Disclosure
Jade Peak writes about places, experiences, and the people behind them, so hotels, operators, and companies come up often. We have no financial relationship with any entity named in this article. If that ever changes, we'll say so plainly, right here at the top.
Shanghai the futuristic city where one of our co-founders has roots (and part of their family still lives there). Every time we visit, there seems to be something new: a tower, a wellness concept, or a completely different way to spend an afternoon. As always at Jade Peak, we went hunting for the spots that genuinely caught our attention across wellness, sport, culture, and food.
Yang SPACE
We’re sure if you’ve found yourself on this page, wellness is on your radar, and you’ve probably heard about the 24-hour spa craze. If you spend enough time in Shanghai, someone will inevitably tell you about Yang SPACE. Part spa, part entertainment complex, it operates 24 hours a day and the variety of fruits and drinks is absolutely incredible! Has become one of the city’s most popular spots to disappear for an afternoon or an entire night. And yes, it’s gorgeous but if you’re just thinking of crashing there to avoid paying for a hotel… Well, good luck with the sleep!
We explain to you the concept if you have never heard about it is simple: hot springs, saunas, steam rooms, massages, relaxation areas, unlimited fruit, drinks, cinemas, gaming zones, and even sleep pods if you decide to stay over. For around the price of a decent dinner, you can easily spend half a day here. Many people arrive in the evening, have a soak, book a massage, snack on fruit, sleep in a recliner, and leave the next morning feeling surprisingly human again.
Orangetheory Fitness Shanghai
One thing we always notice when traveling is how global fitness communities create a sense of familiarity. Shanghai's Orangetheory studios have built a strong following among both locals and expats.
As someone who has trained in the STOTT Pilates system, I appreciate places that take coaching seriously, and Orangetheory falls into that category. The workouts combine running, rowing, strength training, heart-rate monitoring, and plenty of sweating. The concept is built around measurable performance, so if you're the type of person who enjoys tracking progress, you'll probably love it.
What we particularly liked is that many classes are bilingual, making it surprisingly accessible for newcomers to Shanghai. One of our co-founders speaks Chinese, the other definitely doesn't. Trust me, the one who doesn't end up in a class entirely in Chinese and spent most of the session watching the person next to them. There is something comforting about finding a workout that feels familiar when everything else around you is completely different.
Silver Root Apothecary & TCM
One thing we have learned after spending time in Asia is that wellness often starts from a very different place than it does in Europe or North America.
At Silver Root Apothecary @silverrootapothecary visitors can experience a deeper introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine through consultations, acupuncture, herbal tea ceremonies, meridian therapies, and mugwort treatments. Rather than treating wellness as a luxury service, the focus is on understanding your body's balance and learning concepts that have existed for thousands of years. You can go from a tea workshop to a social night, and even a gym cupping class.
What interests us is not necessarily whether you become a lifelong believer in every aspect of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The opportunity to see health through a completely different lens is one of our main concepts in Jade Peak. You leave with a few new ideas, a better understanding of how Chinese medicine approaches recovery, and probably a stronger appreciation for how many different ways there are to think about wellbeing. In a city obsessed with innovation, there is something refreshing about spending an afternoon exploring practices that have been around for over 2,000 years.
Shanghai is often described as China's most modern city. The interesting thing is that some of its best wellness experiences sit at both extremes: futuristic 24-hour recovery clubs and ancient medical traditions that have survived for centuries.
Originally published at jadepeak.com.
