Beijing and Shanghai
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Where to Play and Stay in Shanghai
Shanghai's gay nightlife scene has begun to take shape dramatically just in the past couple of years, and it's easy to foresee a time when GLBT jet-setters will be flying here to attend circuit parties. For the time being, however, there are about a half-dozen gay clubs of note, the most popular being PinkHome, a swanky gay compound comprising a fabulous disco, sleek lounge, restaurant, and small hotel with pleasant, reasonably priced, and modern rooms. This is Shanghai's first all-purpose gay getaway, where you can stay, eat, and play all under one room, and the owners have done a terrific job with it. PinkHome is centrally located, a bit west of Fuxing Park.

Relatively near the swank Bund District as well as PinkHome, Frangipani is a cool gay video bar and lounge that pulls in a mix of local and visiting women and men. Two other popular Shanghai gay bars are in a section of the elegant French Concession neighborhood along Hauihai Zhong Road: the long-time neighborhood bar Eddy's, and the offbeat and artsy basement lounge Shanghai Studio, which comprises a long hallway filled with local art, a fun underwear boutique called Manifesto, and a cozy and convivial cocktail area. Near the fancy shops and international hotels along Nanjing Xi Lu, you'll find another of Shanghai's top gay dancing options, Club Deep, a late-night spot that jumps into the wee hours on weekends. It's inside Jingan Park. A few blocks away, Bo Bo is Shanghai's quite successful "bear bar," a mellow little place with an avid following.

Shanghai has plenty of first-rate hotels, with the Nanjing Xi Lu/Jingan area being an excellent base. As with Beijing, two chains that really stand out in Shanghai when it comes to service as well as gay-friendliness are Ritz-Carlton and Hyatt. Along Nanjing Xi Lu, the Portman Ritz-Carlton occupies a small office and retail plaza with several fine eateries, and it's just steps from some of the most glamorous shopping centers in Asia. For location and swanky furnishings, you can't beat this property, which also has a top-notch spa. Hyatt has two Shanghai hotels, with the brand-new Hyatt on the Bund offering the best location - it's close to the many fine shops and fashionable restaurants of the Bund neighborhood, and it overlooks the Huang Pu River as well as the futuristic business district, Pudong, which is home to the 88-story Grand Hyatt Shanghai. In 2008, the 101-story Park Hyatt Shanghai will open in Pudong, becoming the highest hotel in the world, with rooms on the 79th through 93rd floors. It's the perfect address if you're looking to gain a truly awe-inspiring perspective on one of the world's fastest-growing and most dynamic cities.

Andrew Collins is the author of Fodor's Gay Guide to the USA and as well as numerous other guidebook.