s drive from Shanghai Pudong Airport and a 40-minute drive to Hongqiao Railway Station and Hongqiao Airport.

WHAT’S IT LIKE?

The hotel features design that brings Eastern and Western elements together to create a regal yet modern aesthetic throughout. Although located on the edge of a busy road, it feels like you’ve been whisked far away from the hustle and bustle of the city once you step into this property. There are plenty of ceilinghigh windows on the ground floor that let lots of natural sunlight flood into the main space, and a number of quiet places where you can hold meetings or get some work done.

ROOMS

I stayed in one of the 61 sqm Grand Premier rooms on the 24th floor. The hotel describes the colour palette for the newly refurbished rooms as “restrained and textural”.

The bed faced the TV which came with a DVD player. There was a comfy couch with a coffee table on the left side of the bed by the window, which let in a lot of natural light, plus a work desk with a multi-line telephone, notepad and pens. By the bed there was a USB port and three different lighting options. The room also had an electric curtain system that allows guests to open/shut both the rolling shutters and the window curtains via switches beside the bed.

The bathroom, which was stocked with thick Terry bathrobes, a hair dryer and L’Occitane amenities, featured black marble fixtures and earth tones. There was also a walk-in shower.

LOUNGE

The highest floor of the hotel (the 37th) is home to the Executive Club Lounge. If you’re here on a solo trip for work, this is the perfect place to hibernate in because it has pretty much everything a corporate traveller would need.

The breakfast spread in the morning (6.30am-10am) includes a variety of basic breakfast food options: cereal, fruits, breads, and Chinese specialities such as dim sum and noodles. There’s also a chef station where you can request omelettes or an eggs Benedict.

FOOD AND DRINK

Café Studio, on the 1st floor, offers all-day dining with buffetstyle food. There’s also the American-style Steak House which, along with meat, also has fresh seafood and an extensive salad bar selection. There’s a private dining room for larger gatherings.

Chinese restaurant Si Ji Xuan offers Cantonese cuisine as well as select Shanghainese specialities. Finally, the hotel’s lobby lounge provides light meals, afternoon tea and evening cocktails.

LEISURE

The hotel’s 24-hour fitness centre has treadmills, ellipticals and bike machines. Near the fitness centre is the hotel’s pool, which also has a number of tables and lounger chairs.

The hotels’ Qin the Spa offers 37 spa therapies and beauty treatments, some of which are inspired by Chinese wellness practices. Located on the sixth floor, this spa is chic in its design with its black tiled floors, red marble tables and flickering candles in the main entrance.

VERDICT

All the key facilities for a business traveller on-the-go are catered for at this luxurious property. If you like to explore the cities you visit during your downtime, the surrounding district of Puxi is brimming with history, culture and old Shanghai architecture. However, if you have meetings or work that require you to go to the Pudong area, then perhaps it’s more convenient to book the Four Seasons property on that side of the city. Seher Asaf

There are a number of quiet places where you can hold meetings or get work done