Upper House Shanghai

Character and identity

Set within the Dazhongli complex just off Nanjing West Road, Upper House Shanghai occupies two crescent-shaped towers that Piero Lissoni curved in homage to traditional Chinese rooftops, wrapping a central bamboo garden. The 111 rooms feel calm and light-flooded behind floor-to-ceiling windows, while the public spaces lean moodier, mixing Italian furniture with Chinese antiques and contemporary art commissioned by Alison Pickett. Dining centres on the Michelin-selected Sui Tang Li and the more theatrical Café Gray Deluxe with its champagne terrace. Mi Xun Spa, tucked between the towers, partners with LVMH's pu'er-based Cha Ling line.

Who's it for

Bottom line

What defines a stay here is the design intelligence: Lissoni's east-meets-west interiors, the commissioned art in every room, and the thoughtful touches like the bedside rope that kills all the lights at once. Book it if you care about how a hotel looks and feels as much as where it sits. Aim for a higher-floor room in either tower, and avoid the major fashion and design weeks unless you've locked in early.