During my last trip to China, which I'm totally in love with and hope to visit again soon, I had to try a yoga studio. So I've made my research on my friend Google and also asked a friend who lives there about yoga studios in Shanghai. Let me tell you that there is a very big range of yoga studios you can pick from in China. From affordable to very expensive, from yin and hatha to ashtanga and acro-yoga. You name it, it's there! Giving the fact that I didn't knew if I ever came back to China, but I strongly hope so, I said I should indulge and go to the best rated yoga studio in Shanghai and obviously the most expensive. Pure Yoga. They have yoga studios in Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, Taipei, Singapore and New York. Yeah! Wow! When I saw that they were pretty much an international brand, I definitely had to try one of their classes.
They had an offer on their site for a free class, but I didn't managed to get it, because they never called me back after filling in the form on their site, but also I didn't dig too deep, cause I don't speak Chinese so a phone conversation would've been impossible. LOL.
So I went there and paid the full price. Which was pricey. Very. I can't remember the price, but I remember thinking "Definitely once in a lifetime!". In Shanghai they have two studios, Plaza 66 and iapm mall, which I went at.
Oh, and another factor which made me choose Pure Yoga, was that Kino MacGregor held her workshop at a Pure Yoga studio, in Hong Kong. And as I am a Kino stalker, I had to check it.
Going back, I arrived at the studio, as you might have figured it out, it was in a mall. Shanghai is full of malls, seriously, they are everywhere, so it wasn't surprising that the yoga studio was in a mall. But I thought, it might be something small. No. No. No. It is the biggest yoga studio I've ever been to. And is also the most luxurious. You felt there as in an all-inclusive five star resort in the Alps. Beside the fact that the reception girls couldn't speak English to save their lives, everything was flawless. I felt like a princess. The spaces were wide, beautiful natural stone and wood everywhere which made you feel close to nature and relax. The attention to details was amazing, you could've go there with literally nothing, cause they provide you with everything.
I have to mention that Shanghai is a very expensive city. And luxury and opulence is everywhere. So for a person who lives there, it might not be as dazzling as it seemed to me. But Bucharest won't have such a yoga studio in the next 20 years. LOL.
Going back again, I have to mention something else, they had some amazing changing rooms, five star hotel showers and they gave you slippers, towels, in the bathrooms there were big make-up tables, with amazing lights, where you could find from body lotion to ear sticks to make up removal and all sorts of things.
Obviously, I took an Ashtanga class. I can't remember the teachers name cause he was Chinese and.... well, you understand. He came in the room exactly when the class was supposed to start and we immediately started the class. Like a Swiss watch! It was a led class. There were students of all levels and from around the world. He made small adjustments and was always smiling. Over all, it was a very good class.
Oh, and I forgot to mention the view. Wow! I will leave a photo at the end of the article.
To wrap up, if you want a five star experience, definitely try a Pure Yoga studio! They have tens of teachers and yoga styles, surely you'll find something to suite you.
But on the other hand, yoga is not about five stars experiences, isn't it?
I left that place feeling in a way further from yoga, not closer. If you ever are in Shanghai or any other city with a Pure Yoga studio, try it and let me know!
