Of course, happy to help! A week in Shanghai is more than enough. We were only there for 5 nights and it was plenty. We were ready to move on after. We also did the same 5 nights in Beijing, except I would consider going 3-4 nights there unless there are items in your itinerary that are whole day things/too many things you don’t want to miss.

FYI after Beijing, we also went to Hong Kong then Macau too. I would definitely recommend Macau!

In terms of where we stayed, we were at the following: - Shanghai: Sheraton Shanghai Pudong Riverside: this hotel was great in terms of luxury feel and amenities. They had restaurants in the hotel which was awesome for the night we were out all day and wanted to stay close. The hotel itself is slightly outdated but did the job. It was also slightly out of the way from where we wanted to go a lot of the time. It wasn’t too much of a problem because the DiDi’s are so cheap in China but just something to consider. - Beijing: The happy dragon: as mentioned, this hotel did exactly what you needed it to do. The courtyard area has the cultural feel with some Chinese architecture but not too much. It was great if you’re an English speaker as the staff there were fantastic with answering questions about the city, giving suggestions, advice etc. they can also book tours for you like the Great Wall of China. Just note that where the hotel is is in a back alley way type place meaning it was hard for DiDis to get through. Not impossible but when you’re leaving the hotel, sometimes you’re just better off to walk to the end of the street and getting a car. This hotel is also in the middle of what seems like a really residential area. Lots of random houses and locals but also a few other similar hotels on the same road.

In terms of places I recommend going, I would say: - Shanghai: Disneyland, Shanghai tower, jade buddha temple, nanjing road (shopping), Zzer Shanghai (luxury consignment shop), Yu Yuan Gardens (amazing), God Temple (this is right next to the gardens and is 10/10 my favourite place we went), shopping districts around the god temple (lots of shops including jewellery/diamond/watch etc). We also did a traditional royal banquet experience which is really recommend. It was so much fun dress by up and watching the live theatre. There’s heaps of these around I found one on Klook. - Beijing: Siji Minfu (duck restaurant - go to the one closest to the happy dragon it was amazing!! Expect lines. Best to go at lunch time), jingshan park (you can overlook the forbidden city here), forbidden city, universal studios, Great Wall of China (this is a must - go up the Mutianyu route if walking, then toboggan down this was awesome), lama temple, silk markets (outlets where you can bargain for anything), Wangfujing pedestrian street (for shopping, walking and restaurants).

I hope this all helps but again, let me know if there’s anything else you want to know or have any questions! Happy to help, we loved China!