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Alice Yan

Complaints regarding the steep prices for tea sets at a luxury hotel in Shanghai have sparked a lively debate about the historic establishment.
A video clip shared by a female tourist at the Peace Hotel highlighted a cup of coffee and a small piece of cake priced at 298 yuan (US$40), with customers required to take their orders away rather than enjoying them on site.
This footage quickly gained traction on mainland social media, as reported by Shanghai Radio Station.
“They only gave me a brief tour of the hotel and handed me the takeaway coffee and cake. Did I really spend money to buy something inferior?” the woman expressed in the video.
Situated in the iconic Bund area, the Peace Hotel is renowned as the “Number One Mansion in the Far East” due to its rich history and opulent art deco architecture.
The hotel opened in 1929 under the name Cathay Hotel, or Sassoon House, named after its owner, Jewish tycoon Elias Victor Sassoon. It was renamed the Peace Hotel in 1956 and is currently operated by a state-owned tourism group.
Following the exposure from the woman’s video, the hotel clarified that the 298-yuan price refers to a package that includes a visit to the hotel – especially its museum – as well as the choice of either attending a jazz performance or receiving a cup of coffee and a piece of cake.
“This package has been available for over a year and has been quite popular,” an employee stated.
Typically, a guided visit to the hotel lasts 40 minutes and is priced at 268 yuan on its own, the staff member noted.

“In addition, we offer a value-added service where guests can select either the evening jazz performance or the desserts,” she explained, adding that the combined price for the coffee and cake is 90 yuan (US$12) when bought separately.
The hotel has welcomed numerous notable figures, including American general Claire Lee Chennault, who came to China to assist in building the country’s air force during World War II, and British comic actor Charlie Chaplin.
In 1998, Shanghai mayor Xu Kuangdi hosted a banquet for then-US president Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary, at the Peace Hotel during a state visit to China.
The hotel’s jazz band, featuring seasoned musicians in their 70s and 80s, has performed for over 40 years, and Clinton even joined them on stage.
The hotel’s museum showcases porcelain and silverware used by the celebrities who have stayed there.
Earlier this year, the Peace Hotel captured the attention of mainland social media following its appearance in the hit TV series Blossoms Shanghai, where the main character lives in the hotel’s British suite.

“Peace Hotel holds a significant historical value. The visit allows us to uncover more stories behind this building,” said a woman who bought the package and took her child on the tour.
However, some Chinese internet users have expressed opposing views.
“It’s too costly. With 298 yuan, I could treat my family to a nice meal at a restaurant,” one netizen remarked.
“The Palace Museum in Beijing has a much longer history, yet it only charges 60 yuan (US$8) for a ticket,” another commenter pointed out.


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A well-known hotel in China faced ridicule after charging US$40 for coffee and cake, justifying the price by including a tour. Photo: SCMP composite/The Paper/Shutterstock

A staff member mentioned that the hotel’s guided visits, lasting 40 minutes and priced at 268 yuan, have been quite popular. Photo: Getty Images

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Hotel went viral on social media after appearing in popular TV series Blossoms Shanghai earlier this year


Hotel went viral on social media after appearing in popular TV series Blossoms Shanghai earlier this year.


Luxury Hotels