Where to stay in Shanghai

Boasting the world’s tallest hotel Shanghai is a great place to spend some time soaking up modern Chinese culture in an exciting, lively city. Shanghai is a fairly new phenomenon compared to the historical giants like the capital, Beijing, and Xi’an, where the terracotta warriors can be found.

Yet Shanghai has its own characteristics that can be very appealing to the visitor. The nightlife is buzzing, the sights are not to be missed and prosperity seems to seep out of every high rise. For smart hotels Shanghai is hard to beat so join other visitors and get ready for a wild and wonderful time.

The different types of hotels Shanghai has

For luxury hotels Shanghai has always been well catered for, in fact there are so many top end hotels Shanghai has that is can be difficult to know which one to choose. Some of the luxury hotels Shanghai has offer observatories for great views, art deco style rooms and even a serving of traditional English scones and sandwiches.

As it is not short on mid-range hotels Shanghai can offer the less wealthy visitor a decent night’s rest and comfortable rooms at reasonable prices. There are elegant grounds to explore in some of the mid-range hotels Shanghai has or centrally located positions, perfect for easy sightseeing.

It is the budget hotels Shanghai has that have always been rather lacking. However, the cheaper hotels Shanghai offers have started springing up in recent years to offer the traveller more choice. These can range from hostels with dormitories to inns with bright, airy rooms.

Festivals to enjoy in Shanghai

Many of the festivals that the Chinese enjoy follow the lunar calendar which means the dates change from year to year. If you enquire at your hotel Shanghai festival dates should be readily available.

The Lantern Festival takes place in January or February at the Yuyuan Gardens where families stroll about carrying coloured lanterns and make sweet dumplings. Eastern China’s oldest folk gathering is held in April at the Longhua Temple, where there is plenty of entertainment from stilt walkers to musicians.

For a feast of art, make sure you stay in one of the hotels Shanghai offers during November and December as it is the time for the Shanghai International Arts Festival. This month long event includes exhibitions, music from all over the world, acrobats, opera and dance. It is best to book your hotel in advance as the accommodation in the city gets very full at this time.

Of course Chinese New Year is the big celebration, and Longhua Temple has many festivities during this time including lion and dragon dances. The bell is struck 108 times and monks offer prayers.

Any of the hotels Shanghai offers will give you a glimpse of the taste of things to come as this city is such an up-and-coming place. So now if you book a hotel Shanghai will be waiting to greet you. The best way to get there is to buy your flight through BudgetAir as this company offers great deals at knockdown prices.