ITH a splendid location close to business, shopping and parks The Langham Yangtze Boutique Shanghai is groaning with sufficient credentials to pull in pinstriped and pleasure punters. Yet it ratchets up the ante with a mix of angular old-world 1930s art deco so at odds with the surrounds that it is an immediate standout. Welcome to a little piece of New York in the Orient, at one of the best Shanghai boutique hotels on show.

Within the atmospheric façade is a brisk five-star operation with attentive service, modern amenities and whimsical design flourishes. The hotel is no slouch when it comes to hi-tech gadgetry. Expect WiFi and Broadband in all rooms, iPod docks, 42-inch LCD TVs and 19-inch screens in the bathrooms. There is a DVD player for entertainment once you have acclimatised to your art deco surrounds – monogrammed dark-gold carpets, suede easy-chairs, Chinese lampshades, small balconies, and plump white beds set off by deep red headboards. Pick from Art Deco Rooms and suites or opt for a Chuan Residence with added spa indulgences.

The Chuan Spa offers luxury wellness treatments distilling Chinese remedies of yore focusing on the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire and air to alleviate modern stress. Try a massage, body scrub, or exfoliation, followed by a jaunt through steam showers, the sauna, or the vitality pool.

There is a Fitness Centre too with equipment to keep muscles toned and waistlines trim. And if calories are not a burden, savour fine-dining Cantonese at T’ang Court, Japanese at homey Mado Izakaya, and Italian aromas at Ciao Dining Room and Ciao Bambino, the latter dishing out barista coffee and fresh bakes. Afternoon tea at Palm Court is another popular pastime.

Despite all the trappings of Shanghai’s Golden Age and the immaculate passage to another era, this is among the top Shanghai business hotels with stylish facilities for small meetings and larger corporate events including a 250sq m pillar-less rooftop venue. For business or pleasure, the Langham Yangtze Boutique, Shanghai, is an unusual and engaging experience.