OKURA GARDEN HOTEL (ANCIEN CERCLE SPORTIF FRANCAIS) - HUAYUAN BINGUAN

Located in the heart of Shanghai in a park on the ancient French concession, just steps from Huaihai Lu, the great shopping artery. Establishment opened in 1990 on the premises of the former French sports circle. Beautiful rooms, all comfort, recently renovated and offering beautiful views of the old French concession and the large private garden. This neoclassical building dates back to 1926 and was designed by a famous French architects'firm, Leonardo & Veysseyre, located in Shanghai and housed in the former sports circle. A symbol of past history, he formed the seat of the French community until the Second World War. The building, nowadays, if it is crushed by the imposing modern building in the back, nevertheless retains a little of its past splendour and allows to imagine the splendour of the Shanghai of the 1930 s. On the right of the reception decorated in chandeliers, a large staircase with wrought iron ramps leads to the old ballroom; we still admire the columns, the pergola, and the Art deco architecture of this building which received successively French, American troops, communist apparatchiks, red guards, and finally tourists… Mao would have demanded that the garden be reworked to its liking. Today managed by the Japanese chain Okura, the hotel is a haven of peace. A set of 500 rooms located in the large modern tower built on the back of the old architecture. Panoramic restaurant.