Good deals for tourists in Shanghai

When I was working for the corporate world, I never got to see Shanghai during the day Monday-Friday.  Since I started becoming an "entreprenuer," my schedule is more flexible and allows me to roam around the city any odd time of the day.  I thought I'd share some of the great deals I've been enjoying with people who are visiting Shanghai (or those who can get out of the office before 6pm).

1. 2 hour foot + body massage for $100RMB - This is a happy hour package that the Butterfly Massage offers Monday-Friday before 6pm.  Normally, one hour of foot or body massage is somewhere around $80RMB per hour so this is a really sweet deal.  It's also very close to Quintet so I'd highly recommend it to my guests.  Their massage therapists on average are very good -- therapeutic but not as brutal as some of the more local places.  The place has a spa-like atmosphere and I especially like their little touches such as a heated neck pillow (filled with some sort of grains) when you're getting the foot massage and also heated sack for the back during the body massage.  My favorite guy is #2, and according to the manager, he is the "technical director" of the shop.

2.  Happy hour "Tidbits" at the Glamour Bar on the Bund - Glamour is usually more packed as the night goes on so the place is practically empty around 5-8pm.  That's why they offer a small spread of snack buffet for free during this time Monday-Friday.  For the price of the drinks (typically $70RMB/drink and up), you not only get free food, you can also get the gorgeous bund/Oriental Pearl view all to yourself (sofas next to the windows are hard to come by late at night).  Why not beat the crowd?

3.  English high tea on the 53rd in Jinmao Hyatt - we discovered this one after seeing the 2-hour line to get up to the new Shanghai World Financial Center observation deck.  At SWFC, you'd pay $180RMB to go up to the 100th floor -- and it doesn't even come with a drink!  For $150RMB + 15%, you can sit comfortably in Hyatt's relaxing and jazzy Piano Bar  with a still very nice view of the Huang Pu River while enjoying excellent tea sandwiches, hot scones and sausage rolls, as well as a good selection of desserts, fruits, and ice cream.  I think I'll wait until when the crowds subside more (or discounts are offered) before trying the SWFC again.

KangJun Massage - don't go to Dragonfly!!

I always find it maddening that newcomers to Shanghai would right away get suckered into Dragonfly and plunk down like $1000RMB to buy a pre-paid card.  Apparently Dragonfly is the best in the business when it comes to advertizing to foreigners.  However, I must say that the newbie massage therapists they bring in from their ChongQing school are mostly too green and unable to find the pressure points on your body.  If you are one of those people who are just happy that someone is caressing you, then I guess anywhere will do. 

Being a certified massage therapist myself, I think I'm qualifed to rate massage places.  There several decent places to go for massage, but I love KangJun in particular because they have the massage skills to show for a very reasonable price.  AND they're located in the city center, unlike other good places which are most clustered in far-away GuBei and HongQiao areas.  They cater to a Japanese clientele so you know it's clean, albeit a bit cramped.  They have many branches around Shanghai, and the one on Dagu Rd is the closest one in the city center and also nicest one in decor. 

For $75 RMB, you can get a 1-hour Chinese-style full body massage or a foot massage.  I also tried their oil massage ($225/90 min) and ear candling ($120/60 min) , where they insert a hollow wax burning candle in your ears and suck crap out of them.  For the foot massage, they give you a nice pot of tea and some cherry tomatos.  My friend had bought a couch from them cuz they are so comfy.

If you have a big group and want a more social setting, try Taipan Spa just down the street on Dagu Rd.