Tranquillity in the heart of Shanghai

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  The Puli, Shanghai

Over the last 20 years, Shanghai has become one of the world's most exciting cities. Home to 19 million people, it seems forever bustling and endlessly busy, with the pace of growth and development showing no signs of slowing. Impressive new hotels continue to open - not least the imposing Peninsula near the Bund - with one of the most intriguing of the newcomers being the super-stylish Puli Hotel and Spa.

Described as an "urban resort" (also the name of the company managing the hotel), you really feel as if you are stepping away from the frenetic city as you walk through its doors. Part of a modern development which includes an office tower and a retail mall near the famous Nanjing Road West in Shanghai's JingAn district, the inside of The Puli is a huge contrast to its immediate surroundings.

Black slate floor tiles with dark wooden walls and artefacts greet you, and as you look to your right, you see that the reception desk is a continuation of a 32-metre wooden bar which begins at the other end of the long lobby lounge. Clever use of lighting changes the atmosphere of the lounges and Long Bar throughout the day and there is even an outdoor seating area alongside a water feature which stretches the full width of the building. All in the middle of Shanghai.

The rooms - the best overlook JingAn Park and Temple - are ingeniously designed with hi-tech touches, including multiple dimmer switches for lighting each area of the room and electrically-operated venetian blinds on the windows. In summer, the blinds automatically close during the afternoon if you are not in the room, to keep it cool. There are large LCD TVs and iPod docking ports and internet access - wired and also wireless throughout the hotel - is complimentary. Other nice touches include complimentary minibar consumption and breakfast, keeping down that pesky extras bill.

In the newly-opened Club Floors at the top of the hotel, laundry and pressing is also included in the room rate, as is an allowance towards consumption at the Long Bar and discounts at the excellent Anantara Spa.

If you are looking for a hotel to match the surroundings, in Shanghai there are many bigger and busier options. But at The Puli, you are located in the middle of the bustle but pleasantly in a haven far enough removed from it and certainly culturally connected to the heart of this 21st-century city.

By Nick Perry

Location: Shanghai