They are two very different properties. The JW is a massive business hotel - getting a bit aged now but has held up pretty well. EDITION is a high end boutique property, very trendy.

I mind neither massive business hotels nor high-end boutique properties. :D
Regarding seightseeing, I’ve been to that temple in the middle of the city and Nanjing Road as well as Bar Rouge... Otherwise I haven’t been to the Bund, so maybe it would be nice to stay close to the Bund? But I’ll only be there for a day and I’ll also be meeting a friend and working from my hotel room, so I don’t know how much location really matters.
I like suite upgrades (who doesn’t) and good elite treatment. Breakfast, lounge etc. isn’t very important for me on such a short stay. I have a morning flight the following day anyway.
Where would you stay? I’m also open to staying somewhere else entirely...

Try 12 Hengshan for authentic, local upper-class shanghai. Though if you do, ask for a quiet, courtyard-facing room away from the bars.

If on the bund, do WA or Fairmount for the full Old Shanghai glamour.

I’m not staying here this trip, but the exterior of the EDITION sure is interesting in a bland way :-)

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Is that really the Edition? The edition in on Nanjing road and from memory should be squeezed next to a lot of buildings. I could be wrong but that doesn't look like the Edition to me. Is that really Nanjing road?

Yep, Nanjing Road is on the north side of the tower - this is looking North towards the south side of the tower from the corner of Jiangxi and Hankou near Custom House, I believe. I walked down the pedestrian mall on Nanjing and the entrance to the EDITION is right there across the mall from the Daimaru store.

Enjoy your time! If you have time, visit the Park Hyatt Suzhou. That's just the most beautiful hotel.

Most JW's are old
 

Some of the older hotels built 15-20 years ago for 2008 Olympics, really need renovation, and new owners over the past few years are abet of Cheapskates due to pandemic vacancy levels.
Hopefully this new Edition does well in 2024.

Interior is quite the opposite. I really enjoyed the rooftop bar along with the Punch Bar on the second to top floor. The green velvet in the Shanghai Tavern is also quite beautiful.

Yes, the interior is gorgeous. My friend designed it - stunning on inside. Outside, I never noticed until this post, seems lacking

This is because the building was built in 1988.

I actually really like the exterior -- an interesting and rare renovation of an 80s post-modernist typical office tower of its time.

It seems that the hotel is accepting the new Nightly Upgrades Awards nearly everyday which means that everyday both of their $3200 a night Bund View Suites are occupied by an Elite member who are guaranteed 4pm late check out. The basic room is only $250 a night so you can see why no one would want to leave early the next day. That creates a problem. It means the earliest time the next person can realistically check in will be 5pm. I know the 4pm late check out is guaranteed but is the 3pm check in time also guaranteed? How would you deal with a situation like that? Do you accept check in at 5pm (possibly even later) or do you think the hotel should mamage their inventory better and not accept NUA all the time?

FOR YEARS this has been the same situation with the W Shanghai. I can never check in before 5 pm if my SNA to the Bund View Suite clears.

I was offered complimentary breakfast for the 3 of us due to the check in delay which we were very happy with. I am not sure how a hotel will deal with the situation when breakfast is already included such as at a W.

The suite was great and may have the best view of any Shanghai hotels. I can totally see them removing this suite from the NUA pool in the future.

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