Originally Posted by iahphx
I could also benefit from hotel recommendations. For a tourist, where am I likely to find the best deal on a nice (don't need "5 star") property?
There is a drastic shortage of 5-star properties in the market so the incumbents command a stiff premium (though many FTers have scored $100 rates at the JW, which is definitely worth pursuing).
Consequently, I advise most people to set their sites a notch down from the top because the price diffrerence is substantial. I've posted my recs many times before so I won't repeat myself here, but my general feeling is to try to get a place near the Hilton that isn't the Hilton. You can move a little south and/or east of there (Okura Garden makes up the SE corner of my desirable square) and still do quite well. Feel free to PM me if you need more help, but please search first.
Also, how is the train to Hangzhou? I've heard the train station in Hangzhou is "chaotic." What's the scene in Shanghai?
The train to Hangzhou is fine. Sure, the train station sucks, but it is the nicest in the country and you'll do just fine.
In response to your question about SH in general, which I already deleted, it really is an ok city; my bad experiences are limited to a singal subway station, which can be easily avoided. That said, I firmly believe that BJ is a better place (even discounting for the fact that there is much more to do/see there), so I suggest you weight your China trip(s) in that direction.
BTW, I have nothing against SH. In fact, I spend most of my China time here and appreciate many aspects of this place. And, most SH expats regard BJ as a second rate city. But, they have different priorities than you guys and, for the most part, those that hold that opinion have never done BJ properly.