Hotel Review: Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund (Heritage Luxury River View Suite)

When I visited Shanghai from Singapore last year, I flew on Singapore Airlines' Business Class product and was pleasantly surprised by the crew on that flight. I spent a couple of nights in the Andaz Xintiandi, Shanghai before finally moving to the famous and incredibly opulent Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund for my final night in Shanghai. 

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Entrance to Hotel
Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund

The Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund is housed within the famed Shanghai Club and it is located on the majestic Huangpu River which offers sweeping views of Shanghai's skyline. There are two main buildings here - the historical landmark building as well as a relatively-new contemporary building (with higher floors). I stayed in a Heritage Luxury River View Suite this time and it comes with 120sqm of jaw-dropping space. As you would have guessed, this suite is located in the Heritage Building and it offers both city as well as river views. 

Living Room
Heritage Luxury River View Suite - Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund

There is no denying how extravagant the Heritage Luxury River View Suite is here at the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund and it starts from the moment you walk through those room doors. The window directly behind the sofa looks out to the iconic Huangpu River (and the Oriental Pearl TV Tower) but unfortunately the weather was terrible during my stay. 

Welcome Amenities
Heritage Luxury River View Suite - Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund

You will find a spacious seating here here in the living room and since I was celebrating my birthday here, the team over at the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund have arranged for plenty of snacks and welcome amenities during my visit. Honestly, welcome amenities do not get any more lavish than this - there were plenty of fresh fruits, chocolate pralines, cheeses as well as a birthday cake waiting for me when I checked in. 

Living Room
Heritage Luxury River View Suite - Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund

There is also a large work desk located in the living room and even though the Heritage Luxury River View Suite is located in the heritage building, modern conveniences like universal power outlets as well as USB charging ports can be found here on the work desk. You will also find other connectivity options like HDMI, LAN and VGA here if you require them - I also like that a Lightning Cable is provided (it may seem like a small detail but plenty of hotels do not even invest in this even though it makes a traveller's life a lot easier). 

Noise-cancelling Headphones
Heritage Luxury River View Suite - Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund

There is a large TV here in the living room and it even comes with two pairs of noise-cancelling headphones from Sennheiser on the side - this is great if you wish to catch up on your favourite show on the big screen but do not wish to disturb anyone else in the suite. There is also a sound bar located directly below the TV if you are planning to enjoy some entertainment together as a family.

Dining Room
Heritage Luxury River View Suite - Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund

The dining area of the Heritage Luxury River View Suite takes up plenty of space and it is probably the least utilised area in the suite during my stay. There is a large dining table located in the middle of this room that allows at least nine adults to dine comfortably and the windows look out to the Bund as well. There is a chandelier located in the living room as well as the dining room and honestly having that much space to myself just felt a little wasteful (and I never usually feel that way with suite upgrades!).

View from Suite
Heritage Luxury River View Suite - Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund

While the weather was not great during my stay, it was truly a luxury to look out to such a famous spot without having to jostle with anyone on the streets. In the evening, I highly recommend for you to take a walk along the bund and the river as it is beautiful. If you took Singapore Airlines' to Shanghai, you will probably notice a familiar spot where part of the in-flight safety video was filmed.

Nespresso Le Cube Machine
Heritage Luxury River View Suite - Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund

You will find a Nespresso Le Cube machine here in the dining room of the Heritage Luxury River View Suite and it comes with plenty of coffee capsules that you can choose from. It goes without saying that a fine selection of teabags can also be found in the cupboard located towards the back of the dining area. Would you expect anything less from the famous Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund?

Dining Room
Heritage Luxury River View Suite - Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund

Sitting here in the living room of my Heritage Luxury River View Suite felt like I was holding an important submit - the suite just feels somewhat presidential. When I shared a room tour on Instagram Story, a lot of people actually thought that this was part of the hotel lobby. While the heritage building has obviously been standing for over a decade, it is clear that the staff take extra care here at the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund. After all, some of the most expensive rooms and suites on property are located in this building.

Bedroom
Heritage Luxury River View Suite - Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund

The bedroom of the Heritage Luxury River View Suite here at the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund features the same Bund view (the windows run along the length of the room so you can actually enjoy the view regardless of whether you are in the living room, dining room or bedroom) and it looks over to another heritage building on the other side. 

Bedroom
Heritage Luxury River View Suite - Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund

The team over at the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund has very graciously decorated my room with balloons (which I have removed from the photos) and birthday decorations and for some reason there was also a Dyson fan in the bedroom (not sure if that was intended to be left there?). The Waldorf poster bed looks impressive but it is also incredible to sleep on. 

Tablet for Controls
Heritage Luxury River View Suite - Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund

Located next to the king-size bed is a small tablet for you control things like the temperature of your room as well as the turn off and on the do not disturb light outside your suite. While it is not entirely a necessity, I did enjoy the convenience of this tablet but I did feel that it was probably in need of a refresh - it felt clunky and somewhat slow when I tried it during my stay.

Walk-in Wardrobe
Heritage Luxury River View Suite - Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund

Sandwiched to the side of the bathroom and the bedroom is a walk-in wardrobe with plenty of space for you to hang up your outfit. While I do like to be spoilt during my stay, I always appreciate the existence of an ironing and ironing board in the room - there is nothing more annoying than having to wait for your clothes to be ironed when all you want to do is to head out immediately. You will also find a safe located here in the Heritage Luxury River View Suite but surprisingly, it was quite small - you would expect a much larger safe (one that would fit my laptops and gadgets) for a grand place like this.

Bathroom
Heritage Luxury River View Suite - Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund

If you are visiting the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund during the winter, you will appreciate the heated floors here in the Heritage Luxury River View Suite. The bathroom is located right next to the main bedroom and it looks lavish - there is even another chandelier located inside!

Bathroom
Heritage Luxury River View Suite - Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund

The marble bathroom here in the Heritage Luxury River View Suite offers timeless luxury - the claw-foot bathtub is just something that you do not find often in hotels and the double vanity makes it very convenient for couples and friends traveling together. There is also a TV inserted into the mirror so you can catch up on important news while getting ready for the day ahead. 

Bath Amenities from Salvatore Ferragamo
Heritage Luxury River View Suite - Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund

Bath amenities are provided by Salvatore Ferragamo and it features the Tuscan Soul line which smells great - these are replenished during evening turndown as well so feel free to use them to enhance your bath experience. If you have forgotten to bring your personal toothbrush, the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund provides on that you can (and probably want to) take home - these are nothing like the disposable versions that you will often find at luxury hotels.

Hotel Lobby
Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund

The location of the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund is unrivalled and I actually dropped by the famous Long Bar for a drink in the evening. Even though I am currently a Hilton Honors Diamond member, I was only Gold when I stayed at the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund and I believe that elite members do not get any complimentary drinks here at this property.

Long Bar
Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund

With that being said, I remember that the Long Bar was running a decent Happy Hour promotion when I visited so the drinks worked out to be fairly affordable. Alternatively, consider booking a Fine Hotels & Resorts Rate if you hold an American Express Centurion or Platinum Card and you will get at least USD 100 worth of F&B credit. 

Steak and Eggs
Grand Brasserie - Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund

One of the greatest perks of having at least Gold Elite status with the Hilton Honors program is complimentary breakfast with every eligible stay - this benefit is extremely valuable in expensive properties like the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund. Breakfast is served at the Grand Brasserie and it runs from 6:30AM to 10:30AM on weekdays and until 11:00AM on weekends. The restaurant features lavish marble columns, polished wooden tables and cushioned lounges re-create a modern Manhattan brasserie setting inspired by the original Waldorf Astoria in New York City. 

Breakfast Buffet
Grand Brasserie - Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund

While the venue is elegant and beautiful, I was surprised to see that hotel guests had to wait in line to get in to the breakfast venue. In fact, since there are two entrances to the breakfast venue, it got quite messy and chaotic when I visited - I was told to enjoy the breakfast buffet without being assigned a table. It is definitely worth mentioning that I did visit the Grand Brasserie during the peak hour (slightly after 9:00AM) but I thought that the crowd management could have been better especially in a property like that. 

Breakfast Buffet
Grand Brasserie - Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund

I did enjoy the breakfast at Grand Brasserie however - guests are able to order from an à la carte menu which features classics like Eggs Benedict as well as Belgian Vanilla Waffles. I also liked the buffet selection from the open kitchen items like fresh bakes, cold cuts, juices and even roast was on offer.

Living Room
Heritage Luxury River View Suite - Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund

As usual, I paid for my own stay but I was accorded a ridiculously-impressive upgrade into the Heritage Luxury River View Suite for this stay which was arranged by a friend in Hilton after knowing that I would be celebrating my birthday there. While I am currently a Hilton Honors Diamond member, I was only a Gold member when I checked in to the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund and I truly appreciate everything the team over there has done for me to make this stay an extremely memorable one.

Heritage Building
Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund

On my next visit to Shanghai, I will not hesitate to stay at the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund once again but I am definitely interested to check out the newer wing since the decor suits my personal preferences a bit more. At the time of writing, there is a complimentary 4th night benefit for American Express Platinum Members and this benefit stacks with the FHR perks that you will get - these include a guaranteed 4PM late check-out as well USD 100 of F&B credit which you can utilise during the stay - so I will definitely consider putting some of my free travel credit with my American Express Platinum Card to good use.

Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund
2 Zhongshan East 1st Rd, Wai Tan, Huangpu Qu, Shanghai Shi, China, 200333
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