I call it the most luxurious hotel in the country, bar none: the J Hotel Shanghai.

Having stayed in so many hotels, if you're talking luxury, the kind that slaps you in the face with gold, then it has to be the J Hotel in the Shanghai Tower. It's the most high-end hotel under the Jinjiang Inn brand, located in the tallest building in the magical city of Shanghai. The lobby seems to be on the 100-something floor, I can't quite recall. The rooms are even higher, with a view so good there are no words to describe it. The hotel is breathtakingly luxurious. Every design element is just wow. The overall style is a luxurious, retro, palatial vibe. I think it's worth a visit just to experience it. The rooms aren't spacious, in fact, they're quite cramped, and the layout is irregular, with all sorts of nooks and crannies. I know it's probably to maximize the view, but there's no getting around it. The night view is absolutely stunning, the most beautiful in China, all laid out before you. The bathtub is adorable, and quite tall. The staff explained that the design was inspired by Shanghai's city flower, the magnolia. It's beautiful. I had both lunch and dinner at the hotel. The restaurant was so beautiful I almost didn't feel like eating. It was all gold, everywhere. The hotel's service is top-notch, absolutely first-class. There's even a gentleman who provides free tours and explanations about the J Hotel to guests. During afternoon tea, the restaurant had a magician performing tricks for the children. At dinner, there was a live band. It felt very ceremonial. As for downsides, the breakfast was pretty bad. It was all hype, a set menu where they claimed the eggs all had individual serial numbers. I can't remember if there was a pool. I didn't go looking for one. There's a restaurant in the hotel called Jin Yan, where every private room is gorgeous. One in particular has a peacock design on the ceiling. Besides being very expensive, there aren't many flaws. The hotel's location goes without saying. It's in Lujiazui, right on that feng shui sweet spot on the bend of the river. With the IFC mall downstairs, it's super convenient for food and drinks.