Well, we just finished a 3 night stay here and found what looks like to be our new favorite hotel in the world.
Pre-Arrival
We had booked a Double Queen Deluxe Room (standard room level) for my parents and I (3 people total), even though rooms were made for double occupancy.
We booked through AMEX FHR and received the 3rd night complimentary. Our rate matched the Hilton's easy-cancellation rate, though having the third night free + AMEX FHR amenities made it worth it.
I called Hilton to attach my HHonors number to the reservation and that wasn't a hassle. I believe all stays booked through Hilton and AMEX FHR are assigned a personal concierge (since AMEX FHR stays are treated as direct channels, I guess). She emailed us about 2 weeks ahead of time and again when the date was closer--arrival time, special requests, occasion, etc.
I inquired whether it would be possible to upgrade to a Riverview Room or a Suite and they said they would try their best to put me in a Riverview Room, which I believe is actually a 2-category upgrade, though I think normally they try to put Golds and Diamonds in Riverview rooms.
We were upgraded to a Double Queen Riverview Deluxe room about a week out (awesome!).
Arrival/Check-In
We arrived quite late from the airport, having flown directly into PVG at 18:15 and not getting through customs and through the taxi queue until at least 20:00.
As many others have noted, it was the end of Chinese New Year and it seemed like the hotel was quite empty. Bellhops quickly took our luggage (radioed our names to the FD) and we were escorted to check-in.
Check-in was quick, and two associates assisted in the formalities, noting we had booked through AMEX FHR and presented us with all the Gold paraphernalia and another letter explaining FHR benefits, and an FHR survey (supposed to sent back to AMEX post-stay, measuring how well hotels are adhering to standards).
We had reserved the room for 2, though the FD noted we had 3 and even offered to put an extra bed in the room for no charge, which we said wouldn't be necessary. Nice change from many hotels that charge upwards of $100/night for an extra bed.
Our personal concierge then appeared behind us and escorted us to our room. I had preselected a corner room (it appeared larger than the others I was allowed) on the HHonors app and we received that room.
Our concierge explained to us just about every nook and cranny of the room.
Room
What a BEAUTIFUL room! We were given a plate of fruit (refreshed everyday), chocolate rice krispy treats, shortbread cookies, and about 15 bottles of water. It's also massive at around 55 square meters, nearly 600 square feet!
Double vanities in the bathroom, with lots of Salvatore Ferragamo Tuscan Soul amenities (and more water bottles). Toilet and shower were located in two vestibules on either side of the vanities.
TV in the mirror in between the two vanities was neat. I would note one quip with the bathroom is that there is no light in the shower, and while it's big, it sometimes feels like you're showering in a large cave.
Another quip is that the glass separating the shower from the bathroom and the glass separating the toilet from the bathroom is sort of see-through, in that it's not frosted not opaque, but like a frosted flake--spotted throughout, so it's not completely private.
There was a walk-in closet with a motion activated light which was neat.
The beds were heavenly. We had a large sitting area by the window with a desk, technology kit (adaptors, HDMI cables, A/V to hook up your computer to the TV, etc.), which our concierge explained to us fully.
The room was well furnished, with furniture that was quite comfortable. We also had a Nespresso machine with complimentary tea and coffee. Our concierge told us just to ask for more Nespresso pods if we needed them, and that they would be complimentary (unlike the Conrad London St. James that charges 5 GBP if you want more, over the daily refill).
I would note that one thing we appreciated was that the keycards were RFID (touch to unlock, not swipe), so we didn't have to remove the card from our wallets to use them. They are coded for the elevators, and you are only allowed to access your floor.
Lastly, the VIEW! My GOD! The view! We were looking straight out onto the Bund and since we were on the 17th floor, had unobstructed views all around. Shame it was raining one day, and smoggy the next, so the views weren't great, but at night the whole thing came alive and we LOVED watching the lights outside our window.
AMEX FHR and HHonors Gold Benefits
At time of writing, Gold members receive (outlined in a card they give you):
- Room upgrade (at discretion)
- Breakfast in the Grand Brasserie
- 1000 HHonors bonus points
- 100 RMB beverage credit at F&B venues (including Long Bar)
*It appears that they offer both the 1000 HHonors points and breakfast.
AMEX FHR Benefits:
- Complimentary 3rd night (AMEX special offer, not standard)
- Daily buffet breakfast for 2
- $125 USD F&B credit ($175 for Centurion members)
- Late checkout (4:00pm, guaranteed)
- Early check-in (12:00pm, subject to availability)
They seem to take the AMEX FHR program quite seriously, though this was our first AMEX FHR stay so I don't have another point of comparison. It did seem like they valued it, though.
Wi-Fi
I would note that wi-fi here is complimentary for ALL guests. Which is great, but means that since everyone uses it, it can get quite slow at times. It was almost unusable at peak hours.
Also note since you are in China, you won't be able to access anything blocked by the Chinese government (Facebook, Gmail, Google, etc.)
Dining
We dined at the Grand Brasserie the first night since we were exhausted from our trans-pacific flight and didn't feel like venturing out. The Grand Brasserie seemed the least formal out of their dining options.
I had a sirloin steak with garnishes, which was unmemorable. My dad had veal cheeks which were okay, but also not memorable.
My mom had a lamb rack, which again was good, but not anything too special. My parents also had individual hot and sour seafood soups, and I got the Waldorf Salad.
My salad was rather limp and overdressed, and was more like a coleslaw (albeit with a shaved black truffle on top). Their soup was too salty and had too little seafood in it.
We used out $125 dining credit here, which translated roughly into 750 RMB. I would note that there was also only one other table dining when we were here.
Unfortunately we didn't get to try the other dining establishments.
Breakfast
We love Asian buffet breakfast. The W=A is no exception. They have fresh juices (smoothies, detox, specialty, and wheatgrass shotes!), specialty espresso and coffee, and all the bells and whistles.
The Grand Brasserie is located on the G floor (one below the lobby level), and when you get out of the elevators you'll think you're in some random part of the hotel you're not supposed to be because the staircase blocks the view to the Brasserie. Rest assured. Just walk around the staircase and you'll see the restaurant. We were confused on our first night if we were on the right floor or not.
They have an extensive Asian and Western selection, and I'll name some of the more memorable things... A great salad bar, really fresh fruit, and amazing Waldorf Bircher Muesli.
They also had some inventive jams, like pineapple rosemary, blueberry lemongrass, and strawberry rhubarb (quite inventive for asians I think). White and dark chocolate mini-cronuts were a favorite of ours.
Their green onion pancakes were great--thinner than the Taiwanese variety and flakier. Their dim sum was a hit or miss. Again, we weren't there when there was a lot of people (weekend, after CNY). Usually there was only 4-5 other tables dining.
Our last morning (a Monday morning, beginning of business week), many more people were there.
The W=A also had a very extensive a la carte menu you could order from as part of the buffet package. Lots of omelets (they have a certain foie gras, duck confit, and truffle one if you wish), which was great. Lots of asian soups (my mom fancied these, they were quite good), and Western specialties (pancakes, french toast, etc.). You could order sides of mushrooms, hash browns, bacon, etc.
Needless to say, a very extensive breakfast buffet and the service is topnotch. Everytime we left to return to the buffet they would fold our napkins and leave them by our place settings.
My top breakfast buffet in Asia still has to go to the Regent Taipei, unfortunately. But the W=A comes in at a close second.
Facilities
The Library Lounge is located on the 3rd (I think?) floor and really is just a library with sitting areas and a receptionist. Not a lot happening. It's attached to the business centre, which is just a few conference rooms which can be rented for 350 RMB an hour.
I don't think anyone gets these complimentary.
I didn't use the fitness centre but my dad did and he said it was nice, but quite basic.
Drinking
We used our 100 RMB credit at the Long Bar, though I would note any alcoholic drink will run 110+, while tea, coffee, and soft drinks are around 60+. You also have to remember the 10% service charge (not part of the credit).
I had a Shanghai Club (gin-based) in the Long Bar, and my dad a Planter's Punch (rum-based). I loved the Club. My mom had a tea. The total, with service charge, ran us about 300 RMB, which the hotel removed 200 of it (even though we were only supposed to have 100 taken off).
It wasn't smoky when we were there, since there weren't a lot of people there.
Concluding Thoughts
Thanks for reading that whole thing through with me. We really did love this hotel--the service was perfect, and never missed a beat. The staff was friendly, and a far cry from the folks in Hong Kong where we are now.
While the Grand Brasserie dinner wasn't excellent (it was presented very well but the taste just wasn't there), we did appreciate its convenience and the fact it was nearly free.
The room was gorgeous, immaculately clean, and the property managers really have thought of absolutely everything.
I think that an upgrade to a suite here really isn't necessary nor would I take that over a river view room. The normal rooms here are plenty big, and the view is to die for.
Anyways, that wraps up my review of our new favorite hotel. Cheers to the staff, our concierge, and everyone who is running this property. Such an asset to the Hilton portfolio and the W=A brand.
PS--I would add that stacking all the Conrad/W=A HHonors promos really helped here. While HHonors points are pretty much useless, we did earn about 25,000 points for our 3 night stay stacking the promotions. Whoohoo!