Why the trip?
I make regular business trips to Shanghai several times a year. Normally I just zip in and out and hardly venture out of the Financial district in the Pudong area where my office is located. In July 2014, I had planned some meetings in Shanghai and it was going to be another of my whirlwind business trips. I always plan my trips such that I come home for the weekend. Further, it was a long weekend ahead for that trip. Then something cropped up suddenly on the next Tue in Tianjin. It really did not make sense to fly back on Friday night and fly out on Monday morning (which was a public holiday) again. So I decided to stay in Shanghai over the weekend. I decided that I might as well take the opportunity to check out Shanghai. It has been over 10 years since I last visited the Bund too. DH decided to join me that weekend since he had not been to Shanghai for some years too. He flew in on Friday night and went back on Monday when I flew to Tianjin.
Banyan Tree Shanghai on the Bund
I normally stay at the Grand Hyatt Jinmao in Pudong whenever I am in Shanghai. I am someone who likes familiarity. But since I was going to stay over the weekend this trip, I decided to try out the new hotel on our corporate list, the Banyan Tree Shanghai on the Bund, which is in Puxi as I plan to explore Puxi in my free time.
Although it is called Banyan Tree, Shanghai on the bund, it is in a different section as the main bund area, and you’ll need to grab a taxi to get to the main bund area. The hotel was pretty new then and was located in a new street little known to taxi drivers. I speak mandarin and could direct the drivers. If you can’t speak mandarin, you may have problem with taxis. It just opened not long when I was there in Jul 2014. Hopefully by now, taxi drivers know this hotel already
I had a deluxe room which had a pretty standard Banyan Tree city hotel room layout. Beautiful as usual. It had a huge bathroom with a big round bathtub for 2 by the window overlooking the river. As usual and befitting the standard of Banyan Tree, the room was tastefully done up in modern chinese style. I love it. Every night at turn down, cookies and a souvenirs were left on the bed for guests. For my 4 nights there, I had a male panda, female panda, chinese design note book and a turtle. All lovely souvenirs.
Deluxe Room @ Banyan Tree Shanghai on the Bund
Breakfast at the hotel was the usual local and international fare. There was a wide variety. It was pretty good.
Another Face of Shanghai
We had already been to yu garden years back and really were not interested in the usual tourist places. So I contacted World of Noodle for a walking Photographic Tour of the Old Town of Shanghai. The cost was RMB350 per person. It was a very flexible tour and they will take you to the places most suitable for the style of photography that you like. DH and I are really only amateur photographers wannabes so we just let the guide decide where to bring us. Our brief to her was just show us some nostalgic stuff. The guide was a Dutch lady who had stayed in Shanghai for many years, so we communicated in English. We met up with her at Xintiandi on Saturday morning and set off. Frankly, I’m not sure of the name of the places she brought us. We went to a wet market where they sell fresh produce. Raw fish heads, ducks, meat etc are hung up for display to customers.
Fresh raw food on disply in the morning market, Old Town of Shanghai
There was also the fruits and dry goods section of the market and urns of wine in a wine shop.
Morning market, Old Town of Shanghai
Along the way, we passed by regular homes and locals going about their everyday life, having a haircut, a shave outside their house, street hawkers etc.
Along the streets of Old Town of Shanghai
Along the streets of the Old Town of Shanghai
Old Town of Shanghai
We also visited a neighbourhood Buddhist Temple.
Buddhist Temple, Old Town of Shanghai
There was also an interesting weekend Pets Market. There were many selling crickets and their related accessories, birds etc. these are all traditional pets of the rich Chinese in the old days.
Weekend Pets Market, Old Town of Shanghai
It was an interesting morning and we enjoyed ourselves, snapping away. What we saw of Shanghai that morning was totally different from the Shanghai that I thought I know, the financial district in Pudong that I was all so familiar with. That was a different face of Shanghai hidden from the tourists and the high flying executive, bankers and fund managers in Pudong.
We went to a cafe at the end of the tour to get a quick sandwich lunch before catching a cab back to our hotel. We walked so much that morning, I was looking forward to the spa treatment I had booked.
Whenever I stay at a Banyan tree, I had to go to their Banyan Tree Spa. DH and I each had a body scrub and massage. As usual we loved it. The ambience was excellent too.
Night out on the Bund:
1. Long Bar @ Waldorf Astoria
That evening, we went to the Long Bar at the Waldorf Astoria opposite the Bund for a drink before dinner. This was an old gentlemen’s club of old Shanghai, dating back to 1910. Gaining entry to the world’s longest bar back in 1910 wasn’t enough for a social triumph for some. The Shanghai Club’s extravagant 111-foot Long Bar, in glorious raw mahogany, was a barometer of the social status of its patrons. Those who were seated at the bar’s east end, facing the panorama of the Huangpu River were the sparkling social elite, while newcomers were relegated to the other end. DH and I were lucky enough to be able to sit where the social elite sat!
The Long Bar @ Waldorf Astoria, The Bund, Shanghai
2. Dinner @ Lost Heaven on the Bund
After our drinks, we took a short stroll to our dinner venue. We had made reservations at a nearby restaurant, Lost Heaven on the Bund at Yan An Road. Restaurant deco was very pretty and charming. They serve Yunnan cuisine and the food was good. We especially like the Ka La Grilled Pork. We needed to wait at least 20 mins for this dish but it was worth it. Meat was lean, yet so tender. This is probably the best food I’ve eaten in all my various trips to Shanghai. Very tasty too. Service was also pleasant.
Dinner @ Lost Heaven on the Bund
We had made reservation over the internet and even communicated with the restaurant via email, but when we got there, they could find record of our reservation. Fortunately they were able to get us a table. This restaurant was very crowded. So pls do make reservations if you want to eat here.
Remember to check out the toilets when you come. The wash basin area was quite cute. I won’t say more so as not to spoil the surprise. My only gripe about this place was that it was very noisy.
3. Stroll along the Bund
After dinner, we strolled along the Bund. It was all lighted up on our side. Very pretty. The last time I visited the Bund more than 10 years back was in the day. It is definitely prettier at night.
The Bund, Shanghai
The Bund, Shanghai
From the Bund, looking across the Huangpu River, is the Oriental Pearl Tower, an icon of Shanghai.
Oriental Pearl Tower, Pudong, Shanghai
Huangpu River, separating Shanghai into Puxi (west of the river) which is also the Old Town, and Pudong (east of the river), which is the New Town
4. Roof Top Bar @ Banyan Tree
Back at the hotel, we wanted to sit at the hotel roof top bar for a drink, but alas, it was not to be. The roof top bar at the Banyan Tree overlooks the Bund and could be a pleasant place to sit around for a drink at night if they stop allowing little kids to run around at the side. I don’t think kids should be allowed in the bar, they should impose a min age limit. Chinese kids can be pretty spoiled ( due to the one child policy in China) and so these little kids were pretty irritating and spoils the ambience of the bar. Non hotel guests need to pay a cover charge but there was no cover charge for hotel guests. Unfortunately the bar filled up pretty quickly at night and it was not easy to get a table. Probably also because they accommodate family with kids. I won’t visit this bar again unless they stop the kids from coming.
Next up: Shopping at Tianzifang and Jazz Afternoon Tea at The Peace Hotel.