Joint winner:The Peninsula, ShanghaiSet on Shanghai’s fabled Bund, The Peninsula is a speedy cab ride from the financial district of Pudong, which might explain the frisson that greeted its opening late last year. Inspired by the Bund’s art deco architecture, the public spaces, such as the pool (right), have an interwar glamour about them, while the 235 rooms are styled like a 1920s private home, albeit offering wi-fi, complimentary international and local calls, humidity control systems and Nespresso coffee machines. Michelin-starred chef Tang Chi Keung presides at the Yi Long Court dining room where he serves up exceptional Cantonese fare.
www.peninsula.com/shanghai
Photography: Jan Siefke