lilybart

I will be in Shanghai in July, and would like hotel suggestions. My travel mantra vis a vis hotels is : "clean, safe, and central" (I will be alone for at least some of the time~ a middle-aged African American woman). I also enjoy historic or with character, and would prefer to spend what little discretionary money I have from a professor's summer salary on experiences rather than amenities, though I'm too old or the one-step-above a hostel experience.

I had wanted to stay at least a night or two at the historic Peace Hotel, but it is under renovation I hear and its website isn't working very well. But I'd enjoy something like that, at a reasonable price and easy location.

Thanks~!

SiobhanP

I go to Chiuna for work and I just was told it has re-opened. Hotels are not badly priced in China so I stay in nicer places here. You could stay in the bund area where the peace hotel is located and many like the Pudong business area but I find it too far from my work and what like to see. Traffic is insance in Shanghai so stay central. I really like the French concession and there are a few old French style buildings that are hotels now.

Where I normally stay is the JC Mandarin on Nanjing road. Nice lobby and good breakfast. Rooms are a bit tired but its very clean and has all the facilities you need. All hotels have taxi ranks and taxis are very cheap in Shanghai for transport. Look for somme smaller places. I just found this on google...check it on tripadvisor!http://china.showhotel.com/shanghai/...eservation.htm

also look at http://www.asiatravel.com/china/shan...PAX/index.html

SiobhanP

Please excuse my spelling! Yu Yuan gardens is fine for a 1/2 day and the small surrounding markets but there is more to see and do. I will try to visit the peace hotel my next trip. You can just go for a drink and jazz music without staying there and save a few pennies. When I tire of eating constant Chinese food (Which I love) I head to the french concession. we ate at Sasha's on Don Ping Rd one night. Its a renovated French style building. Nice typical western food, fish, steaks and pizzas. Good cocktails. For me it is very cheap compared to the euro so I don't worry too much about cost of eating. there are hundreds of Chinese places to eat that are so reasonable/cheap as well. The best Dumplings are in the Yu Yuan gardens...I will not direct you as you will see the big queue for them and its impossible to direct you. Also there are "Soup" dumplings at a small cafe facing the inside of the gardens. They are huge Dumplings with a straw poking our. You deink the soup inside and then eat the dumpling. Really tasty and cheap. Just point at them when you go to the counter!

Shanghainese

SiobhanP -- The Ruijin Guest House is in the french concession, elegant lowrise buildings in a lovely western garden setting, the former residence of one of the Song sisters. Check it out by having dinner at the wonderful Xiao Nan Guo, I've been there several times.

The Xijiao Guest House location seems closer to the Hongjiao Airport.

Shanghainese

lilybart -- I haven't stayed there but from some Fodorites experience, the Astor House might fit your preference.

wiselindag

I love your screen name - an English Professor, no doubt (and one of my favorite books since I'm a big Wharton fan.) The Astor House would definitely fit the bill for character and history as well as location and price.

We recently stayed at the Bund Hotel on Guangdong Road. It's very central - 10 minutes walk to the Bund or Nanjing Road and 10 minutes to the Metro stop at the Peoples Park (which has many lines to take you all over the place). In early April our room cost about $117 on ctrip and we found the room and bathroom to be excellent for that price. People downstairs were always friendly and helpful including the Concierge Desk folks and the Business Office workers. You should check elong and ctrip for hotels - they have good rates and lots of information, but your best bet for reading reviews first would be Trip Advisor (then price on the other websites).

I would second the recommendation for the Nanxiang Dumplings in the Yu Gardens. If you go upstairs you can get a table (go early!) and enjoy all sorts of wonderful dumplings not available downstairs. For more Shanghai Detail, my trip report is called 23 Days in China and it includes four days in Shanghai.

Finally, Shanghainese is very knowledgeable when it comes to Shanghai and the French Concession in particular, so her recommendations above deserve serious consideration.

Dave

>> I will try to visit the Peace Hotel my next trip. You can just go for a drink and jazz music without staying there and save a few pennies<<

I believe that the Peace Hotel is currently under renovation.
Dave

Shanghainese

Thanks very much, Linda, I'm greatly enjoying your TR, especially the Shanghai portion!

lilybart

Yum~ my mouth is watering for those dumplings already!

Thanks for the recommendations for both hotels and food. I decided to make reservations at the Astor House Hotel~ even some of the guest "complaints" on other travel sites made it sound perfect (original creaky wood floors, hodge-podge decor, etc.) I will post an entry on it after my stay.

Yes, I'm an English professor who teaches a lot of Edith Wharton (just finished the year by teaching SUMMER, and will do a Wharton and James course in the fall). Nice to hear from another HOUSE OF MIRTH fan~!

Shanghainese

Glad you have your hotel reservations set, don't know how long you'll be in Shanghai, feel free to post other questions you think of. One word of advice is in July the weather there is very warm and humid.

SiobhanP

SHanghainese I have been thinking to book somewhere in the french concession for my next trip..may even be cheaper so work cannot complain and i can wander around in my off hours (bed linen shopping again!)

Shanghainese

SiobhanP -- Don't know what you are paying at JW, try these in the french concession tho I haven't stayed at any: Ruijin Guest House, Okura Garden Hotel, 88 Xintiandi Executive Residences. Please report back to us.