Shanghai Hotels - Grand Meridien
 

We had previously booked a Bund View Grand Deluxe King room commencing tomorrow night for 3 nights @ 1700RMB + taxes on a flexible basis . I checked earlier today and found a Starwood China website that had 3 day deals for the price of 2 at 1800 RMB and also upgrades to Club rooms and facilities for 300 RMB per day. I could only get the 3 for 2 deal online from the Starwood China website. I then got the upgrade to Club Floor by contacting the hotel resrevations email as was suggested on the Starwood China site.. So I cancelled the previous booking and booked under the new arrangement. I guess you all know about this. We're off - bye !

Thanks and have a wonderful trip!!!!!!!!

I had NO IDEA that there was a Starwood China site, so I thank you many times. I hope to stay here next March and will certainly check out the prices on it when I book. I checked my dates and the price is MUCH higher than you will pay, so I see that it pays to "book late."

Just returned - a great hotel. Occupancy levels are currently down so there are good deals available for those who look. The Bund View Rooms are great but frankly it does not really matter which way the view is. In my view the Hotel is a fair way back from The Bund in any case. Presently The Bund is also a big construction site and a bit of a mess because the focus is on preparing for EXPO next year. The higher level rooms face in the other direction and are equally as good. We do recommend arranging a Club Lounge deal as the evening vists there for drinks and snacks is excellent. We also recommend having breakfast in the main restaurant rather than the Club Lounge. Breakfast in the main restaurant on the ground floor is a spectacle and truly worlds best practice.

what is the china site?? what is its address?

I, too, would like to know the website before we book our hotel.

Thanks.

Good_Will,
Glad to hear you had a great experience. We are going to this hotel in 2 weeks. Are the rooms big enough for four? Anything extra speciel that you can share about your trip?
Thanks!

The Starwood China discount offer site I used to book at the time was :

http://specialoffers.starwoodhotels....anghai/so.htm? There is also a special phone number indicated there.

The Bund is a bit of a construction zone at the moment. We did enjoy the beer at the Bund Brewery which is up a side street near to the Peace Hotel. Because the walk along the Bund waterfront is currently closed and being remodelled for next year's EXPO, the only option is to walk along the Pudong side which is worthwhile. A walk around the new Pudong area is also worthwhile taking in the obserevation deck and the various new skyscrapers. We also enjoyed the time we spent walking around The Peoples Park in Puxi up Nanking Rd. It was great to see the locals engaged in various traditional Chinese dance, exercise, relaxation and entertainment activities there. As for retail it is all the same stuff that is found everywhere nowadays. However on Nanking Rd near to the Meridien there is an interesting chopstick store and a wonderful knife and clever store. Shanghai tang is a good local fashion shop with a few outlets. This is simply a great city to walk around and take in the contrasts.

GW: I just noticed your response and want to thank you for the very useful update and for the link to the Starwood China site.

Agree, occupancy rates, tourism is way down. We were in China 2 months ago and will return in May 2010 for the Expo, so am searching for hotel ideas/deals.

This past trip, I booked reservations at nice hotels (Raffles in Beijing and JW Marriott in Shanghai) with great discounts. At Raffles, I got 15% off by paying fully in advance 14 days ahead (taking a bit of a chance). For JW Marriott in Shanghai, we got a 15% discount with a great room and did not have to pay in advance. Rates are both places were only $165/night including breakfast at Raffles. I booked over the phone directly with hotel reservations people and they offered more amenities (breakfast) over the phone than I could have gotten from their hotel website.

JW Marriott Shanghai (lobby is on 38th floor!!) is on Nanjing Rd and quite convenient to all the shopping and to the Shanghai Museum which is marvelous! Yes, the Bund is a mess.

Ditto, the Bund is a mess!!! The best way to see it right now is on the river on a boat.
Plus, it took us at least 20 minutes plus walking to find a cab. A total mess there right now.

Hi Everyone! I am beginning to think about booking Le Meridien again for a visit in March. There are so many room options!

The best rates, with breakfast, now appear to be on the site that Will mentions above. (By phone with Starwood, the best I could get was a Grand Deluxe City View for $194 plus tax and w/o breakfast.) Online the same room appears to be $235 with 15% tax and buffet breakfast included.

Question: Last time I had a standard "deluxe" room with city view on a not-so-high floor. Is there a huge difference between Deluxe and Grand Deluxe?

Any further tips or things I should be aware of before booking?

Also, does anyone happen to know the e-mail address of the hotel concierge? I cannot find it on their site...

EKS-do you have Starwood points? We used a points and cash deal, 4000 points, $90 for a normal room. No breakfast, but there's a pastry shop next door. Not to mention that the Tax only applied to the $90, not the retail rate. Don't forget to check out the ballroom dancers that gather each morning at the rear entrance to the hotel on Nanjing Lu.

Panda: Last time I got a good rate by buying points, but this deal is no longer available for my dates in March according to the person on the Starwood phone desk. I am going to cancel the one I made by phone and book on the site linked above...the buffet at the hotel is so spectacular that I want it to be included. Also my friends will be along and they will probably want it, too...

I was the one that told you about the ballroom dancers, you daft thing, you!!! And did you partake???/ NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

"Daft"? More direct evidence of Anglophilia. "Partake"? Yet more evidence. Methinks the lady doth protest too much.

Eeek, a panda in a speedo doing a tango?! That's a first ......

In truth, the turns can be tricky in a speedo.

Notice the ducking of the Anglophilia issue. Clever diversion.

S. is on my team!

So after all of that, I tried to book on the site linked above, and the rooms are not available at those prices; none of the possibilities includes breakfast....so I am back to square one...

The hotel wqas not full when we were there in September. Keep trying all of your usual tricks. I have every faith that you will persevere.

I will try to keep calm and carry on (*).....do you think that March is considered a busy month in Shanghai?




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