Shangri-La Ningbo
An indoor pool and kids' pool by three rivers
About this hotel
Shangri-La Ningbo splits its water facilities in two, an indoor pool for adults and a separate kids' pool, inside a wave-shaped tower overlooking the confluence of three rivers. The spa runs a full treatment menu, massage therapies, a steam room and sauna, alongside a hot tub on the same wellness floor. Rooms carry floor-to-ceiling windows facing the city or the river, marble bathrooms and flat-screen TVs. Four dining venues cover the ground, from Lobster Bar and Grill to Shang Palace, serving classic Ningbo dishes from a CCTV-recommended chef, and Yi Cafe for international options. It sits a 15-minute walk from Tianyi Square and a 20-minute walk from the Old Bund, with bilingual service for English-speaking guests.
- Indoor pool and kids' pool
- Hot tub and full spa
- Three-river views
- Four dining venues
Our take
This suits families and couples who want the widest water offer downtown, a proper kids' pool separate from the adult lap pool, plus a full spa for the adults on their own time. Guests chasing a boutique, quieter stay over a large-scale wave-shaped tower with banquet capacity should weigh The Azure or a smaller Yinzhou property instead.
- ✓Use the kids' pool for children rather than the main indoor pool, since the two run as separate facilities.
- ✓Book Shang Palace ahead for dinner; it is one of the city's better-known Chinese restaurants downtown.
- ✓Walk to the Old Bund after a spa session, twenty minutes away, rather than calling a taxi for the short trip.
Why we love it
- Indoor pool plus a separate kids' pool
- Full spa with steam room and sauna
- Three-river views from a wave-shaped tower
- Shang Palace serving CCTV-recommended Ningbo dishes
Why guests love itHaving a separate kids' pool meant the adults could actually use the main indoor pool and the spa's hot tub without constantly supervising a splash zone, which changed the whole rhythm of the stay with two children along. Dinner at Shang Palace one night, walking distance to Tianyi Square the next, made the wave-shaped tower feel worth the extra cost over a plainer downtown option nearby.