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Single in the season of love? Our writers name the best Singles Scenes (with couples cordially invited) in the world’s coolest cities—think of it as romance with a buzz, on Valentine’s Day or any day.
Best Singles Scenes in....
Best Singles Scenes
Shanghai
Club D2 The Cool Docks, 505 Zhongshan Dong Er Lu, Riverfront, 6152.6543 clubd2.cn
The Draw: Club D2 is the Shanghai riverfront’s latest mega-venue: a snazzily-lit three-story affair which boasts novel design touches. Foremost among them is the mezzanine—the “Cruzy Room,” to give its deliciously louche official name—that rings the building and turns the dance floor into a giant peephole of writhing humanity. The quieter “Lazy Room” is best for sweet-talkers. The Scene: Shanghai’s best gay venue, Club Deep, disappeared amid a swirl of rumor and allegation in 2007 but has made a storming comeback in this new guise. Though the crowd is a mixture of overseas residents and locals, Club D2’s rainbow colors are pinned firmly to its mast: It’s the kind of place where it may be awkward to be straight. Hot Tip: D2’s monthly Mojo parties are quickly becoming the stuff of legend, but in a country where accepted practice is never properly pinned down, the stuff of legend can become the stuff of history very quickly. Seize the day, folks.
Mural Bar 697 Yongjia Lu, French Concession, 6433.5023 muralbar.com
The Draw: In what can sometimes feel like a sexually predatory city, Mural puts the “meet” back into “meat market.” Not only does it bring a semblance of civility to the mating game, it does a better job than its budget-bar rivals of attracting a cosmopolitan crowd. It’s busy every night of the week, especially Fridays when there’s a 100RMB all-you-can-drink deal. The Scene: With its entrance off a quiet French Concession street, Mural belies its unassuming façade with a literally cavernous interior. It’s less the size, and more the stalactites and stalagmites (as well as the Silk Road frescos) that cultivate the subterranean mood. The opium beds and drapes are perfect for the loungey vibe in early evening, while things get more active later on. Hot Tip: If your definition of romance goes beyond a dance floor face-off, snag a corner grotto, hire one of Mural’s exotic hookahs, and (avoiding smutty puns) let the conversation drift into the night like ribbons of apple-scented tobacco smoke.
789 Nanjing Lu Le Royal Meridien, 789 Nanjing Donglu, People’s Square, 3318.9999 starwoodhotels.com
The Draw: The nature of business travel necessarily means that Shanghai’s five-star hotels are well populated by highly eligible solo travelers, (at least temporarily) single and potentially disorientated by loneliness and libido. Throw vertiginous views and a bit of salsa into the mix and you have a potent cocktail indeed. The Scene: Located at altitude at the city’s geographic midpoint, 789 Nanjing Lu claims some of the most glittery views of Shanghai. The 66th-floor top level feels like a penthouse apartment: soft carpets, taut armchairs, fake fireplaces, table lamps, and potted plants. Downstairs has a more clubby feel, with high tables and a small dance area. Hot Tip: Despite the posh hotel vibe, 789 Nanjing Lu has a series of disarmingly titled theme nights through the week. Friday’s “Lipstick” event proffers cheap drinks for the girls, while “Whose Your Daddy?” on Saturday is James Bond-themed. Singles should definitely consider “Rumba Latina” after 10pm on Thursdays.
