Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund {CHN}
Sep 16, 2010, 5:50 pm
#17
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 5
Hello Mr. Shi,
Thank you for your message to Hilton Reservations and Customer Care. It is my pleasure to assist you today with your reservation.
The Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund is not accepting reward certificates at this time.
Thank you for your loyalty to Hilton and the Hilton Family Brand of Hotels.
We appreciate this opportunity to assist you and thank you for your continued loyalty! If you have any further questions or concerns, please let us know.
Thank you for your message to Hilton Reservations and Customer Care. It is my pleasure to assist you today with your reservation.
The Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund is not accepting reward certificates at this time.
Thank you for your loyalty to Hilton and the Hilton Family Brand of Hotels.
We appreciate this opportunity to assist you and thank you for your continued loyalty! If you have any further questions or concerns, please let us know.
Sep 16, 2010, 8:08 pm
#18
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Chapel Hill, NC - UA Nobody (sigh)/0.925MM, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 3,510
Sep 16, 2010, 8:29 pm
#19
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,519
I really think you should start getting some black and white that state you can use your Q3FN cert... as most of us who try to book using Q3FN with no luck.. hence there is a very high chance when you show up in your Dec trip for that 1 night stay will not accept your cert at check-in.
Oct 4, 2010, 9:21 pm
#21
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: UA Platinum
Posts: 64
Oct 5, 2010, 1:23 pm
#23
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: MIA
Programs: AA PLT 2mm SPG Gold HH Diamond
Posts: 740
I really think you should start getting some black and white that state you can use your Q3FN cert... as most of us who try to book using Q3FN with no luck.. hence there is a very high chance when you show up in your Dec trip for that 1 night stay will not accept your cert at check-in.
Oct 7, 2010, 8:58 pm
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
Oct 27, 2010, 8:09 am
#27
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Milan
Programs: BA Gold (CCR), Cartafreccia, HH Diamond, Esselunga Fidaty Gold
Posts: 443
Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund Trip Report and Reviews
Stayed at the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund one week ago for one night using a Q3FN certificate and this is by far the best hotel I ever stayed.
I booked this stay a few months ago through the diamond desk, and I expressly requested to use a Q3FN instead of points.
I arrived at the hotel from the Maglev Station in about 40 minutes with a taxi, fare 50 RMB (be sure to ask the hotel to provide the hotel address in chinese because taxi drivers don't speak a single word in english). I had to get off the taxi 200 meters away because in front of the hotel there wasn't space to stop, but approaching the hotel I received promt help by the bellmen.
At the moment is open only the Waldorf Club in the historical 1911 building facing the Bund, and being this an historical building you will find the hotel name only on a small black marble plate near the door, and the WA sign on the entrance canopy. You have to climb a stair to reach the lobby. Check-in operations in a private desk, then I was introduced to my butler, a nice lady that escorded me and my wife to our suite and explained all the amenities available. I received a wonderful "Waldorf River Suite" on the 3rd floor with a living room and a bedroom both facing the river and the Bund, a walk-in closet, marble-finished bathroom with double vanity area, clawfoot bathtub and shower room, TV screen in the mirror. Large Hi Definition LCD flat screen TV with DVD player and a selection of DVD movies available in the living room.
The suites are located on the 3rd and 4th floors, on the 2nd floor there are the ballrooms and on the 5th floor there will be the chinese restaurant
Wei Jing Ge (during my visit the 5th floor was still closed due to work in progress). In the old building there are 20 suites, 10 each floor. They are divided in "Waldorf Suites", "Waldorf River Suites" and "Waldorf Deluxe River Suites". The suites facing the river are only 3 on each floor. During my stay there was a photo session, so I had the occasion to have a quick look into some of the suites while the photographer was working and I can say every one is a little jewel and is different from the other. The Deluxe river suites are only a little bigger that the standard river suites, and have a dining area, but some of the Waldorf Suites with no river view seems to be bigger than the river view suites. Today I found that the pictures taken by the photographer are online on the hotel website, but be assured that the reality is much better than the images.
Entering the building on the left side of the lobby floor there is the Long Bar, and on the right side the Salon de Ville (breakfast in the morning and afternoon tea) and the Pelham's restaurant.
As a Diamond member they offered me 1000 bonus points and discounts on beverages at the Long Bar and at the Pelham's restaurant.
The Long Bar is very nice and perfectly restored to its 1911 design. For a cocktail expect to pay about 11 USD and for a beer 7 USD. At the Pelham's restaurant for à la carte dinner expect an average of 60-80 USD including a glass of wine. The breakfast served in the Salon de Ville is à la carte and very formal: for a continental breakfast expect about 30 USD, for a full american breakfast more than 40. If you want to save some money within walking distance you can find a Starbucks.
On the back of the historical 1911 building of the Waldorf Astoria Club there is a courtyard and the new tower that will host the Waldorf Astoria hotel. It will have a new bigger entrance on a street on the back. During my stay there were still work in progress and I suppose that the new tower will not be ready until late january 2011.
I booked this stay a few months ago through the diamond desk, and I expressly requested to use a Q3FN instead of points.
I arrived at the hotel from the Maglev Station in about 40 minutes with a taxi, fare 50 RMB (be sure to ask the hotel to provide the hotel address in chinese because taxi drivers don't speak a single word in english). I had to get off the taxi 200 meters away because in front of the hotel there wasn't space to stop, but approaching the hotel I received promt help by the bellmen.
At the moment is open only the Waldorf Club in the historical 1911 building facing the Bund, and being this an historical building you will find the hotel name only on a small black marble plate near the door, and the WA sign on the entrance canopy. You have to climb a stair to reach the lobby. Check-in operations in a private desk, then I was introduced to my butler, a nice lady that escorded me and my wife to our suite and explained all the amenities available. I received a wonderful "Waldorf River Suite" on the 3rd floor with a living room and a bedroom both facing the river and the Bund, a walk-in closet, marble-finished bathroom with double vanity area, clawfoot bathtub and shower room, TV screen in the mirror. Large Hi Definition LCD flat screen TV with DVD player and a selection of DVD movies available in the living room.
The suites are located on the 3rd and 4th floors, on the 2nd floor there are the ballrooms and on the 5th floor there will be the chinese restaurant
Wei Jing Ge (during my visit the 5th floor was still closed due to work in progress). In the old building there are 20 suites, 10 each floor. They are divided in "Waldorf Suites", "Waldorf River Suites" and "Waldorf Deluxe River Suites". The suites facing the river are only 3 on each floor. During my stay there was a photo session, so I had the occasion to have a quick look into some of the suites while the photographer was working and I can say every one is a little jewel and is different from the other. The Deluxe river suites are only a little bigger that the standard river suites, and have a dining area, but some of the Waldorf Suites with no river view seems to be bigger than the river view suites. Today I found that the pictures taken by the photographer are online on the hotel website, but be assured that the reality is much better than the images.
Entering the building on the left side of the lobby floor there is the Long Bar, and on the right side the Salon de Ville (breakfast in the morning and afternoon tea) and the Pelham's restaurant.
As a Diamond member they offered me 1000 bonus points and discounts on beverages at the Long Bar and at the Pelham's restaurant.
The Long Bar is very nice and perfectly restored to its 1911 design. For a cocktail expect to pay about 11 USD and for a beer 7 USD. At the Pelham's restaurant for à la carte dinner expect an average of 60-80 USD including a glass of wine. The breakfast served in the Salon de Ville is à la carte and very formal: for a continental breakfast expect about 30 USD, for a full american breakfast more than 40. If you want to save some money within walking distance you can find a Starbucks.
On the back of the historical 1911 building of the Waldorf Astoria Club there is a courtyard and the new tower that will host the Waldorf Astoria hotel. It will have a new bigger entrance on a street on the back. During my stay there were still work in progress and I suppose that the new tower will not be ready until late january 2011.
Oct 27, 2010, 9:54 pm
#28
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP >3 Million miles,HH Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 2,887
Thanks for the excellent post and details. Have reservations in two weeks and this is most helpful. First review I have seen anywhere. Was Maglev/taxi transfer easy?
Do you have an email address for the hotel to obtain the chinese characters for the taxi?
Any other suggestions for Shanghai?
Do you have an email address for the hotel to obtain the chinese characters for the taxi?
Any other suggestions for Shanghai?
Oct 28, 2010, 2:19 am
#29
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Europe's World City
Programs: OWE, Hilton GOLD and counting
Posts: 1,113
The Long Bar is very nice and perfectly restored to its 1911 design. For a cocktail expect to pay about 11 USD and for a beer 7 USD. At the Pelham's restaurant for à la carte dinner expect an average of 60-80 USD including a glass of wine. The breakfast served in the Salon de Ville is à la carte and very formal: for a continental breakfast expect about 30 USD, for a full american breakfast more than 40. If you want to save some money within walking distance you can find a Starbucks.
Oct 29, 2010, 2:58 am
#30
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Milan
Programs: BA Gold (CCR), Cartafreccia, HH Diamond, Esselunga Fidaty Gold
Posts: 443
Thanks for the excellent post and details. Have reservations in two weeks and this is most helpful. First review I have seen anywhere. Was Maglev/taxi transfer easy?
Do you have an email address for the hotel to obtain the chinese characters for the taxi?
Any other suggestions for Shanghai?
Do you have an email address for the hotel to obtain the chinese characters for the taxi?
Any other suggestions for Shanghai?
From PVG airport a 7 minutes Maglev ride costs 50 RMB single and 80 return. If you want to save money (but no time) take the taxi from PVG or the metro green line to East Nanjing road then about ten minutes walk to the hotel or a 12 RMB taxi ride. Anyway I highly suggest the 430 km/h Maglev ride.
For the address PM your email and in the next days I will send you the chinese address.
Last edited by Aldebaran; Oct 29, 2010 at 3:15 am