Shanghai - The Bund

[brickmark]

Hi all,

Off to Shanghai next month for the first time (4 nights Saturday to Tuesday). A couple of friends have said to stay near the Bund because this is where it is all happening. Is The Bund a touristy area? Is The Bund similar to Fisherman’s Wharf in SF, Times Sq in NYC or Darling Harbour in Sydney?

Deciding between Les Suites on The Bund or Grand Hyatt in the financial district. Is it easy to travel from financial district to The Bund as needed?

Any recommendations or suggestions would be appreciated – cheers.

 

[Deleted member]

The Bund is the old financial district. It is also a park with walks and the like beside the river. There are plenty of night clubs and restaurants nearby.
Mrs GPH and I stayed at the Peace Hotel , not far from the Bund, a few years ago, it's an older slightly third "Art Deco" style place, but it was comfortable. When we walked in I was thinking "Oh dear, this doesn't look good". But we enjoyed the few days before we moved to the Westin for the conference. Our biggest gripe was the incredible pollution. However while we were there, a holiday weekend occurred, and by the third day it was really nice. Here is a tunnel under the river , the train ride was memorable for the light show. We went on the "Mag Lev" bullet train as well. That was cool. Can't recall too much more TBH . But overall we enjoyed our stay.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

bm FWIW I have been in SH 100s of times - initially I stayed at Peace Hotel which is right on The Bund - now I always stay totally opposite end of Nanjing Lu pedestrian street in Le Royal Meridien - it is a stone's throw from People Square and IMHO best location in SH. PS subway stn 200mtrs away - you can walk straight down Nanjing Lu ped street to The Bund in ~20mins.

The Bund is indeed tourist central - if weather fine then throng along Bund unbelievable - that is main reason I stay other end.

Peace Hotel has been totally refurbed a few years back - now run by Fairmont group - a seriously quality hotel. SH has 1000s of hotels in all price ranges - but certain periods can be extremely busy - once you have decided on hotel and dates set then book hotel.

Everybody will have diff views of which hotel to stay at so hopefully you will get plenty advice. Getting around SH extremely easy - subway is a soda and all tix machines have English option - if you can count to 10 you will master subway in a breeze - download subway app onto your smart phone and you good to go. Taxis plentiful and cheap and reliable - unless you pick a dodgy one at major touristy spots - if they don't imm put meter on when you enter and they start quoting you price get out walk a hundred metres or 2 and hail another one.

Hotel concierge will be your best friend - AFFers your second best - ask away and any questions will be answered.

 

[Hvr]

Is the Bund a tourist area? Do bears use the woods as a toilet?

It is the place where photography is a sport and as a white man I was asked to join many selfies during my time there in 2008 (Expo).

I reckon it's a Times Square type of place.

 

[samh004]

I recall the Bund fondly, went to this restaurant, they also had a venue in Hong Kong at the time.

https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Restaurant_Review-g308272-d858293-Reviews-M_on_the_Bund-Shanghai.html

 

[JohnPhelan]

The Westin which is about a block back from the Bund is a great hotel. Close, but that little bit removed.

 

[Mogul]

Stayed at Les Suites last year and would stay there again in a heartbeat.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi all,

Off to Shanghai next month for the first time (4 nights Saturday to Tuesday). A couple of friends have said to stay near the Bund because this is where it is all happening. Is The Bund a touristy area? Is The Bund similar to Fisherman’s Wharf in SF, Times Sq in NYC or Darling Harbour in Sydney?

Deciding between Les Suites on The Bund or Grand Hyatt in the financial district. Is it easy to travel from financial district to The Bund as needed?

Any recommendations or suggestions would be appreciated – cheers.

for a Saturday to Tuesday I'd either stay at people's square (per CE's suggestion) or on the bund. On the bund you could look at either the Peace Hotel or the Waldorf Astoria. Both of those are fully renovated and true slices of history. Shanghai is all about the history of the former concessions - British on the bund and French behind it - and the food and bars.

staying the pudong side (financial) is out of the way, and I can't think of anything much to recommend it... although depending on the hotel you might get some stunning views across to the bund. Peoples Square is convenient for ventures to the former French Concession, plus the odd trip to the bund.

 

[brickmark]

Stayed at Les Suites last year and would stay there again in a heartbeat.

Cheers Mogul - I think we will stay here. Any tips. We have got the Bund view room booked. How is the breaky at this hotel?

 

[scwappy]

Be cautious with scams in Shanghai, worth reading up on them especially the 'can you take my picture one'.......

 

[brickmark]

Be cautious with scams in Shanghai, worth reading up on them especially the 'can you take my picture one'.......

Just googled it - quite a few to be wary off Cheers. One guy suggested to pretend to be French and not speak English.... Bonjour.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Just googled it - quite a few to be wary off Cheers. One guy suggested to pretend to be French and not speak English.... Bonjour.

It is quite simple - just ignore any Chinese who approaches you and tries to talk to you - ignore them or sharply say 'No thanks' and keep walking - no eye contact at all reqd - just keep walking - if they approach you 99.9% guarantee they are going to try to scam you.

Also very very easy to distinguish genuine Chinese on the Bund who just want their pictures taken with foreigners - this is very common and totally safe and innocent. - but if you cannot identify which is which ignore all. If you get scammed after reading this advice by not heading it then only yourself to blame - and don't worry many a sharpie has been scammed.

 

[brickmark]

It is quite simple - just ignore any Chinese who approaches you and tries to talk to you - ignore them or sharply say 'No thanks' and keep walking - no eye contact at all reqd - just keep walking - if they approach you 99.9% guarantee they are going to try to scam you.

Also very very easy to distinguish genuine Chinese on the Bund who just want their pictures taken with foreigners - this is very common and totally safe and innocent. - but if you cannot identify which is which ignore all. If you get scammed after reading this advice by not heading it then only yourself to blame - and don't worry many a sharpie has been scammed.

Got done big in Egypt in my younger days and lived in Europe for a couple of years. (The Gypsies are pretty good at it) but good to have a heads up on the local tweak of a scam and ways to avoid. Thanks

 

[Mogul]

Breakfast was fine with a good selection of food and up to any western hotel standard.

 

[388]

I stayed at Les Orient Suites many years ago and loved it. Can drivers may have trouble finding it though. View was great as you can see the ships passing through.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Just googled it - quite a few to be wary off Cheers. One guy suggested to pretend to be French and not speak English.... Bonjour.

if you reply in French the very next person will speak French to you

CE's advice is good, just be polite but firm that you aren't after whatever they are offering or want from you. While scams are annoying, you won't have any concerns about your personal safety.

 

[clazman]

Have to try the Shanghai Maglev Train... 450klm from the airport to close to town

 

[Cossie]

Anyone stayed at the Pujiang (Astor House Hotel) recently, the dorm in the early eighties was interesting to say the least, doubt I'd recognise it today.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Have to try the Shanghai Maglev Train... 450klm from the airport to close to town

430kmh was original max speed but that is now only achieved on a very limited number of trips ea day - I think ~9 in ea direction:



And:



Whispers floating around that a railway station linking the national HSR system will be built adjacent to PVG a la Hongqiao at SHA. Also whispers if / when this happens Maglev will be closed down. As much as I love 430kmh on Maglev direct links to HSR network at PVG would be sensational.

Maglev distance is exactly 30km - why? The reason the Maglev is exactly 30 km long and terminates in the middle of nowhere is because it was intended to be a demonstration track, and 30 km was the minimum distance required to get it up to maximum speed for 1.5 minutes

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Anyone stayed at the Pujiang (Astor House Hotel) recently, the dorm in the early eighties was interesting to say the least, doubt I'd recognise it today.

yes. it's been restored, although the lobby is still very much in the 'faded grandeur' league. The rooms are quite nice though.

it's one of my recommended hotels for tourists, a real sense of shanghai history rather than a large hotel chain where you lose all sense of the identity of the city.