Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Shanghai

We recommend the Mandarin Oriental Pudong to business travellers who negotiate in Lujiazui during the day and want to decompress in the evening without leaving the district. It is also an address for couples in search of calm, far from the bustle of the Bund on the Puxi side, with the pool and the spa as evening ritual. Families find correct comfort thanks to the accessible equipment, yet the atmosphere remains hushed, more adult than playful.

The building unfolds over five storeys only, an unusual scale for Pudong where glass towers dominate. This horizontality leaves room for a landscaped garden between the wings, with bamboo and ponds, visible from certain river-view rooms. The interior relies on a pared-back contemporary vocabulary, light marble and dark wood in contrast, far from the splendour of historic palaces. The volumes remain generous, consistent with the Mandarin Oriental positioning yet not spectacular.

A main restaurant and room service are offered, yet no signature table is identified in the available data. Breakfast and everyday meals probably fall under the international standard rather than a standout gastronomic address. For grand tables, better to cross the Huangpu towards the Bund on the Puxi side.

The hotel sits on South Pudong Road, in the Pudong district, a few minutes' walk from the Lujiazui business district and its towers. The historic Bund, with its Art déco façades on the Puxi side, is reached by crossing the Huangpu, by taxi or via the tourist tunnel. The district is resolutely business by day, calmer in the evening once the offices close. No precise distance to the airport is provided here, best to check at the time of booking.