Capella Shanghai

Location: Shanghai, Hangzhou & Eastern China | China

Price guide: £££££ £200-£350 per person per night

Capella Shanghai sits in the city's glamorous Xuhui district, within the historic Jian Ye Li estate, which dates back to the 1930s, and this luxury hotel exhibits both the traditional Shanghainese shikumen style and the French-influenced architecture popular in the city at the time. The French theme continues in the hotel's restaurants, most notably the high-end Le Comptoire de Pierre Gagnaire.

Perfect forA taste of old-world Shanghainese glamour.

In the knowArchitect Jaya Ibrahim expanded on the area’s traditional shikumen architecture when designing the hotel’s interiors, which aim to reflect Shanghainese life from the 1930s and blend Chinese and French influences.

Recommended for...

Boutique Hotel
History & Heritage
Cultural Immersion
Food & Wine

Hotel Overview

Sense of Place

Capella Shanghai is in the historic Xuhui neighbourhood of Shanghai, a bustling shopping and business district famous for its beautifully-preserved French architecture. The hotel is set in the area’s final remaining shikumen – a type of traditional Shanghai stone building style.

Rooms at Capella Shanghai

Accommodation at Capella Shanghai is spread across the hotel’s collection of beautiful villas, which combine the homely elegance of Shikumen architecture - red brick, garden courtyards and heavy wooden doors - with the luxury of a modern high-end hotel. The interiors have a vaguely Art Deco feel, reflecting the influence of early 20th-century French styles, while Chinese traditions are represented with woodblock art prints and ornate wooden carvings on the walls. Each bedroom is connected to a beautiful marble bathroom, complete with luxury Acqua di Parma toiletries.

While the style is traditional, the amenities are state-of-the-art, with the villas boasting Bose music systems, high-speed Wi-Fi and LCD televisions. Each villa has a rooftop terrace from which you can enjoy the view of the shikumen estate, including the famous Water Tower - a local landmark which looms before the horizon.

Food & Drink

Le Comptoire de Pierre Gagnaire, the hotel’s restaurant, is a beautiful space where you’ll find the same superb French cuisine which has earned chef Gagnaire no fewer than three Michelin stars.

A more informal alternative is La Boulangerie et Patisserie, where a delectable range of croissants and pastries are on offer as well as coffee and sandwiches. For a truly unique dining experience head to The Lab, where a personal chef designs a customised tasting menu for you. Le Bar, meanwhile, is the place to go for a digestif, with a wide-ranging menu of creative cocktails, premium spirits and more.

Facilities

The Auriga Spa’s unique selection of wellness treatments and therapies is based around the lunar calendar, and comprises a variety of creative aromatherapy, hydrotherapy and reflexology techniques as well as more traditional massages and body wraps. You’ll also find a gym, pool and steam room, while classes are on offer including meditation, Pilates and tai chi.

Activities at Capella Shanghai

Your exploration of Shanghai should begin right on your doorstep in the Jian Ye Li estate, which offers a fascinating slice of 1930s life in Shanghai: the area’s paved streets and pretty parks are easily explored on foot or by bike. Other must-sees during your time in Shanghai include the Jade Buddha Temple, home to a famous reclining Buddha statue, and the serene Yu Garden.

For a taste of contemporary Shanghainese culture, head to the M50 modern art complex and gawp at the awesome Shanghai Tower, the world’s second-tallest building.