I've stayed at several view hotels around the Bund before, but comparing them all, my stay at the Regent Shanghai on The Bund truly exceeded my expectations.
In terms of location, it's definitely the best. Although the room was a bit on the smaller side, the balcony view from our view room offered an up-close, panoramic vista capturing the Oriental Pearl Tower, the historic Bund architecture, and Waibaidu Bridge all at once. Other nearby hotels usually only offer a view of either Pudong or Puxi, or their angles aren't nearly as good—not to mention some have seriously dated facilities (like the Hyatt on the Bund or Grand Hyatt). The Regent, however, offers top-notch hardware and software. The second-floor restaurant connects directly to the riverside promenade, and right outside, you’re just steps away from the China Securities Museum, Shanghai Postal Museum, Rockbund, Sinar Mas Plaza, a Manner Coffee, and more.
The complimentary first-round minibar had a wider variety of drinks than most. The welcome gift was so generous that it practically stuffed me, which totally saved me from my usual late-night hypoglycemia.
Breakfast exceeded expectations as well. While it might not have the absolute largest spread in terms of quantity, the quality of the food was exceptional, featuring unique specialties you don't find at other hotels. The semi-buffet à la carte menu included King Crab Eggs Benedict, and the fruit yogurts looked incredibly appetizing. I originally planned to just grab a light bite because I had lunch reservations, but I ended up completely overeating at breakfast and couldn't even touch my lunch!
The breakfast venue doubles as a Western restaurant. Its outdoor terrace also overlooks both sides of the river—Pudong and Puxi—making it a super comfortable spot to sit out in the evening.
The Chinese restaurant, Jin Lin, has limited seating in the main dining hall, so it’s best to book in advance if you want a window seat with panoramic river views. It’s around 700+ RMB per person, and the food was quite good. I'd especially recommend their lunch dim sum set at 298 RMB; it's a much better value, and the portion is plenty for two people who aren't overly hungry.
The service and greetings felt genuinely warm and friendly rather than robotic, routine pleasantries. In particular, my butler, Flora, provided wonderful service—enthusiastic, proactive, and very attentive. Connecting on WeChat made communication even smoother. As a parting gift at check-out, they gave me a luggage tag. While other hotels do this too, the Regent took the extra step of engraving my surname on it, which felt like a remarkably thoughtful touch.
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