The former Cathay Hotel, which was the most prestigious hotel in Shanghai before 1949 and was where Noel Coward wrote Private Lives, has been painstakingly restored to its original glory, and is such a tourist attraction in its own right that the lobby is usually full of locals taking photos. The 270 guestrooms are all Art Deco glamour, with original dark wood fittings and bronze colour scheme (sounds oppressive, but it's beautifully done).
The six restaurants and lounges include Dragon Phoenix Chinese restaurant, The Cathay Room, cigar and wine bar Cin Cin, lobbyside Jasmine Lounge, French delicatessen Victor’s, and the legendary Jazz Bar, where Shanghai's oldest jazz band play every night at 7.30pm (members first played together in 1947). The Peace Hotel also boasts an indoor pool and the opulent Willow Stream Spa, where you can practice early morning Tai Chi on the roof of the hotel.
