The Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund was former known as the Shanghai Club, home of the city’s legendary Long Bar and a center of colonial-era social standing. It now occupy a fancy building that stood empty and decaying for decades until Hilton bring it back to life and turned it into a hotel in 2011. Hilton preserved most of the architecture but updated the interiors.
It’s all very old money and new luxurius layered together, though the atmosphere lean polished rather than stuffy. Here is a look inside a Guest Room. These details make this one of the best places to stay on the Bund if you are planning to stay in one of the few heritage hotels along the waterfront.
A Tour of the Guest Room
Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund
You walk in and immediate recognize the scale of the space. Everything feel substantial yet not showy: the materials, the proportion, and even the high ceiling. Beyond the original club structure is the tower.
On the higher floors, you get a view of the river (minus any street noise).
A proper entry corridor lead to guest rooms, not right into the bedroom. Marble is inlaid on the floor of the vestibule, and there is an open wardrobe where you can see what’s inside (shelves, hangers) instead of fumbling with a door. These is small things that make unpacking easier.
The twin-bedded rooms features cream sleigh-style frames. There’s one bedside table between the two bed. The phone appears to be out of another decade.
Turndown service are complete. The console, work desk and sleeping area is all distinct. You don’t have to look at the TV from your pillow.
On the console is a Nespresso coffee machine. Open the drawer and there are the capsules, presented in a tray. Cups and saucers is in the cabinet beneath.
Everything is easy to reach but hidden.
Mahogany cabinets house the TV, which face the beds. Rooms overlooking the Huangpu River offers a clear view of Pudong on the opposite side. Glass panes aren’t floor to ceiling, but they frame the scene nicely.
The bathrooms has dark marble and twin vanities. A lacquered amenity box contains the standard line-up of Waldorf Astoria toiletries inside when you open it. Lots of storage and enough counter space to accommodate two person preparing for the day simultaneously.
Veined marble encloses the walk-in shower, including a built-in bench and a separate handheld spray. The controls is simple, and there is no juggling tiny tubes because the amenity bottles is attached to the wall. The water pressure are consistent.
The tub, which is deep enough to actualy enjoy a bath, is set into its own marble surround. The vanity has a nice big mirror with good lighting above it, and the flooring is done in same marble. This isn’t just a bathroom that checks a box; it’s a comfortabley bathroom.
The Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund is a hotel. The Waldorf Astoria doesn’t try to reinvent itself; it’s just doing what you’d expect from the brand. It’s a nice hotel and the restoration is respectful while not making the place feel like a museum (the history of the building gives it some heft).
It’s got a good location and the rooms is spacious enough if you’re looking for somewhere right at the heart of the Bund. You should of visited. Have you been to any of the other heritage buildings on the Bund?
How do they compares?
