Which IHG property in Shanghai for an overnight.
 

I was surprised to not find a thread dedicated to this topic. So here it is!

I'm taking advantage of the recent visa changes and will be overnighting in Shanghai on my way into and out of Vietnam. There's so many IHG properties lumped in the same general area that making the best choice is daunting!

So what's everyone's experiences and recommendations regarding IHG properties that are best-situated for an overnight connection?
I'm interested in ease of access to/from PVG, value for both a reward stay or paid stay (upgrades? Status bennies?) as well as dining and light shopping within walking distance.

There is no IHG property near PVG. Try Indigo Shanghai. It is right at the bund area. Should take you 40-60 min to reach PVG by taxi.

I would go with the IC Ruijin because the neighborhood is the best of the lot (limiting the field to IHG properties). It is about 45 minutes from PVG (good access to the N/S highway).

What are the new visa changes?

Visa...just the ability to layover up to 72 hours without a visa.

Regarding location, yes, I realize that no IHGs are actually near the airport proper. It's a bad habit of mine to call a city by its airport identifier! (It's even worse for cities that have pronounceable airport identifiers...ie: Ottawa. My mother assumed I was in China this week when I called her from some city called YOW).

Thanks for the IC Ruijin recommendation. I'm not looking to tour Shanghai, just something interesting to walk about outside the hotel for an hour or two, and this sounds like it fits the bill. I presume a taxi is the easiest way to get there?

How about Crowne Plaza Century Park? It's a 10 min cab drive from Longyang Station where you can take the Maglev train to PVG in around 8 minutes, much more reliable and cheaper than a cab all the way to the airport (at least 50 min by road). If you don't have much luggage you can take the Metro to Longyang Road Station which is just 2 stops away from the hotel. There are plenty to do between the station and the hotel including a big shopping mall like the Himalayas Center. There is another one within walking distance from the hotel with a lot of eateries and also a Carrefour

Hmmm...there are worse places in the world than Century Park, but it is honestly only 5 minutes closer to PVG (via taxi) than Ruijin Park.

Well, I do have two nights in PVG (going in and again coming out)...and I DO want to sample the maglev! We will each have a large checked bag and a roll-a-board. Will this be cumbersome on the Maglev? I'd be keen to Maglev into town and taxi to our destination.

Awesome advice guys/gals. Thank you!

For the Century Park/Century Ave properties, the Maglev isn't a bad way to go.

Note the following:
-your luggage should be manageable on the Maglev, but difficult to swing (comfortably) on the subway if you choose to use it for the last mile
-Longyang Road Station is notorious for its taxi touts, who are adept at scamming locals, let alone tourists
-for this reason, I usually advise people in your shoes to either do the Maglev/subway combo, or else only take the Maglev TO PVG (taxi from there)
-once is enough to get the picture
-check the schedule to confirm when it is running at top speed (not so may trains any more)

From a service perspective the IHG Expo is brilliant

Many IHG properties are close to the subway line. PVG is directly connected to subway line 2. Riding the subway, even with luggage is not difficult. Signs in English...

Riding the Maglev was anti-climatic for me... But if you do stay in the area, and are interested in sporting/outdoors equipment, visit the store DECATHLON near the station. Their products are decent and relatively well-priced for western-goods quality.

Taxi from PVG to most IHG properties will cost over RMB$100. Bring a print out of the address in Chinese before landing. (Doesn't hurt to have the local phone number (not toll free reservation number!) as well. Don't assume the taxi know where your hotel is... especially with generic name like "Holiday Inn" or "Intercontinental".

Line 2 with "a large checked bag and a roll-a-board"? Do you seriously think that's cool? I am hoping that the OP only has to endure this drill one time during his four airport-city transfers.

WRT to taxi fares to/from PVG, let's set the minimum bar at Y140, and the maximum at Y250 (assuming off peak, and somewhere far like the IC near the train station).

In all cases, these hotels are easy to find if you know their proper names.

Riding the subway with luggage is not funny, sometimes impossible. Have you not seen there are subway employees pushing passengers into the cars so the doors can actually close?

Obviously, the excess luggage is a problem, as even the typical taxi won't fit that much luggage. If it's only one night, considering storing your extra bags at PVG (upstairs departures area on either end of the terminal I recall,) so you can use any transportation option. I've used a variety of IHG Shanghai properties before and after flights. Depending upon your budget, status, and time, plus interests though transportation in Shanghai is pretty good to and from most areas so not as critical to be located right near the attractions you are most interested in seeing.

I like the IC's best, obviously. IC Pudong would be most convenient as it's right near the line 2 Metro stop and a short trip to the Maglev station. However, it's not the best IC. I've used the CP Century, but the walk is quite long from the Metro stop. The Puxi/Zhabei area (IC Puxi, HI Shanghai, HIX Zhabei,) is a little boring and requires a transfer from one metro line to another. But if budget is prime concern, these usually are lower priced than the other IC's or Indigo. I've used the HIX Zhabei most as I usually get UPG'd to a suite for about 300 rmb all in per night. Their breakfast is OK since they added the egg station (plus other made to order items.)

The op will have no problem at all fitting his luggage in a taxi.

As much as luggage on line 2 sucks, it is doable. As I mentioned up thread, I think the op could endure the drill ONE time, assuming no transfers.

If I were the op, I'd stay at ruijin both times, and do taxi to maglev one time just to check it off the list.

That having been, swapping in century park or ic pudong on one of the visits makes sense if he's too tired to do anything interesting and/or the savings are substantial.

Off topic, zhabei is going to be cool about 2 years from now because wpp moved there last November.

the hotel has awesome corporate rates but there is NOTHING around the hotel. Heat is a huge problem at this hotel. In the summer they turn off the AC at night and the winter you cant get the rooms below 22c.

It's depend on the depature time of your flight to Vietnam, first you need to know it's far from city center to PVG...so if you'd like to shopping , I recommened Lujiazui , then you can take metro to hotel, if your flight is in morning(before 12pm ), you'd better arrive PVG at 9am to proceed checkin,security check and border check, so it's better to stay at the hotel just located near PVG ,like Ramada, Dazhong Airport Hotel or other hotel chain near PVG(Homeinns ,Htinns..).

The nearest IHG property to PVG is Holiday Inn Express : Shanghai New Jinqiao, but it still 30 kilometer from PVG and no metro,
Inedigo in bund is better, because your can take Line 10 or Line 9 convientaly and transfer to Line 2 to PVG, note that you need spend about 1 hour and 30 minutes in the metro, so leave plenty time for yourself..

-30 v 45 mins in a taxi is a silly debate if the latter can get you some place that's interesting
-talk of multiple subway transfers makes my head spin
-what is there to shop for in ljz that can't be fetched for substantially less money elsewhere?
-check in cut off for most flights ex-pvg is t-60. Obviously you shouldn't miss your flight, but t-75 is pretty safe

Except if you fancy to spend your time having drinks at Flair or at the top of the Gran Hyatt and Park Hyatt, don't stay in Pudong...
Walk by the Huangpu can be nice on a sunny day for locals, if you are not familiar with the city, head to Puxi side.

Haha:D As much as I dislike Lujiazui, Flair (when the weather is decent) almost justifies crossing the river on its own accord (though you might as well walk through Binjiang Park while you're over there). It is so stunning that I'm not bothered by the sky high drink prices.

I suggest you consider asking a mod to retitle your thread to something like "Shanghai: General Discussion". In some cities (e.g. PDX, BOS, LAS, MSP), the airport represents well, but in Shanghai, we regard "PVG" as an airport far from town. If one must use airport codes, "SHA" is a better choice because --in addition to representing Hongqiao Airport-- it includes all airports in the Shanghai municipality (in the same manner as other metro codes, e.g. WAS, NYC, TYO).

My recommendation would be the IC Pudong. Take a Taxi from the airport, should take much less than one hour. (Don't take the Maglev since it is very difficult to find Taxis at the station). You could also take Line 2 directly to Century Avenue Station, but it is a 5 min walk from there to the hotel crossing a major street.
There are restaurants and some shopping in the area, there is a huge underground mall with all the fakes you ever want to see 2 subway stations away (Schience and Technology Museum station) on Line 2. For walking: Nanjing Road and The Bund (3 subway stations in the other direction). 'On the way back take a Taxi to the Maglev Station (check the operating hours of the train) and go to the airport from there.
Luggage on the Maglev is no problem. Luggage on the subway is mostly no problem, but sometimes you need to walk up/down stairs.

Thanks again from the OP for the suggestions and discussions.

The goal of these stop-overs is multi-layered, and is probably the same for a lot of folks during an extended layover.
Since I'll have my fiancé with me who has never been to China, I want her to at least get a little taste....enough to be able to say "I've been to China" rather than "I changed planes in China". So a HIX in an industrial development isn't on my list, but neither is one in a resort area that's too secluded.

I realize pretty much all my choices are 25 miles away, but as long as a taxi or maglev is viable, I'm happy. I have zero desire to schlepp large suitcase through turnstiles and crowded subways or buses. Maybe if I was alone, but not worth the stress when traveling with someone who's relatively new to international travel. (Happy wife/Happy life, ya know).

Thanks again for the comments!
Feel free to add, subtract or critique. I'll add my own reviews here (or in another thread) sometime after our trip.

Ihg manages a lot of hotels in Shanghai (more than any other foreign brand, I think), but almost all are in sub optimal locations. Nothing in jing'an, 2 in xuhui, 1 in huangpu...everything else is poor unless you have a reason (e.g. office/client office) to be in a certain locale or are really into subways (they close at 11p BTW).

IHG with shuttle to/from PVG
 

hi
Any IHG hotel with shuttle from and to PVG ?
tks
rgds

No. The only hotels I know of with free shuttles are the ones between the two terminals (no shuttle required), the Radisson (overpriced), and the Shanghai Airlines Hotel. The Disney hotels are also worthy of checking out.

You are (a) aware that PVG is close to an hour away from whatever the centre may be and that (b) taxis are quite cheap for European standards?

If one's only been to Shanghai, one still hasn't been to China. ;)

Area not so great but taxi's are for free so it's disconnection isn't so much a problem.

It's insane cheap, has great service, great club lounge, the FOM and all supporting staff are great, really great. I love this place but like a few others ... Festival City, O2 it could be accused of being a tad far out.

Not seem the issue with the AC yet. This place (I'm told) was built at insane money for Chinese top boys for the Expo as a showcase.

The corner suites higher up are really nice. I'd pick this place, save the money and take the taxi in. Also if you RA you get treated like royalty.

You might have noticed I like this place :-)

​​​​​​What is the point of visiting if you don't stay in a decent area? I'll admit that taxis are pretty cheap, but good luck finding one on a weekend night.

​​​​​​What is the point of visiting if you don't stay in a decent area? I'll admit that taxis are pretty cheap, but good luck finding one on a weekend night.

pays your money, takes your choice ..... the place itself is good but for sure there there's a minor time loss getting into town. Never had an issue getting a taxi there at any time.... there is usually at least 3 lined up outside and called in.

If you only have one night there then for sure it may pay be more central and for sure that feels good. But your budget will be double plus. If you got a few days then the saving would be worth the minor taxi spend and time. Expo is incredible value especially if you got RA.

I know this is an older thread, but I was surprised too see that they renamed the IC Puxi to IC Jing'an. It is walking distance to the US visa office, so I guess that counts, right?

Since properties 1000 meters from the bund can use "bund" in their names, then I suppose everything is fair game. The area around the Hengfeng Road IC is actually starting to become really nice, thanks to WPP and the Shanghai government. Furthermore, the subway access is superb (e.g. Line 13 to XTD, Line 12 to Shanxi Nan Lu, and Line 1 to Hengshan Lu).

I used to stay in IC Puxi (or IC Jingan as it is called now) in the past but have shifted to IC Pudong as I find that IC Pudong has more choices for food compared to IC Puxi and that the metro line is not that complex compared to IC Puxi where it can be a long walk between 2 lines. Just wondering what has changed around that area? Thanks!

1. There are great food options there now (the basement of the WPP building alone is amazing)
2. Lines 12 and 13 are really good

Honestly, the WPP move (from Jing'an:D) itself was the main catalyst for the transformation. ~4,000 people with decent disposable incomes can change neighborhoods a great deal.

1. There are great food options there now (the basement of the WPP building alone is amazing)
2. Lines 12 and 13 are really good

Honestly, the WPP move (from Jing'an:D) itself was the main catalyst for the transformation. ~4,000 people with decent disposable incomes can change neighborhoods a great deal.

Several Holiday Inns paired up with EcoBus that goes to PVG and SHA with ease. Very cheap also, less than $10USD per ride.

Any recent experiences / upgrades with the Holiday Inns?
 

Stayed at the IC Ruijin last year as a Plat. No breakfast and I think they gave me a below average room - not in the main building.

Any recent experiences / upgrades with the Holiday Inns?

I see you guys talking about the IC Puxi/Jingan. Would this be a good place for tourists to stay? Have a bunch of IHG points and am looking at best way to use them during a multi city trip that includes Shanghai in mid-July. Does 30k/night at this place seem worth it?

The JA government attempted to drop them to Crowne Plaza last year, but the location is now great.