AS the luxury clans gather in Shanghai for ILTM Asia, one of the luxury travel industry’s premier events,  we take a look at all the best new five star hotel openings in Shanghai this year – it is an impressive list. No wonder the luxe clans gather here. 

 The Capella Shanghai Jian Ye Li 
TLTB had a sneak preview of this historic hotel last year and promptly put it on our Top Ten Hottest 2017 openings lists - we were mightily impressed. Set to open in Jul , this boutique and unique offering occupies a cluster of 1930s French buildings in the cultural preservation zone of the city’s Xuhui district. city's only all-villa urban resort in the last remaining cluster of historical "shikumen" (stone warehouse gate) estate With 55 ultra-luxury villas, 40 residences,. The inside of this warehouse is now fit for an emperor with antique-style furniture and lustrous silk soft furnishings.  There I also a French brasserie,  Comptoir Pierre Gagnaire,(Helmed by garnaire’s prodigy  Romain Chapel) The Capella Library, Auriga spa and retail.  www.capellahotels.com/shanghai

St Regis Shanghai Jingan
 Opened in May St Regis Shanghai Jingan blends the best traditions of St. Regis, such as its legendary butler service, with a design and culinary experience that highlights the history and culture of Shanghai. Its glamourous interiors are already finding favour with luxury lovers and ILTM Asia’s glittering party will be held here tomorrow night (Tuesday June 6). The hotel's elegant interiors create an oasis of calm by combine English and Chinese palatial styles with elements of Chinese art and culture, such as calligraphy and handcrafted gold foil paintings. Five glass sculptures by world renowned glass sculptor Dale Chihuly feature in the hotel's public space.  The towering property has 400 plus rooms, including 66 suites, and 55 residences. TLTB readers will want to head for the three-bedroom, three-story Presidential Suite which spans 650 square metres on the top of the building, featuring a glass ceiling, vast living room, outdoor terraces with panoramic skyline views, full kitchen, dining room, and lounge area. There are also six distinct restaurants and bars, The St. Regis Shanghai Jingan offers guests a unique combination of signature St. Regis offerings and local flavors. A signature Iridium Spa features a range of specialty massages and treatments and an indoor swimming pool  www.starwoodhotels.com/stregis/shanghaI

Amanyangyun
 Located in Shanghai’s Minheng district , this amazing property is made up not just of ancient buildings but also camphor  trees saved from flooding in Jiangxi province, some 800km away, then  transported and transplanted to create a “tranquil village of historic dwellings, surrounded by sacred camphor woodland”. It’s a real labour of love  by  Shanghai philanthropist Ma Dadong. Read the full story HERE. The property will feature ornate carvings and reliefs detailing family histories that date back two millennia, in 26 sensitively restored antique dwellings which will  form the peaceful heart of Amanyangun At the centre will beNan Shufang, the most spectacular antique dwelling in the collection. Named after the royal reading pavilion in the Forbidden City, Nan Shufang is located in a serene garden. It’s a space for contemplation, learning and discussion where guests can enjoy a number of cultural activities such as ancient calligraphy and Chinese tea ceremony. www.aman.com/shanghai

W Shanghai—The Bund
Perched on the banks of the Huangpu River and due to open at the end of June, this ultra -hip hotel will be Starwood Hotels' third W-branded property in China, after Beijing and Guangzhou. As you’d expect from a W hotel Its 374 rooms and 35 suites  -  ranging from Wonderful Rooms to the Extreme WOW Suite - are spacious and modern, blending the W's eclectic aesthetic with traditional Shanghai decor. Design inspiration comes fro  Fabio Ongarato Design (which also  designed the just-opened Jackalope hotel in  Victoria ,Australia for  Chinese entrepreneur Louis Li). TLTB likes the look of the sprawling outdoor pool and lounge, and the W's signature AWAY Spa, specializing in restorative local treatments. The largest event space—the Great Room—can host 1,100 banquet guests. Twelve function rooms will have natural daylight while the outdoor Wet Deck on the fourth floor can be used for summer events, seating up to 129. A 47-metre-tall annex to the building will serve as exhibition halls. www.starwoodhotels.com

Bulgari Hotel & Residences Shanghai
When it opens later this year the Bulgari Hotel in Shanghai will be housed in 8 floors of a 40-story building located in the extraordinary riverside complex of the historic Jing’an district. It will have 82 rooms and suites - including one extraordinary Bulgari suite of 400 square metres and is expected to offer some of the largest hotel rooms in Shanghai. The master plan was conceived by world-class architecture design team Foster+Partners, whilst the interiors will be designed for Bulgari by the renowned architectural firm Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel and Partners. The hotel will juxtapose ancient and modern architectural themes in a fascinating reflection of the prestigious Suhe Creek surroundings, called 'Gold Strand of Shanghai', home to a flourishing art scene. We’re looking forward to its Italian rooftop restaurant and bar are destined to become one of the most desirable venues in Shanghai. www.bulgarihotels.com/en_US/shanghai

Also worth mentioning:
-The J-Hotel Shanghai, from Jin Jiang Hotels, China’s biggest operator. Once complete the 258-room property will be the highest hotel in the world, occupying the 84th to 110th floors of the new Shanghai Tower in Pudong’s Lujiazui district.
  - The Shimao Wonderland Intercontinental resort, carved into the edge of an abandoned quarry on the outskirts of the city, now on track for a soft opening at the end of 2017, the resort will feature 328 rooms, with the lowest levels of the hotel, including a restaurant, located below water.