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Hotel · Shanghai, China
Capella Shanghai, Jian Ye Li
Capella Shanghai sits among a surviving cluster of 1930s shikumen lane houses in Xuhui District, its villas designed by the late Jaya Ibrahim.
Overview
Capella Shanghai occupies one of the last intact clusters of Shikumen style lane housing in Xuhui District, a built form unique to the city that once sheltered foreign traders and, from 1945, local Shanghainese families. The property, named for the Jian Ye Li lane it inhabits, was designed by Jaya Ibrahim and his team, who set out to protect the architecture while adapting it for contemporary stay. The result is a collection of one-, two- and three-bedroom Shikumen villas that mix traditional Chinese joinery and Chinoiserie detail with French-accented furniture, a combination the hotel traces back to the lane's own mixed heritage.
Guests are looked after by staff the hotel calls Capella Culturists, who arrange individual experiences for each stay rather than working from a fixed activities list. Some villas face the Secret Garden, an internal courtyard planted as a quiet outdoor space between the lane buildings. Dining centres on le Comptoir de Pierre Gagnaire, a restaurant built around the French chef Pierre Gagnaire, who has worked in cuisine for five decades; the hotel also runs le Bar. Both have been recognised in recent Michelin Guide and Forbes Travel Guide listings for Shanghai.
The address is 480 West Jianguo Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, placing the hotel inside the French Concession area of the city rather than its newer business districts. Public detail on room dimensions, bedding configurations and spa treatments was not available at the time of writing, so this page sticks to what the hotel itself states about its architecture, design and dining.
- Rooms
- On request
- Minimum stay
- 1 night
- Check in
- 15:00
- Check out
- 12:00
Why we like it
- Built within a surviving cluster of 1930s Shikumen lane housing in Xuhui District
- Villas designed by Jaya Ibrahim and his team, mixing Chinese and French design elements
- One-, two- and three-bedroom Shikumen villa categories
- Restaurant le Comptoir de Pierre Gagnaire, built around chef Pierre Gagnaire
- Guests are assisted by staff the hotel calls Capella Culturists
- Some villas face an internal courtyard called the Secret Garden
Gallery
Rooms & suites
Categories shown for orientation. Your travel advisor will confirm which are available for your dates and recommend the one that suits the trip.
Shikumen Villa
Set within a building originally constructed in the 1930s to house foreign traders and expatriates, later converted in 1945 into local Shanghainese residences. The interiors have been newly designed in a contemporary style set against Chinoiserie accents.
Up to 2 guestsShikumen Garden Villa
Faces the Secret Garden, an outdoor courtyard space within the property. The interior design blends classic Chinese elements with 19th-century French style.
Up to 2 guestsSecret Garden viewTwo Bedroom Shikumen Deluxe Villa
Overlooks greenery set among the traditional lane architecture. Furnishings carry French accents alongside Chinoiserie elements, set against a muted palette of colours and materials.
Up to 2 guestsThree Bedroom Shikumen Grand Villa
Combines French-inspired furniture with intricate Chinoiserie detail, arranged with attention to rhythm and symmetry. Wall paintings and artwork feature throughout the space.
Up to 2 guests
Amenities
- le Comptoir de Pierre Gagnaire
- le Bar
- Secret Garden courtyard
Reserving through us
Included when your travel advisor confirms this stay
- Daily breakfast for two
- Room upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
- Property credit or equivalent where the house offers one
- Early check in and late check out on request
- Welcome amenity and your travel agent known to the general manager
Eligible preferred amenities are applied wherever available, subject to the property at the time of stay, and are confirmed in your proposal.
Location
Shanghai, China
The Bund, the French Concession's plane trees and a skyline across the river.
Questions
- Where exactly is Capella Shanghai located?
- The hotel is at 480 West Jianguo Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai 200031, People's Republic of China, within a cluster of Shikumen lane housing known as Jian Ye Li.
- Who designed the hotel's interiors?
- The design concept, including the one-, two- and three-bedroom Shikumen villas, was created by Jaya Ibrahim and his team.
- What dining is available on site?
- The hotel's restaurant is le Comptoir de Pierre Gagnaire, built around French chef Pierre Gagnaire, and there is a bar called le Bar.
- What types of accommodation does the hotel offer?
- Four villa categories are named: the Shikumen Villa, the Shikumen Garden Villa, the Two Bedroom Shikumen Deluxe Villa and the Three Bedroom Shikumen Grand Villa.
- What is the history of the buildings themselves?
- The Shikumen structures were originally built in the 1930s to house foreign traders and expatriates in Shanghai. In 1945 the area became residential housing for local Shanghainese families before its later conversion into the hotel.
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