Shanghai Hotels
 

I am trying to decide between the new Royal Le Meridien and the Radisson New World hotels for our stay in Shanghai for March 2007. Each one would be in a club level room ( much more affordable than Westin, Ritz or 4 Season club level).They are fairly close to each other. Can anyone suggest which of these I should pick and why?

Can you share the rate at the Meridian and how you found it? Thanks! I am also considering that hotel and Westin....(see recent related post).

Certainly. The Royal Club room at Meridien is $ 263/night all -taxes,continental breakfast & club privileges included. This is a pre-pay rate without cancellation option. Same room can be booked for $ 301 with cancellation til 6 PM - both on their own web site. By comparison I have a reservation at Westin Grand Deluxe room( bed, breakfast & tax) for $ 350 - not even club level. I am a little disturbed by some negative reviews about Westin on Tripadvisor. Meridien, on the other hand, has excellent reviews.
I read you other posting - it is amazing as I am also booked at the Peninsula in Beijing ( at their winter special rate). Enjoy your trip.

You know I think it is better to somehow find a way to contact the hotel reservations desk directly rather than go through those sites like Starwood. From all that I have read here it would seem that there is more of a chance of getting them to add a few extras or upgrades that way. These Shanghai prices are wild, even compared to Beijing, not to mention SE Asia.

I also read the Westin so-so comments on TA's site..mostly about decor and room size but for those prices...I think Meridien sounds nicer..apparently both locations are good (you read the response to my recent question on this...)

It has been two years since I was in Shanghai. These hotel prices seem so high. Are they normative now for this level of accomodation and service?

I am finding rates of close to $300 and above for the top rated hotels. I agree that it seems totally crazy. I keep reading that it is possible to negotiate prices but how can one do that if you book via the forms on the hotel web sites? I do not want to take the chance of just showing up after a night on the train without a reservation.

I just received a reply from Meridien; the rate they quote is the rate you can get yourself ( the cancellable one). If one is certain it would be a wiser choice to book the non cancellable rate as it is about $ 40/day less. The club privileges include buffet breakfast and free internet among others ( see web site). It is expensive but that is the market in Shanghai as far as I can tell. It is much better priced than other 5 star hotels at that level of service( other than St. Regis which is poorly located for tourists). It is also brand new - hopefully everything still works and is still clean

EKSCrunchy:

I'm surpised that anyone would want to pay 300+ for any hotel in Shanghai..my insiders tipped me on some fine hotels for less than $200 all around town. I've got two cancellable bookings in Shanghai...one at Ramada, very good reviews, at $155 incl. all taxes...very close to Bund and right off Nanjing Lu. The other at Raddison New World. also on Nanjing Lu, a bit further to the Bund, at $190 incl. tax..these are for doubles. If you want to spend big bucks for Meridien and Westin. that's your choice.

Hell, I'm not going to buy the hotels..just want a place to stay for our 4 nights in Shanghai. I've got the Crowne Plaza in Beijing for $135 plus taxes, Hyatt in Xian for $135 all taxes incl., Sheraton in Guilin for $135 all taxes incl.....Having been all through China 22 years ago. believe me, all of the above will be like palace-living for us compared to the substandard places we stayed in in 1984, on high-end tour no less.(Long before the current upgrading changes were even on the drawing board for China)

Stu T. (we'll be in Shanghai, April 7-11, Beijing March 19-April 3, Xian, April 3-5, Guilin 5-7...then off to Japan for two weeks after Shanghai). Maybe we'll see you in China.

EK: That should be Beijing, March 29-April 3.

Stu T.

Tower, you are right. However, you are comparing apples to oranges. You certainly can get any number of hotel rooms in Shanghai for well under $ 200 - but you'll get what you are paying for.
Your room at Radisson for $ 190 is the probably lowest category in the hotel and without breakfast. I am sure it will be just fine. My Meridien room for $ 263 is a CLUB room with buffet breakfast and all the priviliges of the club ( free drinks, snacks all day,free internet, etc). One has to decide what their priorities are.

Paul dear:

I'll take the oranges! I'm a depression kid (b.1929) and I've traveled the world over always finding lovely lodgings at what I consider affordable (for me) prices. Enjoy your snacks and drinks at Club Level...I'm gone all day long exploring and snacking/drinking on the streets for a handful of Yuan. To each his own, kid.

Stu T.

Dear Stu
You are right - to each his own. I am sure you'll enjoy the oranges as that is what you are comfortable with. I, on the other hand, love the apples. Vive la diference!
I too will explore Shanghai most of the day but will also enjoy the club benefits at my own convenience.
It sounds like you have a great trip planned, Stu - enjoy it.
Happy travels to all the " apples & oranges"!

....well said, Paul...if the oranges are sour, I may try the apples one day..

Stu T....

Gentlepeople: I grew up on chinese oranges and apples but still like florida sunkist and sonoma gravensteins best. Baking brie with chopped apples/berries/nuts for this weekend's festivities.

I am not going to China till fall or I would have liked to do a spring GTG in Shanghai. Have fun, dear Fodorites!

Thank you - I am sure I will enjoy Shanghai and the rest of China ( especially the food). It will be quite different from the last time I was there in 1985.

Tower it looks like we will overlap one night in Beijing and in Shanghai. I plan to be in Shanghai from the 9th through the 12th. I do not generally stay at these type of luxury hotels myself but in my, albeit limited, experience, they can actually be a good value in Asia. For the level of service that I imagine will be found at the Pen Beijing I would have to pay a lot more in the US or in Europe. Apples and oranges are both great..the quality of neither one is going to make or break our time in China.. Interesting that the Peninsula Beijing does not compell you to give your credit card when booking....they need it to hold the room after 6pm though.

Since I will be traveling alone I am looking for a higher level of cosseting than usual...hopefully these top hotels, albeit expensive, will have excellent English-speaking concierge services to help me/us out. The Royal Le Meridien seems like the best bet for me as well but with 800 rooms I don't think they will be filling up at that time of year so I will dawdle a bit with the reservations.

Are either of you, Paul or Tower, planning to take the Beijing-Shanghai train? I am planning that and would love to read any comments...

We will visit the "water towns" near Shanghai( Suzhou, Hangzhou & Zhouzhuang) and then take the Yangtze cruise, Xian & Beijing.
From Beijing we will board an Oceania cruise from Beijing to Hong Kong ( 2 weeks).

Do you already have a tour or car booked for the "water towns?" I have been doing some reading on these and have a few questions as to which ones are the best to visit...I think I will post a separate query on this...

I am just a slow mover..planning to spend 6 nights in Beijing and 4 in Shanghai. With trips to Great Wall/Eastern Qing Tombs from Beijing and maybe day trip to a water town from Shanghai. Once I get the hotels and flights nailed down, will look into the side trips...

Here are a couple 2nd-hand information threads I posted earlier:

Hangzhou & Watertowns:

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34504115

Crowds at Suzhou gardens:

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34505772

EKS..
...>>>it looks like we will overlap one night in Beijing and in Shanghai. I plan to be in Shanghai from the 9th through the 12th.<<<

Possibly Roz and I can meet you in Shanghai for lunch somewhere...maybe somewhere in the French Concession...as we get closer to departure time, let's connect...I have to firm up our lodgings in Shanghai (either the Radisson New World or the Ramada..possibly the Peace...I'll let you know...my e-mail is [email protected])

Stu T.

EKS,
rkkwan's posting on water towns is very informative.
For day tours from Shanghai check out these web sites:
http://www.asiatravel.com/china/tour...ur_suzhou.html
http://www.asiatravel.com/china/tour..._hangzhou.html
http://www.beijingservice.com/shangh...onedaytour.htm
http://www.beijingservice.com/shangh...onedaytour.htm
http://hotelguidechina.com/Shanghai-Tours.html
Closest to Shanghai is a town called Zhujiajiao - that one is easy to reach.
That should give you something to do.
Paul

Tower that would be lovely...we can get in touch closer to the time of the trip.

Paul, thanks for posting those links. Here is what Frommer (oops) guide says about Zhou Zhuang:

"The most famous and perhaps most complete water village....has unfortunately become a nightmarish tourist trap and has been replaced in our recommendations by the villages of Nanxun and Tongli, which are not only less commercial but which boast unique features not found elsewhere."

I totally agree with Frommer, avoid Zhouzhuang, do Tongli on a weekday if possible, for shoppers the prices are lower than others. Have lunch at the women-run restuarant (they are not my relatives!) to the left side of the entrance of the town, so yummy and cheap.

Shanghainese, I am glad to see that you agree with the Frommer opinion. What is your take on a visit to Suzhou?

Thanks again. (I posted another question for you on the other Shanghai hotel thread....about French Concession..)

Dear "crunchy" & Shanghainese-
thanks for the info about Zhouzhuang - I will act accordingly.
Shanghainese = what do you think about Shanghai Uncle restaurant in Shanghai? I live in the S.F. Bay area and we are spoiled when it comes to chinese food.

I have to second the comments about Zhouzhuang, where we made the mistake of overnighting en route from Suzhou to Shanghai. All in all it wasn't a happy experience. The Zhouzhaung Hotel was unwelcoming and next morning refused to accept our prepaid Octopus Travel voucher; we were shamelessly bilked by the restaurant where we had dinner (forget the name, it backed onto a canal); and although the town was pretty in a tarted-up sort of way, it was Tourism Central. Admittedly we were unavoidably travelling during the National Day holiday week.

We liked Suzhou and could have stayed there an extra night.

Whew, the threads are so scattered on similar subjects.

E: Suzhou is not typical of a water town but have unique and lovely gardens utilizing very small spaces. They are very different from japanese gardens. It really depends on what your interests are and time allotment.

Paulchili: I'm female and probably live/work close to you, it's still raining now. What are your fav eateries in your neighborhood?

Neil: Glad to hear from you, always enjoy your comments from the other side of the world.

Shanghainese - I live in Pleasant Hill so there is not a lot around me in the immediate area, but we go to Oakland ( Tin's tea house)or the city alot. Love dim sum at Yank Sing when I feel like splurging, otherwise New Asia. Most any chinese restaurant in the city is fine. If I am not up to driving to the city we go to El Cerrito ( Daimo's, Golden Dynasty, etc). And yes it is still raining here.

Thanks, Paulchili, I live next to El Cerrito, shop/eat at Pacific East Mall and the neighboring cities, and work next to the smaller Yank Sing.

Shanghainese,
just got back from a little trip. Small world - we are practically neighbours. Please see if you can find out anything about the Shanghai Uncle restaurant in the Bund center. Thanks.

I was able to find $211, plus tax, for a standard room at Le Meridien without breakfast. I will keep investigating, though, as it is cancellable.

Paul and Shangainese:

El Cerito is where one of our daughters and grandaughter live. We're frequently up that way from L.A...always trying new eateries in the general area...met some friends at Thai resto on University last week,,"Perns"(sp)...found it to be excellent. Ate twice at the China Dynasty...also quite good. (and ethnically off topic...love MangiaMangia, a small Italian place on San Pablo ,near Solano).

Since Paul and I have been to China ('84 and '85) and seems like Shangainese has been there several times...we probably all agree that the there is a definite difference foodwise between here and there. At least that was so back in the 80's.

Happy travels and Happy New Year, everyone.

Stu T.

Thank you Stu - Happy New Year to you as well ( and good travels)

Tower: Happy New Year to you. Let us know next time you visit El Cerrito, perhaps Paul and I can GTG with you there, Abany or Berkeley. DH and I like Little Hong Kong in El Cerrito, and the shanghai restaurant in the Pacific East Mall. China Village on Solano is good but spicy. The new hot spot on the Berkeley side of Solano is Vanessa's, a fabulous Thai bistro, we've been there twice this month.

Give plenty of notice, post on the California board something like "East Bay GTG for China travelers ...".

Paul: No info on Uncle Wong, will post another one on a separate thread for you.

Hope to meet you all in 2007!

Tower: Your daughter might like to know the salon next to MangiaMangia has new owners and a special going on for hair cut/color/manicure/pedicure/makeup, I went for it 2 weeks ago before a big party and DH said they did a nice job.

Shanghainese - that would be great; we could get together for a dinner.
The restaurant I am interested in is called Shànghai Uncle (Haishàng Ashu) - not Uncle Wong.

Shanghainese - this is the address I have for Shanghai Uncle:
Yán'an Dong Lù 222
Wàitan Zhongxin (Bund Center), Basement (between Hénán Zhong Lù and Jiangxi Zhong lù), Huangpu District (Downtown Shanghai)

Sorry, no info on Shanghai Uncle, look at my Xiao Nan Guo thread.

Thank you Shanghainese; I looked up the thread and will investigate the restaurant. Thanks.

Great idea for a GTG in Berkeley-El Cerrito-Albany area..I'll sure let you know when next we'll be coming up..probably after China-Japan trip.

Vanessa sounds very good for Thai.

Stu T.