Hotel Review: Hyatt on the Bund Shanghai
The Hyatt on the Bund Shanghai is one of multiple Hyatt luxury hotels in the city. In this extensive review, we’ll explain of what you can expect when staying here!
There is hardly any hotel market in the hotel world, where you can find so many amazing luxury hotels at a relatively reasonable price point as in Shanghai.
- Classification: Five Stars
- Room Category: River View Suite
- Month of Stay: July
A great example in that regard is the hotel chain Hyatt, that has a total of four high luxury properties in the city. The Hyatt on the Bund Shanghai is the oldest of the four, but it also comes with most mesmerizing views due to its location on the Northern end of the Bund as this location allows for views of both sides of the river. In this extensive review, I’ll explain why staying here is definitely worth the money and I would particularly recommend this property to tourists travelling to Shanghai.
River View Suite at the Hyatt on the Bund Shanghai
If you are looking for a truly special room at the Hyatt on the Bund Shanghai, I’d recommend the River View Suite as this room category offers sweeping views of the Bund in all directions.
At the same time, these suites are pretty spacious. When entering, you can find an entrance area as well as a walk-in wardrobe.
The first larger room is the living room, which is already much more spacious than most rooms at European luxury hotels.
I’d consider the design of the Hyatt on the Bund Shanghai to be fine, but you can definitely see that the property is a couple years old.
The living room has a larger couch with a table and an armchair, which is great for hosting some friends or your family.
There’s also a large working desk with two comfortable chairs (not ergonomic though), which is a good spot to get some work done. Right next to it, you can find a flat-screen television, which is located on a sideboard.
Also, on this sideboard, there’s a Nespresso coffee machine (complimentary), plus the minibar (chargeable). Furthermore, a very nicewelcome gift for booking through Hyatt Privé already expected me upon arrival.
The views from the living room aren’t as perfect as those from the bedroom, but you can already spot most of the Puxi side of the bund.
Well, the bedroom is pretty incredible in that regard as it is basically all about the views.
As you would expect, there is a comfortable bed with two nightstands.
Other than that, there is also a seating spot by the window.
Yet, the only thing that really matters are the views, which are truly one of a kind.
There’s one major downside though as there are still major construction works going on in front of the hotel, which meant that it was pretty loud in the room – even during the night.
I’m not sure whether the bedroom or the bathroom is the stand-out feature of the River View Suites at the Hyatt on the Bund Shanghai, but both are incredible, in my opinion.
The bathtub might be one of the most amazing ones I’ve ever seen in my life – located right in front of the window with incredible views, it’s just the perfect place to have a relaxed bath as the views are amazing at night and during the day alike.
The bathroom also comes with a large dual-vanity, from which you can enjoy the views as well – obviously.
There’s an additional large walk-in shower, which comes with a shower head with decent pressure.
Last but not least, the toilet is separated from the bathroom and offers a lot of privacy due to this feature.
Overall, I’d consider the rooms at the Hyatt on the Bund Shanghai to be exceptional even though the design isn’t the most modern. The views alone make the River View Suites a real highlight as those are even preferable to what the Pudong Shangri-La Shanghai and Waldorf Astoria Shanghai offer.
Breakfast at the Hyatt on the Bund Shanghai
Most luxury hotels in China offer a very good buffet, so it’s always a bit difficult to judge on whether a breakfast spread is truly exceptional. Yet, the Hyatt on the Bund Shanghai definitely caters to all tasted, including the one of Western guests.
The buffet spread is not only pretty large, but there are also several Western options, including different kinds of breads, cold cuts, cheeses and so on.
Furthermore, there is a wonderful selection of freshly cut fruits, vegetables and many more cold options.
Hot dishes aren’t lacking either, with Western classics as well as Asian favorites available at various stations of the buffet.
There are also a couple of live-cooking stations, where you can order eggs any style, waffles, pancakes and noodle soups. Some local specialties are available on some days as well.
I’m sure pretty much everyone can have a very enjoyable breakfast at the Hyatt on the Bund Shanghai. At the same time, the breakfast is very good, but not exceptional. For example, the Waldorf Astoria Beijing or Conrad Tokyo do offer a better breakfast.
Dinner at the Hyatt on the Bund Shanghai
As the Hyatt on the Bund Shanghai is a pretty big conference hotel, there are plenty of different dinner options available. While at the property, I opted for dinner in the VUE restaurant, which offers amazing views of the city (we also headed to the VUE bar one level up, which is a great option for drinks – yet, it’s often pretty crowded).
Speaking of the restaurant, I wasn’t really sure what to expect as the value for the money at restaurants that are famous for the views often isn’t the best.
That said, the Hyatt on the Bund Shanghai really made a positive impression on me there as the Western inspired dinner really was good – particularly taking into account that Western food isn’t always great in China.
From the beef filet to the salmon to the risotto, pretty much everyhing was really good.
The same is true for the dessert, which looked even more fancy than it tasted.
If you like fine dining with a view, I’d definitely recommend checking out the Vue Restaurant when staying at the Hyatt on the Bund Shanghai!
Club Lounge at the Hyatt on the Bund Shanghai
As most luxurious Hyatt properties in China, the Hyatt on the Bund Shanghai also offers a Club Lounge, which has a decent size. There are basically two different areas, one is more proper tables for working dining and one with couches and relaxation spaces.
The lounge also offers some views of the Bund (it’s called Bund Club), but those will be gone once the construction in front of the hotel is finished. The Bund Club offers private concierge services as well as a nice food beverage spread, starting with a limited breakfast in the morning.
I’d rather recommend going to the restaurant for the first meal of the day though as the club isn’t nearly as good in that regard. Afternoon Tea isn’t amazing either as there is just a limited selection of cake.
The dinner spread is much better with a couple of cold options and also hot food. Usually, there is also one dish of the day, which is more or less freshly prepared in a show kitchen.
Alcoholic beverages are also available for consumption in the evening.
You can definitely have a full dinner here, but the spread still is not comparable to the unique club experience I enjoyed at the Four Seasons Shanghai.
Gym & Pool at the Hyatt on the Bund Shanghai
The Hyatt on the Bund Shanghai offers a wide array of recreation options. The gym was being renovated during my visit, so there was just a temporary set-up.
However, even that was better than what most other properties offer, so I’m sure that the new gym (while not with views) will over a very enjoyable sports experience.
You can expect plenty of different machines for both, cardio and strength training, plus various free weights.
Furthermore, there is also a large swimming pool at the Hyatt on the Bund Shanghai, which is located in the basement.
It’s pretty perfect for swimming laps and also spacious enough for various people swimming at the same time.
The locker room area is worth mentioning as well as it comes with a sauna and a steam bath for each gender, plus an amazing jacuzzi (there’s also one by the pool).
I’d say that the recreation facilities are in line with what I know from other Hyatt properties like the Park Hyatt Hamburg or the Grand Hyatt Incheon.
Overall impressions of the Hyatt on the Bund Shanghai
If you are looking for a nice luxury hotel with great views in Shanghai, which is well located for touristic purposes, the Hyatt on the Bund Shanghai definitely is an amazing option. In Shanghai, the choice of hotel very much depends on where you need to be, so the Hyatt might not be perfect if you are in town for business in some other areas of the city. Nevertheless, I’d generally fully recommend staying here, particularly in the River View Suites!
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