The one thing synonymous among most of the Asian cities I've been is the seamless juxtaposition of gems among dilapidation. Forget paved sidewalks and chichi neighborhoods. The most gorgeous establishments are located in the unlikeliest locations, often among dirty grey buildings and mucky paths. And Shanghai Mansion, the boutique hotel we're staying in, is one such example.
Nestled between street stalls and the highly publicized La Scala Restaurant in Yaowaraj, Bangkok's Chinatown; the hotel's nondescript entrance bears little trace of its opulent interior. Housed in one of the first nine-storey buildings in early Chinatown, Shanghai Mansion makes me feel like I am in a period drama and 1930s Shanghai at the same time.
Here's the period drama bit. The suite floor so resembles a Chinese courtyard that I almost always expect to enter a room of scheming eunuchs and giggling concubines. Almost.
And here's the 1930s Shanghai bit. Jewel-toned cushions, portraits of coquettish porcelain-skinned beauties and ornate oriental screens.
No loss at all that we're not staying right smack in the middle of shopping. Platinum Mall's allure pales beside the prospect of wandering alleys full of Chinese bric-a-bracs. Ah hotels... Their wonders never cease. :) Merry Christmas everybody!
Pictures from Shanghai Mansion.
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