Shanghai is ever appealing to the modern traveller, offering variety, architecture, entertainment, heritage, luxury and much more. Whether it’s experiencing the Shanghainese specialty xiao long bao (soup-filled dumplings), cycling the tree-lined streets of the French Concession, walking through the historic centre or gazing up at the futuristic skyscrapers of The Bund, this ‘Oriental Paris’ is a crossroads of old and new and has plenty to discover right around the clock.

Any impression of Shanghai wouldn’t have the full impact without a tour of The Bund, the waterfront area in central Shanghai. Begin at the Fairmont Peace Hotel at East Nanjing Road, once the most luxurious and expensive hotel in Shanghai. Take a walk through to view the colonial-style interiors and inhale the subtle scent of cloves that fills the air. Continue on to the former British consulate, The Peninsula Hotel, where high tea may be on the cards in one of the quaintly furnished rooms. Stroll to the red-brick buildings of Rockbund, an up-and-coming neighbourhood where six historic blocks have been pedestrianised and boutique businesses have moved in. Backtrack along the water’s edge of the Huangpu River and step inside the grand HSBC Building, constructed in 1922 near the old city centre of Shanghai. From here, you can truly feel the contrast of then and now as you look over to the skyline of The Pudong, the new financial district of the east bank that has been built up at speed since 1995. “When you open your doors here, you see there!” says Bert de Muynck, an architect and lecturer at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University and founder of Moving Cities. “There is dialogue across the river to impress each other. It’s a show of east and west. Yin and yang.” And it’s a show arguably seen best of an evening when the lights are on display.

Take a boat ride across the river and start to look up. Head to the Jin Mao (meaning golden prosperity) Tower, one of the tallest buildings in the world. It’s an octagon design of 88 storeys (naturally, with China’s draw to the lucky ‘8’) housing the Grand Hyatt Hotel. If you have a head for heights, elevate yourself to the skywalk to view the hotel’s amazing atrium. “Shanghai is more a city of interior design. More on the inside than on the outside. That is where the detail is,” says de Muynck.

Along with the Oriental Pearl Tower, the Shanghai Tower and the Shanghai World Financial Centre (SWFC – also known as the bottle opener), it is part of the famous skyline seen from The Bund. Within the SWFC, the Park Hyatt Hotel takes up residence between floors 79 and 93. With its jaw-dropping views across the city, it’s the perfect spot for a sunset cocktail.

Take a bespoke bicycle tour to venture into the Xintiandi and Tian Zi Fang neighbourhoods for a more ‘local’ experience. Culture Shock (culture-shock-tours.com) offers tours on vintage bikes so you can peddle through the laneways of tall Shikumen houses and streets lined with sycamore trees, and see local families living in tranquillity among the more than 24 million people in Shanghai.

Back on foot, stroll though the French Concession with its beautiful old houses and boutique shops. The area offers a labyrinth of Shikumen houses and alleyways, and popular shopping and dining options, with tea house Songfang Maison (songfangtea.com) being our pick to stop and rest the legs. Then continue to put that credit card to work on the shopper’s paradise that is Luwan’s Huaihai Road.

Aussie Rules has made its way to Shanghai, partly through the large Australian expat community. For the past two years, Port Adelaide, sponsored by Cathay Pacific, has showcased the game at premiership level at Jiangwan Stadium, which brings more than 4000 people to the city. The team is expected to complete a hat-trick of matches there in the 2019 season. For an easy day trip, jump on the bullet train and head to charming and traditional Suzhou, about 30 minutes from Shanghai, and spend the day wandering the canals, bridges and ornate gardens. If you have time for a two-night trip away from Shanghai, make the two-hour trip to Moganshan, where a series of eco resorts has sprung up tucked among the forests and woodlands; visit Naked Stables for just such a retreat (nakedretreats.cn/naked-stables).

At the heart of historic Dazhongli, Shanghai’s commercial district, sits the appropriately named – ‘zhong’ being a reference to ‘central’ in Chinese – The Middle House Hotel (themiddlehousehotel.com/en/). Opened in May this year, it’s the latest offering from the The House Collective luxury hotel group, with interiors by renowned Milan-based designer Piero Lissoni and architecture by Lissoni Associati and Wong and Ouyang. Located in HKRI Taikoo Hui, a new retail hub on Nanjing Road (West) offering around 250 fashion, lifestyle and beauty stores as well as more than 40 trendy eateries. Shanghai’s rich traditions of craftsmanship provide inspiration for the hotel interiors. The grand, spacious foyer embraces east and west, with its ceramic bamboo walls and statement Murano chandelier. It’s certainly a great way to kick off the elegant and calming experience a stay here will create amid the dynamic city.

Beyond the lobby, The Middle House promises intimate luxury and a highly tuned guest experience – think personalised notes, fitting gifts and attention to detail at every turn. With 111 rooms and 102 serviced apartments, it is a welcoming gem in the heart of Shanghai. Inside the spacious, contemporary guest rooms you’ll find carefully considered details, such as traditional Chinese screens and decorative nightstands. The inviting bathtubs are ideal to immerse yourself in after a day spent pounding the streets. Or completely unwind in the tranquil ambience at the MI XUN day spa, an underground haven featuring a 33-metre heated pool, 24-hour gym, Hypoxi facilities, yoga sessions, Tai Chi and The Lab, where you can shop for all your facial and body therapy needs.

The hotel also offers a range of dining options, including slick Italian eatery Frasca, and the contemporary Café Gray Deluxe, which showcases award-winning chef Gray Kunz’s unique style of international cuisine among stylish interiors and generous terraces. Menu highlights during our stay included delicate green asparagus and seared sea bass with yellow pepper emulsion. A smorgasbord of small bites and share plates – traditional Shanghainese dishes fused with western cooking, such as the xiao long bao with crab meat and pumpkin broth, or crispy fish with foie gras – can be found at the opulent Sui Tang Li.

The Middle House ticks all the boxes for a memorable Shanghai stay – it boasts luxury service, refined local and international cuisines, showstopping design, art and culture, and an array of spa treatments guaranteed to recharge any weary traveller before more exploring.