When I stayed in LRM, the first morning I got up very early (around daybreak during spring or fall) and walked toward the Bund before the crowds. At that time, the shopping street in almost empty except for some groups doing exercises or group dancing. It was interesting to watch the action and some of the people were really good. For example, there was a couple who brought their own music and did ballroom dancing of the sort you would see at a competition.

in China, you can often encounter dancing, early in the day or in the evening, in parks or randomly in other neighborhoods. It's usually a group of at least forty people having their go at various dance styles.

Personally, I'd aim for the 毽子 (badminton/hacky-sack with your feet) crowd.

Later in the day, one sometimes finds a bit of this along the Bund, although IME kite flying is a more popular activity there.

Of course I've seen it elsewhere. In fact, for the group dance routines, strangers seem to be welcome to join for a few yuan, but one would probably want to stay at the edge or in the back if you're not sure how to do the dancing.

Not sure I agree. Jing-An is pretty central and area to some really neat places. West Nanjing Road, Jing An Temple area.

I had a wonderful 3 days in Shanghai at the Radisson Blu Hotel at People's Square. Location could not have really been better, used mostly metro to get around places which were not really within reasonable walking distance. A great way to use money from the jiatong card was to visit one of the skybars in Pudong and take a taxi back (since the metro had stopped running), I managed to fill up too much money on it. :p One annoying thing is all the people selling you "massage" around People's Square and East Nanjing Road - and all the people which would like you to take a photo of them, and then playing the teahouse games (if they really would like somebody to take their photo there are thousands of Chinese people passing by People's Square daily).

In Beijing most people only tried to sell you useless stuff around Tiananmen, and of course the tea house scam, but no "massage" which was far more annoying in Shanghai than Beijing. I also found Shanghai to be a bit more soulless than Beijing, but I guess that is due to the city's status as the business capital of Mainland China. On the plusside taxi driver did not attempt to scam you and all was on the meter automatically. Try that in Bangkok where you will certainly need to try a number of drivers (in my experience) to find one who will use the meter.

I think most of us here agree that Beijing is far more interesting than Shanghai. It's just that Shanghai is more comfortable than Beijing from a living standpoint.

Like I've suggested upthread, I do not care for People's Square because it's impossible to walk in the area, and Shanghai has many nicer neighborhoods.

I've been around here long enough to be impervious to scams.

I did not fall for any of them, as soon as I heard the word tea festival I just said I had other plans and walked away, but I have to admit that they are pretty clever. No wonder why many fall for these scams. After that attempt I just ignored any request for taking any photos. It is a shame, because I met a couple of Chinese tourists around the Pearl Tower who wanted me to be in their photo. After that was done they let me go and that was that. Yeah well I know Pearl Tower is a tourist trap, but more like been there done that, I anyway enjoyed a couple of beers in the Grand Hyatt, I also went to a good bar in the French Concession.

Do not agree with impossible to walk in the area, it is fine - you just have to ignore all the touts which are indeed bothersome.

It's touristic, but I found the Shanghai history museum on the ground level of Pearl Tower to be a useful and painless introduction to the city.

I am completely impervious to scams. When I suggested that people's square was impossible to walk around I was referring to the fact that there are numerous footbridges, underpass, and elevated roads.

I don't have any problem walking in People's Park, just (safely and legally) getting out of it and crossing streets to continue walking in the correct direction.

That's good. Having lived in LA most of my life, and LA being the con-capital of the US, it's pretty easy to dodge the scammers in China.

will be in Shanghai for first time, 2 nights
have reserved at Renaissance Gardens [using marriott points, Starwood points will be used up at other hotels in trip]
seems a nice hotel and walking distance to Yu gardens, Bund, old town{not sure what this is? but I do like to walk through some old scenic neighborhoods], think there is an historical museum but haven't gotten around to looking into this, and seems to have nice views from lounge to the new architecture in Shanghai
I am gold marriott member so will be able to use lounge for breakfast. JW more expensive and would consider only if location is superior for me
Not worried about getting to airport unless it would again be a major [hour] difference by taxi

Choices at this point are only Marriott family hotels, hotel not so important as location for walking to sights, local small restaurants, not famous expensive restuarants or , shopping
Any real negatives for this choice?
Thanks for all the advice on this board, very helpful!!

I'd stay at the Renaissance Zhongshan Park instead. It's directly above 3 main subway lines that connect most major sites and the views from the lounge on the 59th floor are incredible on a clear day. The Yu Garden area, for lack of a better word, stinks. This hotel and the Renaissance Yangtze are better bets than the Yu Garden one.

I agree. Proximity to Yu Gardens is not a positive attribute.

thanks, Yu garden is not good - didn't know that