Best Hotel Bars in Shanghai

When you’re in a great hotel, it doesn’t feel likeone, the experience is more akin to being dropped inside some mysterious movie. There’s action, intrigue, strangers everywhere, and an unlimited number of ways your evening might turn out. When people talk about Shanghai bars, they often overlook hotel bars, but they really shouldn’t. Here are some of our favorites to start (or end) a wild night out. 

Flair

Ritz Carlton Hotel Pudong

Address:  58/F, 8 Shiji Da Dao, near Lujiazui Huan Lu

Hours: Mon-Fri 5:30PM-02:00AM, Sat-Sun 2:00PM-4:30PM, Sat-Sun 5:30PM-02:00AM 

Tel: [phone]

When it has to be the best of the best you may want to opt for the Ritz, more specifically, Flair bar on the 58th floor. It’s stylish, contemporary and has easily the best Pudong side view you can get. Rustic and contemporary deisgn combine for a casualy elegant evening. Did we mention they have an enormous selection of high quality liqors? Including over 40 types of vodkas. If you want to look like you’re in a James Bond film for the evening, this is your spot.

XTD Elevated

Langham Hotel

Address: 5/F, 99 Madang Lu, near Taicang Lu 

Hours: 5:00pm to 1:00am

Tel: [phone]

Located on 5th floor of the Langham in Xintiandi, Elevated offers a gorgeous outdoor setting for tapas, snacks, and spectacular drinks. There are leather day beds, intimate candle-lit tables, and private cabanas with personalized service if booked ahead.

99 Century Avenue

Park Hyatt Hotel

Address: 100 Century Avenue

Hours: 11:00 am - 1:00 am

Tel: [phone]

Leather everywhere, to go along with some of the best views in the city. There’s a shockingly elegant ambience about this bar, understated yet still as fancy as any other. There’s a delicious selection of classic cocktails to go along with class antique telescopes, if you’re going to start your evening off like a boss, this is a solid choice.

Char

Indigo Hotel

Address: 29-31/F, 585 Zhongshan Dong Er Lu, near Dongmen Lu

Hours: 6pm-late 

Tel: [phone]

You can find the breath-taking Char Bar on the 30th floor of Hotel Indigo. It sits right along the Bund, which gives Char some of the best views in the city. There’s even an outdoor bar and terrace for some Al Fresca drinks, and the drinks are great. The interior is dark wood, candel light and orange/red neon glow, accented by modern art pieces and installations. Whether it’s for a business meeting, a date, or just a rollicking night out, you won’t regret making Char a part of the evening. 

Long Bar

Waldorf Astoria Hotel

Address: Waldorf Astoria, Heritage Building, Lobby Level 2 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu

Hours: Mon-Sat, 4pm-1am, Sun, 2pm-1am

Tel: [phone]

One of Shanghai’s most iconic bars, the Long Bar at the Waldorf Astoria hotel, is a must for any cocktail loving visitor. Why is it called the long bar you may ask, well, because it’s 111 feet of gorgeous raw mahogany. During its historic olden days (it opened in 1910), you could tell who was a more important social elite by where they were sitting along the bar. Those seated at the bar’s east end, facing outward onto the panorama of the Huangpu, were crème de la crème, while newcomers and nobodies were left with the other end. That sort of practice has vanished but Long Bar still retains an air of mystery and nostalgia, making it an incredible choice to start or end an evening with friends. 

Sir Elly's

Peninsula Hotel

Address: 13/F, 32 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, near Beijing Dong Lu

Hours: Daily, noon-2.30pm, Sun-Thu, 6-10.30pm, Fri-Sat, 6-11pm 

Tel: [phone]

Sir Elly's is a euro-style bar and restaurant on the thirteenth floor of the elegant Peninsula hotel. It’s got stunning views across the river to Pudong, as well as delightfully funky Art Deco decor, and some high prices that are more than justified given the expertly concocted cocktails and other beverages.