City: Banyan Tree Shanghai on the Bund
If a visit to this megalopolis of 23 million feels overwhelming, then Banyan Tree’s first Shanghai property, located on the northern part of the iconic Bund waterfront, provides the ultimate escape. Take the 130 enormous guest rooms—among the city’s largest—all with chaise longues offering unobstructed views of the Huangpu River. Then there’s the service, both thoughtful and discreet, from the laundry pickup via a valet box by your door to the attentive staff in the Ming Yuan Cantonese restaurant. The showstopper, however, is the three-floor, marble-clad spa, spread over 14,000 square feet, with a treatment menu so comprehensive that it could take months to explore fully—Tibetan hot-stone massage, anyone?