This 93 sqm two-bedroom has a genuinely upscale finish: curved cove ceilings with gold trim, a leather sunburst-pattern headboard in the primary bedroom, and a large sculptural artwork in the entry. The primary bedroom opens onto a real balcony with a lounge chair and a skyline view. Central ducted air conditioning runs throughout. Rent runs high for Tianmu West Road, and the design-forward finish here is the clear reason: this isn’t a generic renovation. Two bedrooms share one bathroom.

A 7-minute walk to Jiang Ning Lu metro station, close to Shanghai Railway Station, in Jing’an.