A feast fit for a king

Beijing may hold claim to being the seat of Imperial China, but when it comes to providing a feast fit for a king, the Renaissance Yangtze Shanghai is conquering taste buds faster than Genghis Khan accumulated new lands.

With five restaurants within its stately grounds, a Champagne and Cigar Bar in its lobby lounge enlivened by the mellifluous tunes of 1930s jazz, and delectable nibbles strewn around to woo those with a sweet tooth, the Renaissance lives up to its name in terms of resurrecting one's appetite for life, dining and leisure.

"If you have time to walk through our lobby, you will find a new chocolate counter that provides authentic Belgium chocolates," says General Manager Gary Fung. "We just added that last week."