Trip review of Shenzhen: Silicon Valley of the East

This trip was completed in November 2023.

Being China’s first special economic zone to promote business and innovation, this city located in the Guangdong province has been attracting many migrants seeking a better life. As a result, Shenzhen has a relatively young history but fast became a melting pot of culture. When we visited Shenzhen from Hong Kong, we found that this is a city that is as vibrant and modern.

As this was a short trip, we did not tackle the large-scale tourist attractions like the Window of the World and Splendid China Folk Village located in the Overseas Chinese Town (OCT) part of the city. Instead, we were mostly around the city center. Below are some of the more notable parts of our trip.

Transportation: Luohu Control Point

Rating 7.5/10

This is the Shenzhen side of the land crossing with Hong Kong’s Lo Wu Control Point (we previously wrote about it here). As compared to the Hong Kong counterpart, the Shenzhen side is an integrated facility with direct transfer to the Shenzhen metro line as well as the broader railway network to other cities in China. Therefore, it provides a better connection for long haul journeys deeper into mainland China.

Generally, we prefer the high speed rail into Shenzhen via West Kowloon Railway Station given that the Futian stop transports passengers straight into central Shenzhen. However, if the Luohu Commercial City is one of your shopping destination, Luohu Control Point is definitely the route you will want to take as they are in the same area.

Accommodation: St. Regis Shenzhen

Rating 8.3/10

While most international hotels are located in the Futian district, the St. Regis Shenzhen is located in the Luohu District. Even though its location may not be as central to tourist attractions like the Lianhuashan Park and Citizen Square, this hotel is situated in an upmarket building called KK100. This is the second tallest building at 100 floors, only lower than the Ping An International Finance Centre. The retail segment at the bottom of the building is also a high-end mall with an international supermarket and a good selection of restaurants.

The hotel spans 75^th floor to 100^th floor of the building, with the reception lobby being located at the 96^th floor. A key feature of St. Regis Shenzhen is the sprawling view the lobby area affords. In the same St. Regis tradition, guests will be treated to the champagne sabrage ritual in the evening.

We stayed in the larger room on the 88^th floor, and the layout is spacious. The bathroom is generously-sized and the décor leans towards the grand marble feel.

Do hope for a clear day during your stay as you will be greeted in the morning with a breathtaking view of the rolling hills surrounding the city. Room rates start at around 1,800RMB/night, which put it in a very affordable range considering the St. Regis brand.

Most facilities like the pool, spa and gym are located on the 75^th floor, while the higher floors from 98^th floor onwards house the Elba Italian restaurant and more exclusive areas like the ‘Library’ and ‘Malt’. The St. Regis Bar is definitely worth dropping by as a hotel guest too.

Dining: St. Regis Bar

Rating 8.1/10

With the windows overlooking the Futian commercial district, this is arguably the nicest facing if you are able to get one of those window seats. For some reason, it was overwhelmingly crowded during the weekend night we were there, so we were left with the bar counter seats.

Try to arrive early in the evening if you are interested to catch the sunset timing or simply to get a good table. Throughout the night, the atmosphere changes and it will become cosier nearing midnight with the city lights shimmering beneath you.

The cocktail menu includes a few of the local highlights such as The Yan Mary for St. Regis Shenzhen. They also serve The Mary Jing (St. Regis Shanghai Jing An) and The Canton Mary (St. Regis Hong Kong). The Yan Mary comes with a dash of sea salt and a fresh oyster as the variation to the Bloody Mary. We tried several other drinks and the seasoned bartender was able to serve up a good presentation consistently even as the night progressed.

Dining: Laowang Hotpot (Want Hotpot)

Rating 8.5/10

A reliable choice which we always find ourselves coming back to when craving for hotpots. Despite having tried a variety of hotpot restaurants in our previous trip reviews, there is a certain familiarity with Want Hotpot and this time in Shenzhen was no different.

We highly recommend the pepper soup which comes with chicken and pig tripe. There are also plenty of other soup base choices so it is not uncommon to order a half pot where guests can order two different soup bases at the same time.

Ingredients were fresh, not just for the meat portions, but also the mushrooms with slight earthy taste. There is also a list of cooked dishes to go with the main steamboat such as claypot rice and fried snacks. Overall, we think the slightly higher price point of the restaurant is justified by the food quality.

We would say that Want Hotpot is a place worth trying for communal eating in a social gathering. The service level as well as the staff attentiveness are great, but that may not be their main focus unlike other hotpot restaurants which pride themselves on top-notch service level as their unique selling point. Therefore, a visit to Want Hotpot is still more likely for the quality of the food and the company you are in rather than the pampering service experience.

Dining: Saanci (OCT Loft)

This is a café located at a prime spot within the quaint OCT Loft creative community. The store front is inviting due to the open concept layout and laidback outdoor area. The café décor is more towards a clean, minimalist look with the focus being the preparation island at the centre of the store. Towards the back, there is also a mezzanine floor with merchandise on display leading up to the second-floor seating.

Apart from the usual coffee and tea menu, there is a variety of more adventurous options to choose from. Some orders come with a small card describing the specialty drink. There are also seasonal selections and we decided to go for the yuan yang (a mix of coffee and tea) with herbal jelly. The coffee was very aromatic but in a balanced way, not overpowering the slight astringency of the drink. The combination with the smooth herbal jelly provided an additional texture to the overall drink.

Surrounding Saanci, the wider OCT Loft premise is also a popular hip area for the younger demographics. It is a creative culture park converted from an industrial estate, hence there are many interesting spots to explore in the area.

While it may not be as accessible as other more established tourist attractions, it is still within a 15 minutes walking distance from Qiaocheng East metro station.

Activity: Dongmen Pedestrian Street

Rating 7.6/10

This is situated at the old part of Shenzhen, consisting of an eclectic mix of modern malls (mall basement connected to the metro station) and also smaller mom-and-pop stores which have seen the early days of the city. At the thoroughfare of this popular local shopping hub is the iconic McDonalds, which happened to be the first outlet to be opened in China in 1990.

It is interesting to weave through the numerous walking streets in the vicinity, lined with food vendors, performances by buskers and affordable apparels. Many older-format malls are also located in this area for visitors who like to experience the history of this commercial district.

Activity: Futian Central Business District (Futian CBD)

Rating 8.1/10

For a taste of how fast and far Shenzhen has advanced, a city walk around Futian CBD is a must. This modern part of the city is filled with towering skyscrapers, shiny offices and business convention centres. Much more than that, the roads here are well-planned and highly organised, with pruned trees and shrubs lining avenues and footpaths. Hotels like Shangri-La, Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton dot the city landscape here, while driverless buses ply the boulevards.

A few well-known shopping malls here are the COCO Park and PAFC mall. Both local and international brands can be found in these malls, and the night scene comes alive at Coco Park later in the day.

A raised greenbelt also connects the surrounding malls and offices, providing an oasis of green parks leading towards Citizen Square.

Shenzhen is a city which houses many of China’s technology powerhouses such as Tencent and Huawei. Alongside the rise in prominence of this innovation hub, the urban built-up areas are increasingly well-designed with plenty of greenery.

The bustle of the city can all the more be felt as Shenzhen is rising in popularity as a go-to weekend destination for people from neighbouring Hong Kong. We think that by including places not mentioned in this review like the Nanshan area, Shenzhen Bay and Upperhills, it is definitely possible to spend a week here exploring the city.