One of Shanghai’s original design hotels — an industrial-chic boutique property built inside a converted 1930s warehouse overlooking the Huangpu River near the South Bund.
Why We Chose It
The Waterhouse at South Bund helped define Shanghai’s modern boutique hotel scene with its raw industrial architecture, minimalist interiors, and dramatic contrast between old and new. Designed by acclaimed Shanghai architecture firm Neri&Hu, the hotel transformed a former 1930s riverside warehouse and Japanese military headquarters into a striking 19-room urban retreat filled with exposed concrete, weathered steel, oversized windows, and contemporary furnishings. Located beside the Cool Docks development near the South Bund, the hotel offers a quieter, more creative alternative to the city’s larger luxury hotels while still providing easy access to the Bund and Pudong skyline views. The atmosphere feels distinctly Shanghai — edgy, artistic, industrial, and deeply design-focused — making it especially popular with architects, creatives, and boutique hotel enthusiasts.
What Stands Out
- Designed by renowned architecture studio Neri&Hu
- Converted 1930s warehouse and military building
- Only 19 rooms and suites
- Industrial-chic minimalist interiors
- Huangpu River and Pudong skyline views
- One of Shanghai’s pioneering design hotels
- Near the South Bund Cool Docks district