Well, this property definitely delivered on view and on being better than the other St Regis in town. However, I’m not left 100 percent certain on it fitting my needs - though, I think it will improve with time and management was quite kind. Here are my impressions and photos:

Note: I’m not putting this in a category - I was upgraded to a Grand River View King - there were no higher room
types available online. Per my conversation with the hotel manager who came out to greet me, they have taken some suites offline for renovations and are renovating other rooms on higher floors to build more suites due to demand. This was a proactive apology point on his part.

Pros:

• Great view of the Lujiazui skyline and Oriental Pearl Tower from my room
• Bed is generally comfortable - great plush pillows, great plush covers, mattress is perhaps a bit on the firm side but you can tell it’s thick and high quality
• The room has an opinionated design language that leans very far into Art Deco motifs - at least it isn’t generic
• Had to ask to confirm, but no issue with requested 3 PM checkout
• Invited to the lobby lounge for a complimentary iced mocha while my room was getting ready
• Breakfast (Elite welcome gift choice) was generally good - good omelet and hashbrown, not a big fan of pancakes or waffles, machine coffee was fine (but a STR could do better), salted caramel and vanilla gelatos were just great

Neutral:

• While shower pressure is strong from the wand, the width and direction of the spray is a bit less than preferred with a broad spread
• Not very close to a Metro station

Cons:

• No in-room Ambassador welcome gift or note

Photos (please expand the Spoiler tag):