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Cloud 9

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midtownmjd
midtownmjd
First Reviewer
4 out of 5
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1
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3
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Cloud 9

  • September 9, 2007
  • Rated 4 of 5 by midtownmjd from New York, New York
Cloud 9

Glamour comes naturally to much of Shanghai, and Cloud 9 is the place to embrace the city’s film-noir sensibility. In fact, I can’t imagine a trip there would be complete without a drink at this bar on the 87th floor of the Jin Mao Tower (the top floor of the Grand Hyatt Shanghai in Pudong), particularly if it follows dinner at one of the Hyatt’s popular high-end restaurants. The modern landmark is worth a visit just to see the soaring 34-floor atrium—from the bottom and then from the top—but the view from Cloud 9 is the tower’s real draw. One of the highest bars in the world, it literally sits above the clouds, but on a perfectly clear night, that vantage point is perfect.

We went on a Monday night, and there were only a few other customers (mostly hotel guests and couples on dates) in the large, lounge-y bar, but that gave us easy access to clear views from any window we wanted. We walked the 360 degrees around the bar’s perimeter to take in the city from every angle, and enjoyed the up-close views of the building’s own modern architecture as well. Then we sat at a booth and tried a variety of things from the extensive drink menu, from champagne to cocktails to tea. The prices were pretty reasonable by US standards (about $8 for a mixed drink), although it’s certainly one of the more expensive bars in Shanghai. It was a great place to kick off our night out, but we moved on before the tab got too high.

Cloud 9’s furnishings and atmosphere are dark and muted, although this impression was probably amplified by the lack of customers. Service was prompt and polite, but language was, understandably, a bit of a barrier. We felt completely unhurried and catered to, though—and kind of Bond-ish as well. The best feature is the way the bar wraps around the floor—every customer can see the view from every table.

The bar opens at 6pm Monday through Friday and 11am Saturday and Sunday, and closes between 1am and 2am each night.

The Jin Mao Tower is a quick and inexpensive taxi ride from the Shanghai side of the Huangpu River, or you can cross by tunnel and find your way to the building by sight. After our visit to Cloud 9, the tower’s helpful first-floor concierges helped us get cabs and choose our next destination.

From journal Sweating in Sweet Shanghai

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