The Puli Hotel and Spa

I booked this hotel online when I found out I was going to Shanghai, and it was everything its website promised and more. As soon as you enter you understand what they mean by Urban Resort, because even though it is a short hop from Nanjang Road (which is basically Rodeo Drive on steroids), the PuLi Hotel is one of the most gorgeous, zen, quiet hotels I have ever seen. The scale is part of what makes it so breathtaking -- for example the 32-meter Long Bar in the lobby (which at one end is a bar and at the other end is the check-in and concierge desk) is one long continuous piece of wood. My room had high ceilings and felt like a zen New York loft space that should be featured in a design magazine. If you are choosing where to stay in Shanghai (and it’s your first trip like it was mine) I would probably recommend something on the Bund looking out at the river (like the splurgy Peninsula Shanghai)... but if business or shopping takes you anywhere near Nanjang Road in old Shanghai, this is a great place to stay. And don’t miss the Puli’s Anantara Spa and pool (pictured). The pool is long and zen and gorgeous as well, and the spa is beautiful and relaxing. You might treat yourself to a treatment and swim, then have a drink in the lobby bar even if you’re not staying here.

While diners in Italy eagerly anticipate the harvest of truffles, for residents of Shanghai autumn is marked by another culinary arrival: freshwater crabs. These sweet crabs harvested from the lakes of eastern China have been celebrated for centuries and they can be found on the menus of Shanghai’s leading restaurants at the end of September. While the bustle of Shanghai can make it easy to feel far from nature, the PuLi Hotel and Spa is an urban resort with bamboo-shaded reflecting ponds where you can sit and enjoy the cooler temperatures. The Anantara Spa provides an even more relaxing retreat within the resort. Beyond Shanghai, the towns of Suzhou and Hangzhou are easy day trips, famous for the vibrant fall foliage displays of yellow ginkos and red maples. For a true bird’s-eye view of Shanghai far above those trees, travelers can ascend to the top of the Shanghai Tower which opened this summer (it’s seen under construction on the right side of the photo here, in October 2014). The world’s second tallest building stands at 2,073 feet, a symbol of the economic strength of China’s financial capital, and has views for 30 miles each direction. To experience the best of both Shanghai’s urban attractions and the quiet serenity of Jing’an Park and the landscaped grounds of the PuLi Hotel and Spa, visit The Leading Hotels of the World as you plan your trip to China.

Very nice pool with girls.No wonder everyone would like it.