I will vouch for the many positives associated with this property. A "Bund View" (river view) is nice, as it gives you a great view at night of all the lights along the river. The restaurant that trd referred to is, in fact, called "The Grill" and is very good. If you spend any amount of time in Mainland China, there's always that time that you wish you could have something similar to a Morton's Steakhouse. This is the closest thing in Shanghai that I've found, and it is very good (as are the other couple of restaurants...an Italian place and the Chinese restaurant).

The bathrooms are great. I've stayed there several times now and have never been disappointed (and fortunately, have never experienced any hot water problem). The staff is incredibly friendly and they are plentiful. Seems like many staff are emplyed to more or less wish you a good day. Whatever the case, I always feel very welcomed there.

The gym is also very nice, although if you're really looking for a great workout facility, then you need to go to the other side of the river and stay at the Portman Ritz-Carlton. The rooms there (IMHO) don't compare favorably with the Hyatt's, but the gym is one area in the Portman's favor. but if you're just looking for a nice, clean, and comfortable facility, the Hyatt is perfectly fine.

I agree that the RC is well-above average. Plentiful food and a very friendly staff. You could make a meal out of their offerings, but resist the temptation more often than not and get out into SHA for some really fantastic cuisine.

No matter which room you get, I think you'll enjoy the stay. I'd press for the Bund View room, as I find the view at night to be pretty fantastic. And the lights on the river get turned off fairly early, so no need to worry about not being able to get to sleep. Enjoy your trip and let us know what you think of the property. And if you run into Frances Tsai (Dir. for Business Development), tell her John from Illinois says "hello" and looks forward to seeing her again this fall! She is a great ambassador for the property and is indicative of how well-managed this property really is. As we all know, a good GM often determines whether a property is a 5 or a 10. Great views and great bathrooms can only go so far!

And PuJs (sp), which is the "disco" at the Hyatt, is a popular attraction. It'd be worth a couple of drinks (or more).