Cool Docks Shanghai Old City

The riverside Cool Docks consist of several shíkùmén (石库门, stone-gate houses) surrounded by red-brick warehouses, near (but not quite on) the waterfront. Full of restaurants and bars and all lit up at night, the Cool Docks' isolated positioning (it lacks the central location and transport connections of Xintiandi in the French Concession) has hobbled its ambitions. Although high-profile and trendy restaurant, bar and hotel openings have helped give it a much-needed lift, it remains an entertainment backwater.