A relaxing business trip starts at Mandarin Oriental's club lounge

After a long flight or train ride, arriving at the club lounge at the Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Shanghai, is a breath of fresh air.

A luxurious space of wood and marble flooring, the lounge comprises a library and wine bar, with window seats overlooking a panoramic view of the Huangpu River and the Lujiazui skyline.

I experienced a breezy express check-in upon arrival through the hotel limousine transfer and was offered afternoon tea while waiting.

The lounge, which opened in late April 2013, contains state-of-the-art meeting spaces and facilities that meet a business traveler's every need.

The club lounge's butler can help you book a table for dinner in any of the highend restaurants in Shanghai, a food lover's destination in China.

If you do not wish to venture far for a meal, the hotel has wonderful options under its roof: Fifty 8�� Grill, a modern French steakhouse from star chef Richard Ekkebus; and Yong Yi Ting, the hotel's Chinese restaurant helmed by locally celebrated chef Tony Lu.

Located on the ground floor, with direct street access and alfresco garden tables, Fifty 8�� Grill has Art Deco d��cor elements that reflect the Shanghai of the 1920s and 1930s.

A working French artisans' kitchen serves hand-carved charcuterie and fresh-baked sourdough breads, complemented by French bistro favorites and a 300-label wine list.

Yong Yi Ting showcases the local Jiang Nan style, which is popular to the south of the Yangtze River, and Cantonese cuisine from celebrated Shanghai chef Lu.

The cuisines of Shanghai and its neighboring Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces are known for their delicate seasonal flavors, to which Lu adds an enticing touch of modernity.

Shanghai after dark is one of the most enticing places. After dinner, I took advantage of the Mandarin Oriental's excellent location to step out for a stroll along the Huangpu riverfront to take in Shanghai's breathtaking skyline.

I capped of the night with a drink at the hotel lobby's Qi Bar, a refined yet relaxing lounge decorated with shimmering metal, crystal and polished woods, with expansive windows framing the city skyline. The bar boasts a fine selection of single malts and spirits and a creative cocktail menu.

judithhuang@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 12/31/2015 page12)