Work brought me to Shanghai in September so I spent a week at The PuLi, one of the earlier "urban oasis" style properties opened in this city back in 2009. The city has changed quite a bit since my last visit in late 2019 and I was eager to see and experience this dynamic city in the post-COVID times.
I haven't stayed in the Jing'an District neighborhood before but turned out this is perfect location for just about everything that I needed to do during this short week. There's a park right next door (Jing'an Park), a tourist attraction (Jing'an Temple), a shopping mall and department store and a metro stop all within 5 minutes. And for me, office is just a quick 20 minute stroll away (or 8 minutes by bike)
I was impressed by the facade and lobby when the car was pulled into the entrance on my arrival, with the shades of bamboo trees and wooden furniture being the theme giving the whole building a sense of sanctuary in the midst of skyscrapers and modern buildings. There's no "proper" lobby per se, but instead, a long table that stretched the whole length of the floor that functioned as check-in, concierge, cafe and bar.
They put me up in the Deluxe Room on the high floor overlooking the park and the neighborhood behind. It was modeled in the same wooden, minimalist style and is super spacious, with the free-standing bathtub next to the window being the highlight of it all. I am glad I got time to check out their pool and spa facilities including the temperature-controlled indoor lap pool and jacuzzi. My only complaint is the thin wall means sometimes you do hear voices coming out from the public area on the floor when someone walked by. While they did a pretty decent job of maintenance, the property probably need some minor work to keep afresh.
Service is great - they helped me with a few restaurant bookings prior to my arrival, and one night when I wanted to try a place that didn't take reservation, they helped me to sign in using the restaurant waitlist app and keep track of the line. When my return flight was cancelled because of typhoon, they helped me to extend my stay using the same rate with just a quick message.
They only have two F&B outlets but both were lovely. Phenix is their main restaurant with a Michelin star, and opens for breakfast, lunch and dinner services. In the morning they served breakfast semi-buffet style and also a la carte, and then lunch and dinner was contemporary French. The lunch set menu offered pretty good value with contemporary dishes with a nice mix of local and imported ingredients. I did enjoy the wine pairing by the somm too, with some interesting selection to go with the dishes I picked for my 3-course prix fixe lunch.
Meanwhile, The Long Bar transformed itself from a cafe in the morning to tea salon in the afternoon and a full-on bar and lounge in the evening til late. I dropped by The Long Bar a couple of nights after dinner and enjoyed a few drinks prepared by their head mixologist Eden.
As for the rest of Shanghai, having an extra day in the city meant I got time to actually do some sightseeing on that day off before heading home. I felt in love with my new favorite way of commute with the shared bike service - Shanghainese drivers are not as aggressive as those in other cities so the roads are very bike-friendly. Changde Apartment (常德公寓) is the new hot sightseeing spot in town with KOLs and Tiktok/IGers flocked to this 90 year old Art Deco style building for a snapshot.
My last visit in Shanghai in 2019 was completely washed out by torrential rain and I was more than compensated this time with perfect weather on the last few days of my stay. I managed to take great photos of the Bund skyline and all the historical buildings on the shoreline. The rooftop bar at The Shanghai EDITION is the best-kept secret in town, with unobstructed view of the Bund from high up, with an impressive drinks menu and a nice cool vibe for a sundowner or late night hangout.
I randomly walked past the Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street on a Friday night after dinner and rubbed shoulder with locals and tourists alike on this busy street famous for shops (geared more towards tourist). M50 Creative Park is the art district a bit further off - some 30 minutes by bike - but there are some cool stuff to see in this area filled with art galleries and studio in the space converted from factories.
Shanghai Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/g4gary/albums/72177720310922470
The PuLi Hotel and Spa: thepuli.com/en/
Phenix: thepuli.com/en/shanghai-jingan-luxury-puli-hotel-dining/phenix/
As for the rest of Shanghai, having an extra day in the city meant I got time to actually do some sightseeing on that day off before heading home. I felt in love with my new favorite way of commute with the shared bike service - Shanghainese drivers are not as aggressive as those in other cities so the roads are very bike-friendly. Changde Apartment (常德公寓) is the new hot sightseeing spot in town with KOLs and Tiktok/IGers flocked to this 90 year old Art Deco style building for a snapshot.
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