What is it? Pier One is Shanghai's first 'hospitality complex', which is another name for a boutique hotel plus extras. On its radar are international visitors with a sturdy wad of spare cash, plus their Shanghai cousins. Pier One considers itself a 'complex' rather than a hotel because it incorporates a park on a promontory in Suzhou Creek, a small marina for flashy speedboats, a nightclub, a roof terrace with bar and a beautiful-people's restaurant, the Mimosa Supperclub, which fancies itself as a fixture in the movie stars' playground. The hotel building, however, is the star of the show.
Please explain: the hotel occupies an authentic architectural gem (far right). Part of a dwindling legion that has resisted the wrecking-ball, the building - built in 1934 - is the art deco former Union Brewery. An ornamental lake crossed by a zigzag wooden footbridge sets the building off fetchingly, especially by moonlight, and the roof terrace tops it off ... although the centre-point (and talking point) of this lofty perch is its slate open-air Jacuzzi.
What's on the menu? Seventeen types of champagne, best enjoyed at Mimosa's marble bar while marvelling at the 1950s version of futuristic decor. Industrial bare brick walls, exposed columns and retro lighting make up the unlikeliest incarnation of cool since the Arctic Monkeys. On your plate you can expect to find the creations of Michelin-starred chef Stefan Stiller.
What are the rooms like? Shag-pile carpets notwithstanding, Pier One's 24 rooms and suites (above) are minimalist and modernist. Each is unique in shape and appearance, the most opulent being the Concubine, Empress, Emperor and two-floor river-view suites. Large, free-standing bath tubs are to be found in some bedrooms, while some of the bathrooms have burnished tiled surfaces that lend a Middle Eastern air.
Anything else we should know? Pier One is a departure for a city big on five-star hotel brands but slow on the uptake when it comes to intimate, unique accommodation. The (re)development stands on the edge of the kudos-laden 'artists' colony' off Moganshan Lu, which translates as a '15-minute taxi trip from The Bund'.
What's the bottom line? Rooms cost from 1,660 yuan a night.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tK%2FMqWWcp51krrPAyJyjnmdmZ4V0fpRop6KdomK8r7GMrJ%2Bappedrqo%3D