City Escape Plan: A Three-Day, Two-Night Staycation at Alila Shanghai

Originally, I didn’t want to go anywhere this holiday, but staying at home for too long felt suffocating. I decided to have a staycation in Shanghai to change my surroundings and unwind. I remembered my days at Alila Ubud last year—the serenity surrounded by rice fields and morning mist. A quick search revealed that Shanghai also has an Alila, right next to Jing’an Temple, so I booked two nights without hesitation. It seems to be the only Alila hotel located in the heart of a city. 📍First Impressions The lobby is on the 5th floor, and as soon as the elevator doors opened, I was greeted by a faint lemongrass scent. The room is in a light beige tone, with earplugs, an eye mask, and a sleep spray by the bed. The spray bottle is particularly beautiful—frosted glass—and the scent is reminiscent of the massage oils used in Balinese spas, soothing and fragrant. 📍Gardening and Drinking in the Clouds Secret Roof transforms from a quiet café during the day to a moody bar at night. In the afternoon, I ordered a pour-over coffee and watched sunlight stream through the arched glass ceiling onto the historic buildings of Zhang Garden. By evening, I sipped on the "Jing’an Sunset" cocktail, taking in the city’s vibrant energy. The deep red sofas and warm amber lighting, paired with the modern-yet-retro arched designs, made every corner photogenic. The next morning, I discovered a small rooftop garden above the lobby, growing mint, basil, and other herbs. Bartender Allen mentioned their "Jing’an Temple" cocktail uses herbs picked right there. Around 6 or 7 PM, there’s a welcome ceremony with complimentary cocktails 🍹. 📍A Surprise at the Sound Bath Session I wasn’t initially interested in healing sessions, but hearing how popular they’ve become, I booked one to try. Maybe it was because I hadn’t truly relaxed in so long, but the experience was unexpectedly wonderful. After the session, the instructor gave me a small packet of aromatic powder to place by my pillow for sleepless nights. Back home, a friend joked, "Isn’t it silly to spend so much staying in your own city?" But I believe sometimes we need this intentionally crafted "sense of unfamiliarity" to truly pause and catch our breath. Now, whenever I pass Jing’an Temple, I look up at that building and think, "When I’m feeling down again, I’ll book another night—just to give my emotions their own private room!"