Recently, the weather and temperature have been quite pleasant, making me feel the urge to go outside. As we are based in Hangzhou, our frequent destination is Shanghai; whenever the weather is nice, we want to head to the “Wutong District” to experience a different side of Shanghai.
There’s a street that has been home to many great literary figures, boasting a century of history and a distinctive ambiance. It is a regular guest on the city walking lists for young people visiting Shanghai, and that street is the renowned Yuyuan Road.
In just 880 meters, there are many charming shops to explore. Additionally, one end of Yuyuan Road connects to Zhongshan Park while the other end links to Jing’an Temple, making it very convenient.
Between the old residential buildings and vintage foreign-style houses lining the street, there’s a sense of time and space intertwining. We have previously written about Yuyuan Road, but since that was four years ago, many shops have undergone updates. Recently, I discovered a group of interesting new shops along Yuyuan Road, such as a coffee and bar known for its dopamine color scheme — “Another Curiosity,” a beautiful and aromatic bookstore called “Yuyuan Book Room,” and a designer creative shop promoting a gender-neutral style — CHAO’S CHAOS…
When visiting Yuyuan Road, one must start at Zhongshan Park. Zhongshan Park is an established park in Shanghai, formerly known as Zhaofeng Park. This park is lovely for a stroll, filled with lush trees, elegant pavilions, and dense greenery, offering changing views with every step.
However, it’s a bit unfortunate that although it is very close to popular destinations like Jing’an Temple and the Bund, and surrounded by shopping centers like Longfor Dream Center and Changning Raffles City, the Zhongshan Park area lacks prominent hotels to attract visitors.
But! On April 18, Zhongshan Park will finally welcome its first international brand hotel, and not just one, but two! The Hyatt Place Shanghai Zhongshan Park and Hyatt Centric are opening! The Hyatt Group’s Caption by Hyatt and Hyatt Centric focus on the needs of young people, making them a great fit for the “Zhongshan Park-Yuyuan Road” area, which is very popular among the youth.
Before discussing the two hotels, let me highlight their features and advantages briefly:
1. Their prime geographical location, situated just a stone’s throw from Zhongshan Park and Yuyuan Road. Direct access to the Zhongshan Park subway station allows easy travel to popular spots like Jing’an Temple and the Bund in just two or three stops.
2. This is the first Caption by Hyatt in the Asia-Pacific region, which sounds impressive.
3. With the two hotels only ten meters apart, guests can enjoy the benefits of two dining options (aside from the fact that you can’t grab breakfast across the street, haha).
4. Given their central location, the cost-performance ratio is quite high.
Let’s introduce Caption by Hyatt first, as this is indeed the debut location in the Asia-Pacific region. Caption by Hyatt is a relatively young brand of the Hyatt Group, launched in 2019. Currently, there aren’t many locations, and it focuses on lifestyle, aiming to “bring people closer together,” giving off a trendy vibe.
The target audience is positioned as younger, new-generation travelers and lifestyle seekers, which aligns with my impression of the hotel.
As of now, the website prices start from 685 RMB/6500 points. For a hotel near downtown Shanghai, this value is commendable.
On the first floor is the reception area, where you are greeted with striking artwork. The bold color contrasts create a powerful visual impact. Initially, I was a bit confused, but later realized that many elements in the artwork were inspired by Zhongshan Park and Yuyuan Road.
The check-in area is located on the second floor, which is a good design choice, helping to manage customer flow during peak times efficiently. The central island is spacious, and the lobby’s background wall is abstract and creative.
Next to the reception is a social area that differs from traditional hotel lobbies, functioning as a multifunctional hall for socializing, working, and dining. I could easily spend an afternoon there, enjoying coffee and writing!
Now, it’s time to talk about our room. The hotel features 254 rooms, including 7 suites. The room design continues the public area’s style, featuring extensive green tones and abstract artwork on the walls.
Small details like the corkboard by the door and direct drinking water at the corner are reportedly related to environmental concerns, which I appreciate.
Based on previous experiences, I expected the room colors to be more subdued, but the reality is that the interiors also embrace bold color palettes. The basic rooms are not large but are well laid out and include all necessary amenities. Thanks to the hotel’s superb location, the views and lighting are quite good.
The bathroom appears small and compact, with a refreshing mix of white and green tiles, combining vintage charm with a light, fresh feel.
For other room types, I recommend the standard suite, which is priced around 1100 RMB on the official website and feels significantly larger. It includes a small living area, and the transparent sliding door delineates the space between the leisure area and the bedroom, making it particularly suitable for family stays.
Finally, let’s talk about my favorite space in Caption by Hyatt — the “TAO乐工场” (Tao Le Workshop). This all-day dining area is the only bar in the hotel, serving as a multifunctional shared space where guests can enjoy food and drinks, work, socialize, and relax.
I’ve heard they plan to host many activities geared toward young people here, such as band performances and social salons. Recently, it seems they had an event in collaboration with an illustrator, so it’s worth keeping an eye on their official news.
Speaking of food, I think it’s quite worth recommending; they offer high cost-performance meals, with decent dishes priced around tens of RMB that can delight any guest. My favorite dish is the braised pork knuckle bagel—a surprisingly wonderful pairing, perfectly tailored for Chinese taste buds with tender, flavorful meat.
They also serve a signature Asian stone pot rice, which differs from the typical Korean bibimbap and resembles more of a rice bowl. Most importantly, you can choose the type of rice (options include Chongming rice, Tumen Moonlight rice, mixed grain rice, and Thai rice).
Also, there’s a small gym here. Although not huge, it has all the essentials.
Next, let’s introduce the Hyatt Centric. To briefly describe this brand, Hyatt Centric, as the name suggests, places its locations in the lively centers of cities. The Zhongshan Park location is the fourth Hyatt Centric in China and indeed meets the criteria of being in a “vibrant center.”
The style of Hyatt Centric can be explained simply as a thorough integration of brand features and local characteristics, producing a culturally rich experience. Therefore, the application of Shanghai’s Haipai culture throughout the hotel is quite mature, allowing guests to discover many elements from early 20th-century Shanghai.
The design of the reception area on the first floor draws inspiration from the tailor shops of old Shanghai. Behind the island are various fabrics, and there are two “hat walls,” making you feel as if you’ve stepped back into the Republic of China era.
The theme color of this Hyatt Centric is red, so red elements are ubiquitous, from the red island at the lobby to the red carpet leading to the upstairs dining area, and even red sofas in the rooms. The check-in area on the second floor also features significant red hues.
The third floor banquet hall is another highlight of the Hyatt Centric at Zhongshan Park, resembling an art gallery, making it a great photo spot.
Hyatt Centric has a total of 262 rooms, including 11 suites. The design of the rooms here is incredibly bold and avant-garde, inspired by both Haipai culture and British style, with some movie elements mixed in.
Can you imagine the feeling when I entered my room and saw such vibrant colors? Surprisingly, it wasn’t tacky at all! Moreover, the views from the rooms are fantastic, overlooking Zhongshan Park directly.
Many details reflect cinematic elements, with “spotlights” commonly found on film sets appearing in the room, along with makeup mirrors hidden in the TV backdrop, resembling those found backstage on set. The chair design in front of the mirror mimics the director’s chairs on film sets. In a word, it offers a glamorous theatrical mix.
