Book Shanghai hotels

If you haven’t had a holiday in ages, it’s time to go big. It doesn’t get much bigger than China’s largest city, but despite what you may have heard, size isn’t everything. (Really!) Shanghai hotels offer you a front row seat to one of the most glamourous and energetic cities in the world. Shanghai is smack-dab in the middle of China’s eastern coast—and is the perfect place for you to explore on your own or with a gaggle of companions.

Things to Do in Shanghai

Start off your travels in the People’s Park, a haven of peaceful green space in the city centre. Surrounded by modern steel skyscrapers, the park retains one very traditional institution: the Marriage Market. Parents bring flyers with their child’s photo, height, weight and, the most important stat of all, salary, and negotiate dates for their unwed kiddos. Who knew Shanghai holidays were the perfect time to marry off that annoying acquaintance—or yourself?

Shanghai has tons of museums, temples and cathedrals to visit. But you’re unique, and there’s a neighbourhood to match: 50 Moganshan Road, or “M50” has been compared to the art districts of New York and Beijing. With more than a hundred galleries and studios open to the public, plus streets decorated in colourful graffiti art, this area is buzzing with life and photo ops. How about trying a scavenger hunt? See if you can find famous local artists! Winner buys the first round of drinks.

Getting To & Around Shanghai

No matter where you book your China accommodation, you’ll find plenty of public transport, but in this metropolis, the train itself is a tourist attraction. Flights to Shanghai land at Pudong International Airport (PVG), and from there, the first commercial magnetic-levitation train takes you downtown at 430 km per hour. Yes, you can levitate your way to your Shanghai accommodation! Are we living in a Star Wars movie? If you’d rather stay grounded, there are tons of buses, subways and commuter trains from the airport, which can also take you around the city and beyond.

Best Time to Travel

In vibrant Shanghai, there’s a festival for every season. In the late spring or early summer (depending on the Chinese calendar), the Dragon Boat Festival brings the yang energy of China’s most revered symbol to the city streets and rivers. Watch the races and drop rice balls in the river for the dragon king—he’s sure to smile on your holiday. In the winter, Chinese New Year festivities light up the dark, chilly nights with golden lanterns, fireworks and intricately decorated floats. And the food. Can we talk about the food? Feast on fish deep fried in sugar, rice pudding and New Year cake, then drop it like it’s hot in the clubs along the Bund before crashing at your accommodation in Shanghai. Now that’s the ultimate New Year celebration!

Leave ordinary life behind and make the leap into the future with the best selection of hotels in Shanghai on lastminute.com.au. Whether you want to stay at the top of a skyscraper or just need a party crash pad, you’ll find it here. Then pop a bottle of rice wine and drink up!