Thanks hhoope01 and Pickles for your comments. I just returned from my trip last night and I have to say our Executive Apartment at the JW Marriott, Tomorrow Square, was very, very nice. For only $337 a night, it was definitely a steal.
The hotel and room was very new, and the interior was done in a very tasteful way. While modern, it wasn't minimalist, which doesn't often work out when traveling with the family. It felt very much like a proper apartment, with a very comfortable living room and dining area, as well as a full-sized kitchen with a washer/dryer combo. We loved the wall-to-ceiling windows. While I believe they reserve the Bund/Pudong views for the three bedroom apartments (which are available only for long-term stays, i.e. over 30 days), the Puxi view we had was still wonderful, particularly at night.
The bedrooms were also great, with the master bedroom having a very comfortable bed. There was also a walk-in closet in that room, as well as a separate dressing area with lounge chaise. The second bedroom is a bit smaller, with a pull-out sofa bed, but was good enough for our nanny. They also provided a complimentary cot for our one-year old. Also, both bedrooms and the living room have televisions so there were three TVs in total.
The two bathrooms were also of decent size, with the master having a bath and a shower in the guest. The decor was very nice, and the fixtures felt very new.
What really impressed us was the service. We loved the single red service button on the phone, in which they would take care of all your needs, from room service and concierge requests, to housekeeping and limo service. We were never put on hold or transferred to another department. From the check-in in which the receptionist was very courteous and even escorting us to our room, to the pool staff who were always friendly and smiling, the staff was very well trained. Having traveled through China quite a bit, I can say this is not often the case in the country, even at some of the top hotels, so we were very pleased.
The facilities at the hotel are great as well. We loved the indoor and outdoor pools, which are right next to each other, and also the two smaller kiddie pools, which were perfect for our daughter. The sun beds were also very good quality, with terry cloth pillow and covering, and the poolside food service was very quick and efficient, and the food above-average for city hotels. They also had a very decent-sized gym, as well as a nicely appointed Business Center, all near the same area, though it only had three workstations with Internet. What we found very convenient were the ground elevators that went directly the apartment floors, unlike for the hotel guests, which I believe have to first go to the lobby on the 36th floor, before taking another elevator to the hotel floors.
We didn't visit any hotel restaurants while we stayed there, as we tried to take as much advantage of Shanghai's culinary scene as possible, but we did order room service one night to eat in our dining room, and the food was fine. As I mentioned before, the poolside food service was also good.
As a guest of the Executive Apartments, we didn't have club access, but we could enter the residents' lounge, which had some free drinks and coffee available, but also a pool table, which we used one night. I thought that was a nice touch. They also had a Mandara Spa, which unfortunately we didn't have the opportunity of using, but we did take a look inside and it was well-done, with a distinct Thai feel.
Overall, we were very happy with our stay. Even if the cost wasn't so reasonable, we still would have been very happy. But with the room rates being what they are, the Marriott Executive Apartments at Tomorrow Square will definitely be our first choice of hotel the next time we visit Shanghai.