Shanghai City Guide - Nightlife

China's nightlife capital, Shanghai has a frenetic nightlife scene, with a proliferation of venues. An eclectic, international strain in the nightlife scene makes it very welcoming to outsiders. Bars and clubs seem to be everywhere, and pop up with increased regularity in Xintiandi and along the Bund, Tongren Lu, Nanjing Lu and Huaihai Lu. As ever, the major hotels (Grand Hyatt, Hilton, JW Marriott, Four Seasons, Portman Ritz-Carlton and Westin, in particular) have fine high-class bars. Bar prices can be surprisingly hefty, though many bars offer happy hours and one-price-all-you-can-drink deals in response to increased competition. There is no fear of passing a Sunday or Monday without action.

Details of the best venues are carried in 8 Days (website: www.8days.sh), That's Shanghai (website: www.thatssh.com) and City Weekend (website: www.cityweekend.com.cn) city listings magazines.

Bars: Face, Building 4, Ruijin Guest House Gardens, 118 Ruijin Er Lu, is one of the loveliest buildings and bars in Shanghai - a dark-panelled 1930s mansion filled with pan-Asian artifacts and a cosmopolitan herd of drinkers. Glamour Bar, 6/F, No 5 The Bund, is Shanghai's most sophisticated cocktail lounge with a distinct 1930s ambience. KABB, Lane 181, Taicang Lu, is a great terraced vantage point for watching the chic street crowd in Xintiandi. Mesa/Manifesto, 748 Julu Lu (near Fumin Lu), is a smart and elegant bar in a leafy part of the French Concession, while Windows Scoreboard, 3/F, 681 Huaihai Lu(by Sinan Lu) is the most sociable and vibrant of the RMB10-per-drink dive bars.

Clubs: Wynn Win, Room 506, 1266 Nanjing Xi Lu (near Shaanxi Lu) is an elegant, all-white club and lounge and hot spot for clubbers. California Club/Park 97, 2 Gaolan Lu, Fuxing Park, is part of the Shanghai Lan Kwai Fong strip imported from Hong Kong and sells itself on cosmopolitan sophistication. Next-door, Guandii offers specialist trance and drum and bass nights and is popular with the moneyed local set. Mint, 2/F, 333 Tongren Lu, by Beijing Xi Lu, is still the hottest spot for partying expats and upwardly mobile twenty-somethings seeking European club music and an always-rocking dance floor.

Live Music: Live bands are regular features of the Shanghai bar and club scene. The Cotton Club, 1428 Huaihai Zhong Lu (near Fuxing Lu), offers superb nightly jazz and blues. House of Blues & Jazz, 158 Maoming Lu (near Fuxing Zhong Lu) is also popular, especially at weekends. For live Chinese rock and contemporary music, visit the excellent new four-story Tang Hui bar and venue, 85 Huating Lu (near Huaihai Zhong Lu)