10 Best Hotels in Shanghai, China

Set in a former warehouse that was transformed using recycled materials, Shanghai's first carbon-netural hotel has a superb design and well-trained staffers who make you feel at home the moment you enter the tree-shaded courtyard. They're also happy to arrange interesting activities, from Chinese cooking or calligraphy classes to tai chi and yoga sessions. Or you can just head to the quiet, secluded rooftop bar for a little down time.

Although it's not the newest or most high-tech hotel, it still attracts both business and leisure travelers with its breathtaking views, white-glove service, spacious rooms, and prime location—overlooking the Huangpu River, opposite the Bund, and near the Pearl Tower. With two towers containing 10 dining options and almost 1,000 guest rooms, this is also the city's largest luxury hotel. Although rooms in Tower 2, behind the original hotel, have amenities like generously sized plasma TVs, many guests prefer Tower 1 rooms for their unobstructed views of the Bund.

Amid bustling downtown Puxi, this 37-story luxury hotel is an elegant oasis, with a lobby that has palm trees, fountains, and golden-hue marble as warm as sunshine, and with spacious rooms (just 12 or 15 to a floor) that have a chic gold palette. Although it caters to a largely business clientele, it's still a good choice for leisure travelers thanks to impeccable service, a glass-enclosed indoor pool, and a spa that offers traditional treatments. Though a bit dated, rooms are well-appointed, with flat-screen TVs, DVD/CD players, safes big enough for laptops, and bathrooms that have marble showers and tubs. Nanjing Road is within a 10-minute walk, and metro Line 2 is just down the block.

Views, views, views are what this hotel is all about—occupying floors 53 through 87 of the spectacular Jin Mao Tower, the Grand Hyatt's interior is defined by contemporary lines juxtaposed with Space Age grillwork. The 33-story central atrium is a marvel in itself: a seemingly endless cylinder with an otherworldly aura. The views are spectacular; corner rooms have two walls of pure glass for endless panoramas of the Oriental Pearl Tower and the city below. Rooms on the upper floors put you literally in the clouds and at the mercy of the often-foggy weather.

A parklike setting in the heart of the Former French Concession makes this 33-story tower set on the grounds of the old French Club a favorite retreat, especially among Japanese travelers familiar with the Okura name. The first three floors, which were once old Shanghai's French Club, have been restored, with cascading chandeliers, colorful frescoes, and period-perfect details at every turn. The romantic third-floor terrace bar overlooks the 2-acre garden, and the Japanese and French restaurants serve decent high-priced food. From the large windows on the 33rd floor, take in the sweeping views of downtown Shanghai. The standard rooms are simply furnished with silk wallpaper and European-style furniture, but overall feel dated. Wi-Fi is available but, as with many older hotels, it's rather slow.

It's hard to beat the Portman Ritz-Carlton's prime Shanghai Centre location or its family-friendly facilities, which include a large fitness center, basketball courts, a playground, and a trampoline. The 50-story hotel attracts business travelers as well as families with four floors of executive club rooms. The lobby is a popular networking spot that exudes cool refinement with its ebony, marble, and chrome touches. In addition to the Shanghai Centre's surrounding shops and restaurants, the hotel has its own top-notch restaurants.

A prominent skyline landmark—topped by a revolving, 45th-floor restaurant in what looks like a flying saucer—this hotel caters primarily to business travelers with lower Park Tower rooms that face People's Square and higher City Tower rooms. Suites have huge living rooms, kitchen/dining rooms, and spacious baths that make them convenient for families, though, and there are deep discounts for weekend stays.

With its distinctive room layouts, glittering glass staircase, and 90-plus works of art on display, the Westin Shanghai is a jewel on the Bund. Crowne Deluxe rooms are miniature suites; sliding doors divide the sitting area, bathroom, and bedroom. Luxurious amenities include rain-forest showers, extra deep tubs, and Westin's trademark Heavenly Beds.