Breathtaking views at Banyan Tree Shanghai on the Bund

Shanghai's newest hotel, Banyan Tree Shanghai on the Bund, touts itself as a romantic getaway in an urban resort. The hotel's expansive view certainly lives up to the "romantic" part, and the secluded location fits the "getaway" - at least for now.

But while its name suggests otherwise, Banyan Tree Shanghai on the Bund is not actually situated on the popular stretch of the city's historic waterfront. It's further up north, just past the bend of the Huangpu River. At the moment, the neighbourhood still looks very much a work in progress with plenty of construction going on in the area. The taxi driver took a while to work out the location of the hotel.

According to Carol Qian, the hotel's director of marketing communications, the spot was picked for its apparent isolation, as befitting the hotel's positioning as an urban resort. "It may seem like it's in the middle of nowhere, but the Bund is only five minutes away by taxi," she says.

Shanghai International Cruise Ship Terminal can also be reached by a leisurely three-minute stroll through the riverside park.

The Shanghai hotel is Banyan Tree's fourth "urban resort", says Abid Butt, Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts' chief executive. The fifth will debut in Tianjin next year.

"We will continue to develop this concept internationally and within China, alongside our other destinations and integrated resort projects."

Housed in an arched building with a glass front constructed for a view, the hotel's 130 rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the river and the futuristic Pudong skyline on the opposite bank. A private heated dipping pool by the window can be found in 27 of the rooms, but these are not the only rooms where you can literally soak in the magnificent view of yachts and ships sailing by - all the other rooms feature a round bathtub by the window.