My 48 hours in Shanghai

Cody Allen has been based in Shanghai for three years readying the latest outpost of the Parisian celebrity den, Le Baron club, which has just opened. He is ebullient about his adopted city and its cultural entrepreneurs, who like him, are setting up a new generation of bars, restaurants, retail spaces and art galleries.

"Really I could give you enough ideas for a whole week of partying, eating and exploring; it was difficult to just plan a weekend, but I think it's a great snapshot of the city's culture right now."

Allen's first recommendation is unequivocal: "Stay at The PuLi. It is an incredible hotel. There's nothing better than arriving in Shanghai, getting through the traffic hell from the airport, showering, looking out the window, gathering yourself together and then sitting on the terrace or in the lobby, having a drink," he says.

"And there's every chance if you are a well-travelled, cosmopolitan person you'll run into someone you know. And if you have friends in town it's a great place to meet. It's a real hub.

"I always used to say it was impossible to start a Shanghai trip without first visiting the Bund and the famous skyline, but I don't think that's true anymore — it's nicer to arrive in a friendly neighbourhood and see the city on a human scale."