InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland by IHG

InterContinental approaches luxury hospitality as a gateway to place, and here in Sheshan that philosophy takes literal form. The property sits within a landscape defined by West Sheshan, the highest natural point in Shanghai, rising 118 metres above the city's otherwise relentlessly flat terrain. These paired hills (East and West Sheshan, separated by a narrow valley) anchor a forest park in the western reaches of Songjiang District, where the urban sprawl finally gives way to something wilder. The air shifts here, cooler and greener than the downtown grid, particularly along the wooded trails that thread through the surrounding reserve.

Sheshan has long drawn pilgrims and day-trippers seeking respite from the megacity's intensity. The neighbourhood retains a quieter rhythm, punctuated by botanical gardens, wetlands, and golf courses rather than skyscrapers. This is suburban Shanghai at its most pastoral, where the city's 25 million inhabitants feel pleasingly distant.

The property is 23 kilometres from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, accessible via expressway or metro connections that link Songjiang District to the city centre. Pudong International Airport lies 63 kilometres to the east.

The draw here is the landscape itself. Start with the Shanghai Hengshan Hill Natural Reserve, just over a kilometre away, where walking paths climb through bamboo groves and secondary forest. Chenshan Botanical Garden, three kilometres south, sprawls across 207 hectares with themed collections ranging from medicinal plants to desert flora. The nearby Guangfulin Relics Park traces human settlement in the Yangtze Delta back five millennia, its sunken museum pavilions half-submerged in reflection pools. Book a tee time at Tian Ma Golf Club, less than two kilometres from the property, or venture further to She Shan Golf Club for more challenging links-style play.

For serious dining, return to the city centre. Fu He Hui, 31 kilometres east, holds two Michelin stars for vegetarian cuisine that changes with each season, the dishes plated with monastic precision in serene, Zen-inspired rooms. Ji Pin Court, another two-star venue, specialises in Cantonese technique; the signature fried chicken with sand ginger in claypot arrives fragrant and deeply savoury, each ingredient diced to uniform size. Taian Table, chef Stefan Stiller's three-star flagship, offers counter seating around an island kitchen where the 10- or 12-course menu evolves every few weeks.

Winter arrives sharp and dry, with January mornings dipping near freezing and pale sunlight filtering through the leafless forest. The city slows, its usual frenzy muted by cold snaps and the occasional dusting of snow on Sheshan's peaks.

Spring unfolds gradually from March, the hills erupting in magnolia and cherry blossom as temperatures climb into the mid-teens. April and May bring steady rain but also the year's most vivid greenery, the botanical gardens reaching peak bloom. The air turns humid, heavy with the scent of wet earth and flowering trees.

Summer is sweltering, July and August pushing past 30 degrees with monsoon rains that drench the city in sudden downpours. Autumn redeems everything: September through November offers crisp, golden light, moderate temperatures, and the clearest skies of the year. October is ideal, the forest park ablaze in rust and amber, the humidity finally lifting.