Shanghai goes beyond expectations for business and tourist visitors alike. Businesses can lease a serviced apartment, serviced office, and car/driver in little more time than it takes to check into one of the city’s arrays of fancy five-star hotels.
Serviced apartments provide fully furnished homes with housekeeping services, laundry, swimming pool, and gym. Those that are part of a larger hotel complex also offer hotel services to tenants. Shanghai has a full range from which to choose.
Luxury/serviced apartment projects tend to be located in central areas. Most provide a range of services, from full furnishings to hotel-style housekeeping and maids. Some serviced apartments are available for short-term leases and are in demand from people working in the city for short periods, but who are tired of living in hotels, and also from people who do not want to have to worry about housework.
Shanghai Centre was the first true serviced apartment project in modern Shanghai. Since 1998, a number of other major luxury and serviced apartment projects, including City Apartments, Shangri-La Residences, 41 Hengshan Road, Century Court, Royal Pavilion, The Ascott, and Somerset Grand have come onto the market. In all of these projects, fixtures and finishes are of a high standard.
Some of the advantages of living in a serviced apartment are central location, full facilities, English-speaking staff, laundry and housekeeping services, business facilities, fully furnished, and generally, they are less expensive than long-term hotel accommodation. Disadvantages include a detachment from authentic Shanghai and a lack of personalization of the living quarters to your exact taste.
It is not difficult to find a serviced apartment in Shanghai. Most of the time, the maid, or ayi, as she is called here, will also cook for the tenant. Some serviced apartments are priced with all utilities included.
As a truly international city, Shanghai has a large quantity of exclusive housing on both sides of the river. The top executives of multinational companies normally include this type of living arrangement in the compensation package of these senior managers. These apartments are usually furnished with Western clients in mind and the level of service provided is very high. These apartments are ready to move in immediately – they will all have working appliances and TVs, the beds will be made, and the kitchen utensils and plates will be clean.
Rents for serviced apartments are on an upward trend due to strong demand, limited new supply, improved facilities, and services as well as much-improved infrastructure. A growing economy and increasing foreign investment are likely to keep rents on this trend for the next two to three years at least.
Prices of serviced apartment providers range from 16,000 RMB for a studio apartment starting at 50 square meters up to prices beginning at 75,000 RMB/month for a 2-3 bedroom of 150 square meters and much much more for luxury apartments of 400-500 square meters. Properties will occasionally have promotions for long stays. Be sure to contact the leasing departments to inquire about your particular situation.
The table below indicates some of the serviced apartment providers in Shanghai.
| Name | Website | Area | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diamond Court | Jinqiao (Pudong) | These luxurious Pudong apartments can be found at the heart of the Jinqiao international community. Nearby is a Carrefour supermarket that offers a balanced mix of local and Western foods. Diamond Court is virtually equidistant from two of Shanghai’s key development zones: Zhangjiang and Waigaoqiao. Some units offer a view of the beautifully manicured park and the communal pool. | |
| The Ascott | http://www.the-ascott.com | Lujiazui (Pudong) | Located in the heart of Lujiazui in Pudong, The Ascott offers excellent transportation links to the city center, People’s Square, and Pudong International Airport. With its proximity to Shanghai’s key commercial region and abundance of dining and shopping options, The Ascott is the perfect combination of exclusivity and convenience. |
| Shanghai American Homes | http://www.shanghai-americanhomes.com | Changning (Puxi) | Located in the less glamorous Changning District, in north Shanghai, the Shanghai American Homes complex is made up of three 5-story apartment buildings with a total of 72 units. Each spacious apartment has a large balcony, full-size appliances and quality furniture. |
| Kerry Residence | http://www.kerryresidence.com/ | Jing’an (Puxi) | Located on the storied HuaShan Road in the “embassy district” of Shanghai, Kerry Residences takes its place amongst sites of cultural, historical and architectural interest. Here, elegant living is reminiscent of a time when this neighborhood was home to the famed French Concession, which has long been the place of choice for China’s rich and famous. |
| Somerset Xuhui | http://www.somerset.com | Xuhui (Puxi) | Just a 15-minute walk from the Shanxi Nan Road metro station, this apartment-hotel gives you access to the rest of the vibrant and exciting city of Shanghai. Each of the 167 spacious residences at Somerset Xuhui is fully furnished with fully-equipped kitchens, a home entertainment system, and broadband Internet access. You can live in the dynamic city of Shanghai with the spacious comfort and security of a private serviced apartment. |
| Shanghai Centre | http://www.shanghaicentre.com/ | Jing’an (Puxi) | Shanghai Centre’s apartments are designed to Western standards, with modern kitchens and bathrooms, large bedrooms, ample closet space, and an unobstructed view of the cityscape. Every apartment has a western-style kitchen with brand-name appliances, individually controlled central heating and air-conditioning system, regular housekeeping, linen and towel service, and modern phone and Internet service provided by Shanghai Centre Telecom Service Department. Shanghai Centre employs over 300 well-trained, long-serving staff, including a core management team comprised of highly-seasoned expatriate managers to provide you with a high level of quality service. |
