Taiwaned

We spent September 7 and 8 here.

This is a brand new hotel so there are positives and things they still have to iron out.

Location is fantastic. A block down from the Pacific Department Store and two blocks from the Shanghai Railway Station. The closest subway is the Number 1 line and it is less than a block away. Line 3 and 4 is two-three blocks toward the railway station. If you need your western food, Starbucks, McDonalds and KFC are a block away. Construction of a highrise is happing right infront of the hotel. This will not be a problem in the future but it was happening 24 hours a day while we were there. The concrete was been shot up 20 stories so the pumper's banging kept us on edge both nights.

The building is quite beautiful for a Courtyard. Doesn't have a Courtyard feel but who ever picked the colors inside the rooms need to give a head a shake. Its a bright yellow (more lemon) color. Looks good now but a few years its going to look like an old Courtyard. (maybe that is the plan)

Kinks that are need to be ironed out. Electricity!!!! Our rooms circuit keeps blowing out. Not once but thrice. Each time engineers has to come and reset the breakers. The engineers keep saying "Sorry but its a new hotel, small adjustments still need to be made." The tile and glass shims were still in our bathroom. The elevator signage were still paper labels (that are peeling). The outside signage has not been lit up yet so finding the hotel is hard at night. (many taxi drivers are still not aware of this hotel so you need to give them the address and point when you get near there) The gift shop is not open yet.

Staff is really trying hard to be helpful. Most willing group of workers we have ever seen. After saying that they still have some real training issues. Just a few examples: Went to grab a cup of coffee in the morning, this took 35 minutes to go down the hall, down to the second floor and back up to my room. Why? Lots of take out cups but NO LIDS. Asked for American Coffee, received first a capachino then expresso then finally a cup of coffee. Asked for some milk, they gave me a full carton of milk (which I refused, wanted just a little thus another 5 minutes looking for another cup and lid) Then they packed it in a large paper bag with handles (like a gift bags) and then how to enter a cup of coffee in the POS machine so they can charge me. By this time, the coffee was luke warm. Asked them to get me another cup of coffee because my wife will want a hot cup of coffee. They wanted to charge me for TWO cups of coffee........ It was funny and I wasn't in any rush so it was kind of entertaining but if I was in a rush, would not be funny.

Would we stay here again? Maybe. The 100 USD per night was irresitable but I see that the prices have gone up. Have to give this place another try to get a clear feel for the place without all these hickups.