A Peninsula Hotel Deluxe Room

In short, rooms at the Peninsula Shanghai are fantastic. Paris-based interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon has incorporated tones of celadon, cerulean blue and ivory, traditional 1920s Shanghai materials—including rich mahogany and ebony, with black Noir St Laurent and off-white St Talino stones to create dramatic contrasts.

Though it’s said that “if you switch off the light at night in a bedroom they all look the same,” the difference here is palpable. Peninsula beds are custom-engineered, with bed springs designed and distributed to maximize comfort. Quilts are thick and soft and their weight testifies to generous feather down filling. To engage any of the room controls, all you need do is get your hand near the console and it lights up; it’s the same with the TV remote.

Peninsula Deluxe Room bathroom

Romance-friendly bathrooms double as in-room spas, just push the spa button and lights dim, the “Do Not Disturb” function on phone and doorbell are activated, and relaxing music plays. There are also double vanities, hands-free telephones programmed to offset “wet” sounds so you can answer from the bath without giving away the fact, TVs and rain showers.

Work desk functionality is also impressive, with an iPod docking station connected to the 46” flat screen television and sound system so that you can enjoy your own media.

Peninsula Hotel Shanghai Majestic Suite living room

Free VoIP long distance calling is activated with the push of a single button, but the quality of the internet connection is, as of the time of writing, rather poor. Unfortunately, my conversation with relatives in Canada was marred by audio artifacts and poor reception, requiring lots of repetition (though this is par for the course in many a Skype conversation conducted through the Great Firewall, so we won't hold the hotel responsible). For important calls, better connectivity can be found in the Business Center.

Continue on to the section of your liking:

History in the making: From Astor House to the Peninsula Hotel

Making the most of the facilities

Divine Dining

Exploring: the Bund and Beyond
All photos courtesy of the Peninsula Hotel, Shanghai