Shanghai — Traveler Guide
Discover the best views hotels in Shanghai — handpicked by our team of expert reviewers who visit every property anonymously. From design-driven boutiques to grand dames, here are the stays worth booking in 2026.
Quick Answer
Discover the best views hotels in Shanghai — handpicked by our team of expert reviewers who visit every property anonymously. From design-driven boutiques to grand dames, here are the stays worth booking in 2026.
5 hotels reviewed · Price range: $$$, $$$$ · Last updated March 2026
About This Guide
Shanghai offers a remarkable range of views accommodation options. Whether you're visiting for the first time or returning, the right hotel makes all the difference. Our views picks balance location, design, service, and value — every property on this list has been personally vetted by our review team.
Insider Tips
Book at least 2-3 months ahead for peak season stays in Shanghai.
Consider staying slightly outside the main tourist zone for better value — many of Shanghai's best hotels are in residential neighborhoods.
Always check the hotel's cancellation policy before booking, especially during high season.
Ask the front desk for local restaurant recommendations — hotel concierges in Shanghai often have excellent taste.
If you're visiting for the first time, a central location is worth the premium — you'll save on transport and have more time to explore.
Our Picks
5 hotels · Updated February 2026
Former French Concession
A hushed oasis of pools, pavilions, and gardens transplanted from Bangkok to the former French Concession — an unlikely combination that works brilliantly. Generous room sizes, a 25-metre outdoor pool flanked by tropical planting, and La Scala restaurant serving refined Italian cuisine attract Shanghai's most discerning leisure travellers.
Former French Concession
Thirty meticulously restored 1930s shikumen townhouses gathered around cobblestoned lanes in the Former French Concession. Each residence is an individual villa with private garden or terrace; Capella's service — butlers available around the clock, a private cinema, a tea house — wraps it all in unhurried elegance. The antithesis of the tower hotel.
The Bund
The 1929 Sassoon House — green pyramid rooftop and art deco grandeur at the Bund's centrepoint — is one of Shanghai's greatest buildings, and the Fairmont's stewardship has preserved every inch of its theatrical character. The Jazz Bar, where the Old Jazz Band has played since the 1980s, offers nightly performances that feel less like entertainment than time travel.
Former French Concession
Piero Lissoni's design is all amber travertine, warm oak, and library walls of curated books — a hotel that feels genuinely residential on leafy Jinan Lu. The rooftop pool, the Grill restaurant, and the House Collective service philosophy create a stay that regulars return to more as a favourite home than a hotel.
Rising from the banks of the Huangpu, the Mandarin Oriental Pudong delivers unobstructed Bund panoramas that make it the obvious choice for guests who want to face the spectacle rather than be part of it. The Fifty-Eight bar on the 58th floor and the MO Bar are essential sundowner destinations for the city's most dramatic light show.
Common Questions
Based on our anonymous reviews, The Sukhothai Shanghai stands out as the top views choice in Shanghai for 2026, offering exceptional quality in its category.
March–May and September–November offer the most comfortable conditions.
Prices vary significantly by season and location. Budget options start around $80-120/night, mid-range runs $150-300, and luxury properties command $400+.
More Destinations
Prices and availability change daily. Lock in the best rate by booking early — most of our top picks offer free cancellation.
View All Shanghai Hotels