moondog

Jing'an and Xuhui are my favorite districts. 12 Hengshan is in Xuhui; there are no SPG properties in Jing'an.

MSPeconomist

Isn't LRM pretty close to Jing'an even if it isn't officially in this area? I think of LRM to Jing'an Temple as being a nice walk.

moondog

it's about a mile, and a pleasant walk as you point out. However, I really don't care for people's square and east nj road.

Since we're on the topic of jingan, the puli and Shangri LA are both great hotels. And, I still like the portman even though it is old. Meanwhile, the Hilton is a good value.

MSPeconomist

Yes, but they're not Starwoods if one want points, nights/stay credit, or ugrades and other benefits of status.

Onetwo3

Jing'an is also one of my favorite districts, though it gets more commercial everyday. I believe it is the smallest district in Shanghai, so it can be considered almost a neighborhood, unlike Xuhui which has an area about 34sq miles and I think most people who say they like Xuhui really mean just the small Former French Concession section.

I find the Bund to be fine for an afternoon stroll--the historic colonial architecture is lovely--but it's hardly an area I would recommend a tourist to be based, it presents such a limited picture of the ambience of Shanghai and is too far from any good reasonably-priced Chinese dining. That said, The Fairmont Peace Hotel does look nice.

Onetwo3

If I had to choose a Starwood in Shanghai just based on location, I would go with 12 Hengshan.

MSPeconomist

There's also the Peninsula right on the Bund. I've noticed a couple interesting historic local hotels (not fancy) and a Hyatt across the creek a bit beyond the other end of the Bund. However, of all of these, the Peace/Fairmont (and its annex) are closest to a subway station.

Enhancements

IMHO proximity to the subway is overrated esp in Shanghai- generally hotels located slightly farther out have decent cab service (Hyatt on the Bund, Shanghai Railway Station areas etc), and those that are close by to a central metro stop seem to stumble (LRM is really bad on this front, and I've had trouble with getting taxis at the Andaz and Langham).

As a tourist I'd cab/Uber most of the time if it were possible. The subway is great, but the price differential between that and a taxi for intracity travel is just not enough to justify the additional time spent / hotel location considerations.

(As an aside, I once did the MO Pudong and was pleasantly surprised at their on-demand car service to the Lujiazui area. Great hotel, just a bit far out, but not an issue in this case.)

Onetwo3

You're right, taxis are so affordable that it doesn't seem worth it to take the metro a lot of the time, but I think being close to the subway is still a nice option because sometimes it's faster, and during rush hour, inclement weather, or weekend nights it can be near impossible to find a cab. For uber and the other taxi-hailing apps, speaking Chinese seems necessary as the driver will always call to confirm your location.

Besides, the areas close to the metro are always more bustling, which is one reason why taxis are more scarce--more people equals less available taxis. Haven't been to Hyatt on the Bund in a few years, but back then I found the neighborhood dead.

mahasamatman

Has traffic actually gotten better since 2007? When I lived in Shanghai, a taxi would have taken about 3 times as long to get to work. The subway was the best/only way to avoid the terrible traffic.

moondog

I always take the subway when no transfers are required if the weather is decent, and I'm fine with a single transfer if it makes sense. Otherwise, cars make more sense when not crossing the river.

The thing is, many uber drivers don't have a clue about geography, let alone traffic patterns. Taxis are much better in this regard (but can be very hard to snag without apps).

newshound

Some impressions from a recent stay....

Good plat recognition at check in, upgraded to junior suite although on a relatively low level so the view wasn't great.

The lift system is a maze, really confusing as you have to switch a few times depending on which floor you want to get to. I still hadn't figured it out after a few days however there always seems to be someone on hand to point guests in the right direction.

These floor staff also seem pretty efficient at kicking the hookers out - something I saw complaints about on tripadvisor.

The gym was adequate, a limited range of free weights, some resistance machines and plenty of cardio.

In room dining was slow and not particularly impressive. The Chinese restaurant on the 8th floor was very good and well priced especially after the 15% SPG discount.

It seems the front desk staff still need some training on SPG benefits, I was initially denied a 4pm checkout and told that this was not guaranteed as a benefit. After speaking with the desk manager they accommodated the request but wouldn't accept this was a plat benefit.

The worst part about the hotel IMO is the location. It is great for shopping in daylight hours but the sheer number of pimps and scam artists directly outside is oppressive. I wanted to take an evening stroll but was persistently hassled every 10 yards and gave up after just one block. I wouldn't return to this property simply because I felt trapped in the hotel.

lcpteck

I guess only the SPG expert at the property would know the full details of the SPG program. This seems to be happening quite frequent across other properties as well.

Unfortunately it is common as the property is residing beside the Nanjing Dong Lu Pedestrian Street. Maybe you can try the Westin Bund Center next time, it's outside of the Pedestrian street but still walkable to the Bund and nearby subway.

moondog

I would argue that bund centre is an even worse location. At least from the lrm you have semi-okay dining options to the west (e.g barbarosa) and south (e.g dashijie).

But, the truth is if you can abandon your spg loyalty during your Shanghai trips, you'll enjoy yourselves much more.

IluvSQ

All you have to do is ignore anyone striking up a conversation with you.
Keep on walking. This is becoming more common almost anywhere in
Shanghai.