Shanghai is a vigorous and energetic international city, which attracts visitors from all corners of the world, mostly with its unique place in modern China. The city is a tourist destination renowned for its historical landmarks such as the Bund and City God Temple, its modern and ever-expanding Pudong skyline including the Oriental Pearl Tower, and its new reputation as a cosmopolitan center of culture and design. Hotels abound, and travelers with sufficient funds can get finicky about location necessities and desires. Hotel rates in Shanghai's hotels are higher than in most other cities in China, and that is due to Shanghai's higher living standards.

Befitting its role as China's most cosmopolitan city, Shanghai boasts a bewilderingly large number of business and luxury hotels. A new hotel seems to be going up every few months in Shanghai. Here you'll also find every type of accommodation from all the international brands, to local guesthouses in the old town. Yet most of them are not cheap, leaving little variety and few options for the budget traveler.

Tourist attractions in Shanghai are of a somewhat different type, compared to those in many other cities in China. In Shanghai, you could not really expect to be overwhelmed with extraordinary cultural sites like the ones in Beijing or Xi’An. But expect to be impressed with some fantastic spots that are a little off the beaten track. Shanghai Xin Tian Di is located in the center of Shanghai City south of Huaihai Zhong Lu, gives you a taste of the ancient historical and cultural atmosphere of the city. Juxtaposing the old Shikumen architecture with modern urbanity this pedestrian area retains the antique walls, tiles and exterior of the Shikumen housing of old Shanghai, while its interior embodies a totally different world of international gallery, bars and cafes, boutiques or theme restaurants. When you walk into Xin Tian Di, you will get the taste both of Shanghai in the 1920's and the sonic modern urban lifestyle.

While the west boasts a wealth of grand buildings, built in European architectural styles from the nineteen-twenties, thirties and early forties, the PuDong district of Shanghai, the new financial and commercial district, displays a wide range of super tall skyscrapers. The most prominent examples include the Jin Mao Tower and the taller Shanghai World Financial Center, which at 492 metres tall is the tallest skyscraper in mainland China and ranks second in the world. The distinctive Oriental Pearl Tower, at 468 metres, is located nearby toward downtown Shanghai.

The 88-story Grand Hyatt Shanghai, responsible for holding Shanghai's skyline up and boasting the record for the world's tallest hotel, claims title to the most notable of PuDong's hotels for business-travelers. The surrounding Lu Jia Zui financial area also houses the Pu Dong Shangri-La Hotel and the Shanghai International Convention Center Hotel. Other noteworthy hotels located in Pudong include the New Asia Tomson Hotel, the Holiday Inn Pu Dong, the Grand You You Hotel and the Hotel Nikko Pu Dong.

Nostalgic visitors looking for a taste of Shanghai's colonial past should not pass up a stay at the historic Peace Hotel. Known as the Cathay Hotel in its prime, this was once the hotel of choice for Shanghai's elite travelers, and it maintains an internationally renowned reputation as one of the most famous hotels in the world. Dating back to the early twentieth century, the Peace Hotel features carefully restored art deco interiors.

Also in the heart of the Bund area, on the east bank of the Huangpu River and just around the corner from the Peace Hotel, is the affordable Pu Jiang Hotel. This hotel on Huang Pu Road provides travelers a taste of Shanghai's past at considerably lower prices, and considerably lower standards of course than the more famous Peace Hotel. Once known as the Astor House Hotel, it also dates back to the turn of the 20th century, but is more popular with backpackers and budget travelers, as it is one of the few hotels in Shanghai that offers economical dorm-room beds.

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