Four Seasons Hotel Shanghai

With its Puxi location, close to shopping on Nanjing Road, this is a good choice for families. But know that while the Four Seasons excels at luxury service, this property caters more to business travelers than leisure ones who may feel a bit lost in the large corporate hotel.

• The indoor pool
• The lunch buffet at Café Studio
• The warm color scheme of sunny yellows and blues in the rooms

This lovely property, located close to shopping on Nanjing Road, has a residential feel that makes it a good choice for families. Unlike so many of the soaring grand lobbies you find in Shanghai, this one is arranged with lots of art and smaller pieces of furniture—the kind you might find in a home. Comfortable sitting areas invite guests to linger. Suites begin on the 6th floor, with the presidential suite occupying the 36th floor. Fabrics in sunny yellows or terra-cotta hues like those found in Chinese porcelain warm up the 422 guest rooms. Even the brass hardware on the TV cabinets replicates familiar Chinese shapes, and small iron sculptures and porcelain dishes on desks and tables in select suites add a reminder of the country’s great artistic heritage. There are five restaurants on property, including a steak house available for private use. Situated on the ground floor beneath a sunny atrium, Café Studio offers an excellent lunch buffet with Shanghainese specialties and views of the bustling street. The pretty indoor pool on the fourth floor has chaises both indoors and out for lounging.

Be aware that across the street from the hotel there is a large construction project underway that is scheduled to be completed in 2015.