Lonely Planet Review

The UFO atop this Radisson tower is typically derivative naughties Shanghai. In this case, the spaceship's B-movie sci-fi contours echo the clock tower of the Pacific Hotel below and the cupolas of the adjacent New World. Classic elegance... perhaps not, but the perch just north of Renmin Park is a highly prized lot of land.

The lobby is way over-the-top: a mellifluous splurge with roll-top furniture and the occasional Art Deco feature drenched in a golden glow. But the eclectic interior design is unsophisticated, showy and devoid of any panache, although standard rooms (with free broadband) in this brand-spanking new hotel are excellent and views over Puxi are great. Low-level vistas over Renmin Park from the 2nd floor Windows on the Park above the lobby simply graze the treetops however. For more of a panorama, make for the rooftop spaceship which houses 'Epicure on 45', a revolving restaurant, above which is a bar. Downside: scrutinise some of the more tawdry interior and exterior decoration and you may find it done on the cheap (typical of hotel construction in today's China). It makes one wonder if other corners have been cut, but the wireless Internet access in common areas won't leave you stranded.