At 45 sqm this one-bedroom is compact, but the design is genuinely boutique-hotel level rather than a standard rental finish: emerald green terrazzo-pattern cabinetry in the kitchen, art deco velvet dining chairs, and a fully terrazzo-tiled bathroom with brass fixtures and a rainfall shower. The bedroom has a floral mural wallpaper feature wall and a rattan bed frame, and the kitchen includes a built-in window bay seating nook. The compact size is the clear trade-off for that level of design; the rent runs high for the West Nanjing Road area, and here it’s the finish rather than the square footage you’re paying for.

A 6-minute walk to Shanghai Natural History Museum metro station, right by Jing’an Sculpture Park, in Jing’an.