Regent Shanghai Pudong, formerly the Four Seasons Hotel Pudong. After Four Seasons completely withdrew from Shanghai, it was rebranded as Regent, a luxury brand under IHG. It was precisely because of this transition that I had the opportunity to experience it for free. The hotel’s overall style is quite traditional, but it has been well maintained and features abundant floral decorations.
On the day of check-in, the hotel was nearly fully booked. Since I redeemed my stay with points, I was upgraded to a relatively high Executive Floor room. Although it didn’t include Executive Lounge benefits, unfortunately, there were no rooms left facing Lujiazui. However, the hotel was still very generous: not only did they provide complimentary breakfast, but the entire mini-bar was also free, including red wine.
The hotel building itself is perfectly square-shaped, with rooms facing four different directions. As a result, if your room faces the Oriental Pearl Tower, the view is excellent. Even if your room doesn’t face that side, you can always head up to the rooftop pool to enjoy the scenery~~~
The room size is quite spacious, at approximately 46 square meters. Although the hotel has been open for nearly 10 years, it doesn’t feel dated at all. It comes equipped with a capsule coffee machine and double sinks; the only pity is that the toilet isn’t automatic.
Outside the window lies the Lujiazui Green Space.
Since the next day was my birthday, the hotel also sent over a cake, which was absolutely delicious.
Night view from the infinity pool
In the evening, I went next door to Ai Ling in the Shanghai World Financial Center to try some creative fusion Shanghainese cuisine. The restaurants in the SWFC mall have changed several times over the years, so I was genuinely surprised to learn that this particular restaurant has been open for six years already. Taking advantage of Restaurant Week, I decided to give it a try. Although billed as creative Shanghainese cuisine, the dishes themselves weren’t particularly innovative; instead, what felt more Western-style was the dining format—so perhaps that’s where the creativity lies. The Restaurant Week set menu consisted of ten courses served one by one. Each portion was small, but the total amount of food was adequate.
The ambiance closely resembles that of a bar—dimly lit throughout and decorated boldly with neon lights. Overall, the environment is quite pleasant, and tables are spaced reasonably far apart. However, there’s absolutely no view outside the windows.
Now let’s talk about the dishes:
Ai Ling Quartet Platter: The foie gras fruit was just average; the crab meat jelly was quite tasty; the vegetable wrap had an ordinary wrapper but good filling; and the oil-braised shrimp were delicious.
Botan Shrimp Ball with Crab Roe—the quality was excellent, especially the Botan shrimp itself, which was not only large but also had an outstanding texture.
Baked Cod in Puff Pastry—the cod was beautifully cooked and well-seasoned. A nice thick piece of fish; very satisfying.
Braised Pork Belly with Sticky Rice Cake—the braised pork belly was indeed rather mediocre; neither the texture nor the seasoning was particularly satisfactory, especially since it was overly sweet. On the other hand, the sticky rice cake flavored with seaweed was quite tasty.
Mango Pomelo Sago Jelly with Bird’s Nest—this mango pomelo sago dessert was truly unremarkable and excessively sweet. If served at any ordinary dessert shop outside, it would barely pass muster.
Stir-fried Fox Nuts with Asparagus—the fox nuts were excellent, and the asparagus was incredibly fresh and flavorful. Very satisfied with this dish.
Scan the QR code to receive two complimentary glasses of champagne.
Overall, the quality of the dishes varied significantly—some offered delightful little surprises, while others felt utterly ordinary. Considering the prices aren’t exactly low either, the entire experience at this Shanghainese restaurant felt somewhat peculiar~~~~
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