Address: 51 Sinan Road , Shanghai , CN
Website: www.hotelmassenet.com.cn
Phone: +86 21 3401 9998
“History stops here,” says Elan Shou about Hotel Massenet, the makers of which took 14 derelict French colonial buildings from ’20s and ’30s and transformed them into a holy grail of luxury. The villas embody the mysterious and glamorous period of Shanghai; each one is like a home and even equipped with the ever-necessary butler quarters! Some villas also have the additional features including a gymnasium, private sauna, massage room, and card room. Needless to say, the interior design, which mixes both ethnic and modern styles, is exquisite. Start your day with breakfast (expertly prepared by your twenty-four hour help) in the private garden, on the villa balcony, or in bed. If you’re not looking to stay the night, but still want to get a taste of the splendor, have lunch at the Aux Jardins Massenet, where Shou advises sitting by the window seat under the sunshine. Luxury is what it is, but she also visits the “lòngtáng” alleyways nearby to play hide-and-seek with her son.