Staying in Lujiazui, Pudong

Lujiazui is the cluster of towers you photograph from the Bund. Staying in it is a different proposition entirely: excellent hotels, extraordinary views, and a district with almost no street life.

The view argument is real. Waking up above the river with that skyline outside your window is genuinely worth paying for once. It is just not where life happens.

Who should stay here

People on business in Pudong, people who specifically want the view, and families heading for the Shanghai Ocean Aquarium and Science and Technology Museum, which sit next to each other here.

Also worth considering if you arrive late at Pudong airport and want to avoid a long transfer before bed.

Who should not

Anyone whose plan involves wandering in the evenings. The streets are wide, the blocks are enormous, and after office hours there is very little going on at ground level.

Every good walk in this city starts on the other side of the river.

Practical notes

River crossings are frequent and quick: line 2 runs every couple of minutes and takes about five minutes to cross. Taxis through the tunnel are fast outside rush hour.

Higher floors cost significantly more and it matters here more than anywhere else in the city — the skyline is the product you are buying.

The downside

It is a financial district that empties at 6pm, the street-level food is poor, and you cross the river for everything.