The Peninsula Shanghai

If, as we contend, Shanghai is going to be the future’s unofficial capital, it’s going to need more extraordinary hotels of every description — not just modern-design boutique hotels but classic grand hotels as well. The Peninsula Shanghai, on that score, certainly qualifies as a rather large step in the right direction; with its soaring, marble-clad Art Deco lobby (and its location on the Bund, a location where classic architecture is the rule) it already feels like it’s been here more or less forever.

In the rooms, as well, it’s clear that this is the sort of luxury hotel that worries about intangibles like atmosphere just as much as it does about thread count or square footage. They’re a microcosm of this hotel’s century-spanning appeal, historical style meeting modern construction and technology (from jetted tubs to iPod docks), resulting in some of Shanghai’s most desirable accommodations.

It’s old-meets-new elsewhere as well, from the Peninsula’s restored 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom to its spa, where 21st-century treatments are administered in an environment that’s a dead ringer for 1920s Paris. The restaurants, on opening, immediately moved into Shanghai’s top tier, as expected — from top to bottom, this Peninsula perfectly illustrates the concept of the instant classic.

Travel advisory: Passport and visa requirements differ from country to country. Please check with your local authority before booking.