While the west bank of the Huangpu River hosts Shanghai’s historical legacy, the city’s future is focused across the water in Lujiazui, reports Claire Lin.
A century ago, the city of Shanghai was almost all located on the western side of the Huangpu River, an area known as Puxi. The impressive edifices of Chinese and foreign financial institutions stood along the famous riverfront Bund, looking across the water to an open expanse of muddy land known as Pudong, where the only habitation was a ramshackle fishing village.
How times have changed. As Shanghai’s fortunes took a turn for the better during the final decades of the 20th century, building in Pudong began and soon exploded into a frenzy of expansion, quickly becoming packed with high-rise buildings.
Today, Lujiazui, the area of Pudong directly opposite the Bund, has taken over Puxi’s role as Shanghai’s financial hub, transforming into China’s own Wall Street. Its skyscraper-strewn cityscape now boasts the highest building density in China, while many believe that it can also claim to have the best view in Shanghai, looking across to the Bund skyline.
Pudong’s development eschewed an Old Shanghai-style ambience, instead taking on the polished, contemporary look of a Western city. Following the establishment of the headquarters of the People’s Bank of China and Shanghai Futures Exchange in Lujiazui, financial institutions started to shift their business to Pudong. Currently, more than 30 per cent of China’s foreign banks are located in Lujiazui, and Shanghai’s total assets reached 1.08 trillion yuan (US$173 billion) at the end of last year.
Many of New Shanghai’s best known landmarks can be found here, from the Oriental Pearl TV Tower and the sky-piercing Jin Mao Tower to the iconic Shanghai World Financial Centre and the Shanghai International Finance Centre (IFC). Lujiazui is also home to an impressive assemblage of five-star hotels, including the Shangri-La, Ritz-Carlton, Grand Hyatt and Park Hyatt.
The carefully planned 28 sq km Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone is divided into a financial centre, a business area, administrative and cultural centre and residential area, but is constantly expanding. Officials say there will be 45 more tall buildings near Lujiazui by the end of 2015, which will house more banks, multinational HQs and a financial school jointly established by New York University and East China Normal University.
Still, most people are only familiar with the area bordered by the Huangpu River to the west and north, Pudong South Road to the east, and Dongchang Road and Pudong Avenue to the south. Indeed, locals refer to this smaller area as “Little Lujiazui”.
Lujiazui has become the focus for all manner of major business events and conventions, but it lacks the history, architecture and cultural tradition that make for good sightseeing. Consequently, most business travellers head across the river to the Bund and Puxi for a cultural fix, but for those looking for some retail therapy, a top eatery or cool bar, no travel is necessary, as Lujiazui is blessed with excellent options.
WHERE TO EAT
Perhaps not surprisingly, given all the skyscrapers that have sprung up in Lujiazui, when eating you have a choice of looking up at the buildings, or down at the view. Options include:
Flair
On the 58th floor of the Ritz-Carlton Shanghai Pudong, this restaurant and bar offers great views of the Huangpu River and Puxi from its outdoor seating area. It’s always popular, and full at night if the weather is clear. It serves dishes from Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam, India, China and Thailand tapas-style, and has a sushi bar.
- Open 5.30pm-2am (from 2pm Sat-Sun). Shanghai IFC, 8 Century Avenue; tel +86 21 2020 1888; ritzcarlton.com
Living Room/100 Century Avenue
The Park Hyatt’s Living Room provides outstanding high-end cuisine in an elegant lounge setting. Chinese and Western light dishes are served, as well as afternoon tea. Perched on the hotel’s 91st floor, the much-loved 100 Century Avenue is still the highest restaurant in Shanghai, and is a luxurious space serving a wide range of cuisines, including Western options such as steak, and Japanese sushi and sashimi.
- Living Room open 7am-12am; 100 Century Avenue open 6am-10.30am, 11.30am-2.30pm, 5.30pm-10.30pm. 100 Century Avenue; tel +86 21 6888 1234; parkhyatt.com
Gran Melia
The restaurants and bars at the Gran Melia hotel bring a welcome touch of Hispanic glamour to Pudong. Spanish restaurant Albero serves tapas, as well as offering “a gastronomic journey through a maze of sweet and sour dishes”. Located on the 30th floor, the relaxed and opulent Red Passion Club offers great views, while at Havana Night you can enjoy some passionate Cuban cabaret.
- 1,288 Lujiazui Ring Road; tel +86 21 3867 8888; melia.com
Nadaman
This branch of the long-running group of Japanese fine-dining restaurants is located in the Shangri-La Pudong. The décor combines traditional touches such as paper lanterns with modern elements including reflective glass curtain walls and granite tables. Head chef Honda Masami leads his team in creating specialties such as the traditional kaiseki-ryori set menu.
- Open 11.30am-2.30pm, 6pm-10pm. 33 Fu Cheng Road; tel +86 21 5888 3768; shangri-la.com
Super Brand Mall
If you want to get away from the hotel scene, the Super Brand Mall offers mid-priced, mostly Chinese eateries. Din Tai Fung (tel +86 21 5047 8883) has branches throughout Asia-Pacific and is renowned for its steamed pork dumplings, while South Beauty (tel +86 21 5047 1817; southbeauty.com) serves Sichuan cuisine and offers great river views.
A good international option is Matto (tel +86 21 5081 0966; mattopizza.com). Open since May last year, it provides an authentic, fun Italian culinary experience. Chef Enzo has more than a decade’s catering experience in China and has worked in many five-star hotels. The restaurant’s style is simple and trendy, while imported Italian spaghetti and ovens sourced from Naples result in authentic tastes and fresh, crispy pizzas.
- 168 Lujiazui West Road; superbrandmall.com
Shanghai IFC Mall
The IFC mall provides options in a slightly more upmarket vein. US chain Morton’s of Chicago Bar and Steakhouse (tel +86 21 6075 8888; mortons.com/shanghai) chose to open its first China restaurant here – with space for 400 diners, it’s the world’s largest Morton’s. Huge French windows present diners with great views of prospering Lujiazui while they chow down on thick, tender steaks or tasty lobster soup, and there’s a VIP area for private gatherings and feasts.
The white interior of Italian restaurant Isola (tel +86 21 5012 1277; isolashanghai.com) creates an elegant environment for dining, and its well-priced lunches are popular with business people. Options include stone-baked pizzas, pastas and oven-baked black cod.
Cantonese cuisine is on offer at Lei Garden (tel +86 21 5106 1688; leigarden.hk/eng), while Jade Mansion (tel +86 21 5012 7728) offers fine local flavours. Top-notch Japanese eateries include Haiku by Hatsune (tel +86 21 3882 0792; haikushanghai.com) and Tenya (tel +86 21 3868 5357).
- 8 Century Avenue; shanghaiifcmall.com.cn/en
WHAT TO SEE
Oriental Pearl TV Tower
The 468-metre symbol of Shanghai is an instantly recognisable landmark containing 11 spheres of various sizes. A restaurant and visitors’ viewing area are open to the public. Entry fees range from 100 yuan (£10) for access to the second sphere, and 150 yuan (£15) for three spheres and the museum.
Shanghai World Financial Centre
There are three viewing platforms – the 100th-floor observation deck is Shanghai’s highest accessible point, with a 55-metre-long walkway suspended in mid-air, with a transparent bottom to test your nerve. The elevator takes 66 seconds to reach the 94th floor Sky Arena. swfc-shanghai.com
Aurora Art Museum
Located in the annex building of the Aurora 21st Century Building, this museum displays an amazing collection of jade antiquities, as well as Buddhist sculptures, ancient pottery and portraits. auroraplaza.com
World Expo Site
Though most of the pavilions from the 2010 Shanghai World Expo have been dismantled, some survived and were renovated. The China pavilion remains, while the Saudi Arabia pavilion has been converted into the Moon Boat, featuring the world’s largest IMAX cinema – which has a 1,600 sqm circular screen.
NEW HOTELS
IN LUJIAZUI…
- The former Sofitel JJ Oriental was rebranded as a Hilton Doubletree in February last year. The 850-room Doubletree By Hilton Hotel Shanghai Pudong is housed over two towers, with facilities including more than 2,000 sqm of meeting space, a gym, spa, outdoor tennis courts and an indoor pool. doubletree.hilton.com
- Four Seasons opened its second Shanghai property in September in the new 55-storey 21st Century Tower. The Four Seasons Shanghai Pudong has 172 rooms and 15 suites, restaurants, an executive lounge, spa facilities and an indoor pool overlooking Shanghai’s skyline, and event space for up to 500 people. fourseasons.com/pudong
- Mandarin Oriental is due to launch a Lujiazui property on the bank of the Huangpu River in July. The Mandarin Oriental Pudong Shanghai will have 44 suites, 318 guestrooms and 210 serviced apartments, along with six restaurants and bars and a spa with 13 suites. mandarinoriental.com
… AND BEYOND
- The Renaissance Shanghai Caohejing opened in August last year in Caohejing Hi-Tech Park in the western Xuhui district, about 7km from Hongqiao airport. It has 383 rooms, three restaurants, a pool, gym and 14 meeting rooms, including a 570 sqm ballroom. marriott.co.uk
- The Banyan Tree Shanghai on the Bund opened in October. Located on the western side of the Huangpu River, it has 130 rooms – all with river views – as well as four conference rooms, a spa and rooftop bar. banyantree.com
- Twelve at Hengshan – part of Starwood Hotels and Resorts’ Luxury Collection – opened in November in the Xuhui district. It has 171 rooms, a pool, a spa, two restaurants, a shopping gallery and 1,300 sqm of event space. starwoodhotels.com
- The 440-room Sheraton Shanghai Waigaoqiao opened in December, and is a 20-minute drive from Pudong International airport. It has a spa and 2,600 sqm of meeting space. starwoodhotels.com
- The 324-room Shanghai Marriott Hotel Pudong East launched in January in the Jinqiao Export Processing Zone. It has an executive lounge, three restaurants, and 1,700 sqm of meeting space. marriott.co.uk
- Shanghai’s third Shangri-La is set to open in a 60-storey tower in the Jing An district in the second quarter of this year. The 508-room Jing An Shangri-La West Shanghai will have a 55th-floor executive lounge, a spa, Chinese, Italian and steakhouse restaurants, and 4,465 sqm of meeting space. shangri-la.com
- The first W hotel for the city is to open in the north Bund area, in Hongkou district, in December 2014. The 379-room W Shanghai the Bund will have a spa, indoor and outdoor pools and two ballrooms. starwoodhotels.com
Additional research by Jessica Puckett
