Originally Posted by EEB
Don't know how you plan to split your time between the two cities but I'd spend longer in Beijing than Shanghai. There's lots more to see.
i'll second that suggestion.
other thoughts:
-don't bother with organized tours. i know i've said this countless times before in this forum, but i'm saying it again and will surely repeat myself in the future. there's simply no advantage to paying through the nose just to get the wisdom of a guy who knows less than the lp and has relationships with gift shop employees and currency traders throughout the city. for close destiations, just grab a taxi and get another one when you want to leave. to go further (e.g. decent great wall sites, fragrant hills, tianjin), hire a cab for the day.
-imo the lido IS too far away.
-the sheraton is very worn, but i always try to stay in that vacinity when i'm in beijing (better food and less traffic than downtown)
-the silk alley no longer exists; see last week's economist