Situated in the heart of Jing’an, just steps away from the delightful chaos of the Nanjing West Road, the Upper House is Shanghai’s ultimate hideaway for those seeking both discretion and high style. Pulling up through the bamboo-lined driveway and into the lobby, with its jade-tiled walls and colossal Murano glass chandelier, you’d never guess you were so close to one of the city’s busiest shopping areas; decorated with a distinctive blend of Italian modernism and Chinese craft (the property’s interiors were conceived by Piero Lissoni), there’s a temple-like calm to the crisp lines and dark woods that span every corner of the property. The rooms here are equally striking: upon opening your door, the blinds will rise to reveal the sweeping views of the city beyond—a vista best enjoyed from the freestanding soaking tub in your ensuite bathroom, lavishly stocked with Bamford products, including the all-important geranium bath salts. It’s a masterclass in thoughtful East-meets-West design.
Photo: Courtesy of Upper House Shanghai
The Upper House’s other trump card is its food and beverage offering: on every evening of my stay, every outpost seemed to be abuzz with locals and visitors alike. On the more casual side, there’s Café Gray Deluxe, an all-day restaurant and lounge on the third floor that transforms into a moody cocktail bar by night, and serves as a space for a rotating series of culinary pop-ups; when I was there in December, the team was hosting a pop-up by the World’s 50 Best Bars, with mixologists from across East Asia whizzing up artisanal cocktails across a series of booths. But the real standout is the superb Sui Tang Li restaurant, which is worth a visit even if you aren’t actually staying here. Serving contemporary riffs on classic dishes from across Shanghainese, Sichuan, and Cantonese cuisines, standouts include the rich, deeply umami jamón Ibérico xiao long bao with a colorful swirl decorating the wrapper, and the crunchy hazelnut foie gras with shatteringly crisp scallion pancakes for scooping up on the side. Unsurprisingly, the dining room was packed. Most importantly, though, there’s just a lovely residential feel to the hotel—if you want to feel like a well-heeled, style-conscious Shanghainese for a few nights, this is the place to book. —Liam Hess
