Shanghai serviced apartment??
 

I know there have been a million threads on lodging in Shanghai, but if someone has a specific suggestion for a brief stay (3-4 weeks) apartment-type lodging ideally right around Huaihua zhonglu, I'd appreciate it. Doesn't have to be *that* serviced, but I'm looking for clean, furnished, more or less full kitchen, bath, and bedroom-living room. Xuhui, Luwan, Jingan districts all possible. Thanks for any suggestions (or warnings)! I'd call myself middle budget--not cheap but not expense account either.

i know of one right on huaihai rd just east of ruijin park. cost is around Y500 per night for a 2 br. interior could use a lot of work, but the location is great (and quiet because they have a courtyard thing going on). unfortunately, the name escapes me.

there is also a place directly around the corner from the portman on the east side of xikang rd that goes for around y600 for a 2 br.

then, there's a bunch of stuff out near the westin, but i'm guessing you don't want to get stuck out there.

i'm sorry my post is so horribly vague. if you're interested in the huaihai rd place, i can probably track down the name for you (in fact, it's on the verge of coming back to me as i write this).

also, if you do want to go upmarket, i think the portman itself constitutes a pretty good deal, but is at least twice as much as the types of places i have in mind.

you can try Silver Court, across the street from Times Square, on Xizhang Road, just off Huaihai. The monthly rate should be around USD 2000 or so. Not quite luxurious, but clean and has a great location.

report back
 

Report back: I found an apartment-hotel in Xuhui District (2 minutes from the Xuhuijia subway station and overlooking the park, on Zhajiabang Rd.) that suited me perfectly. The place is called “DiJing Yuan Service Apartment” 帝景苑酒店式公寓. It is not luxurious or stylish, but it is clean and roomy, and the staff is very helpful with any small problems. A month’s stay post-Golden Week is a little over RMB18,000 for 2-bedrooms, 20th floor, park view. Prices seem to vary a lot according to season but are subject to modest negotiation; the price differences between upper and lower floors, non/park side is not large, but you can penny-pinch depending on what’s important for you.

The second bedroom is small but OK; overall, the place seems quite roomy. Since even luxury hotel rooms leave me claustrophobic after a few days, I find this very comfortable. There is a fully equipped kitchen (no oven) and a clothes washer-dryer. However, the promised fitness room is supposedly undergoing repairs. (There is a big gym 1 minute down the street.) The breakfast buffet is included with daily rate but not monthly stays; it would get pretty boring after a few days anyway. The bed is even harder than most Chinese beds (and basically I like firm beds); however, the staff rustled up an extra mattress layer, which made it normal. …Still, if you like a soft bed, I don’t think this is the place for you, unless they gave you a pile of their mattresses (which I suppose they just might).

The road is very noisy, but the closed windows do a surprisingly good job at keeping the cacophony tuned low. I’m pretty sensitive to noise, so if I can stand it, it’s OK for most people. If you are *extremely* sensitive to noise, the best advice is to avoid Shanghai…. Other guests seem to include a mix of Chinese and Taiwanese and foreign tourists and business types. Altogether, I’d give it 3&1/2 stars, and recommend it as good value for the money, taking into account the roominess, OK furnishings, and location (and the views).