I stayed here couple of years back. It was a very good property. Treated Elites well with upgrade. The breakfast was on a high floor (don't remember which) with nice view of the west side city and some highways. Breakfast itself was excellent. Now you probably see lots of smog and hays due to pollution. It is close to the exhibition halls. I stayed there due to making a presentation at the exhib halls. Should you need to take a cab to go into city center, and want to get there fast, you should mention to the cab driver to take the toll road.

From Marriott home page, click International Sites (top line to the left corner area). But then you have to know how to read Chinese before you can select the right hotel. Anyway, try this link
http://www.marriott.com.cn/Channels/...ge/CHINA/SHABR
If this didn't work, please post again.

OP,
Thanks for the review of several MR properties. I like the JW and SL (a corner room overlooking the river; breakfast ^^). Have not yet stayed at the new Ren Yuyuan. Agree it is close to where the actions are compared to other locations.

Thanks all.
From your posts, I navigated to the page that shows all Marriott China hotels in both english and chinese characters.

http://www.marriott.com.cn/Channels/...untry=CHINA#CN

Stayed for 4 nights November 25-29. The location is not great. The neighborhood is nice, but is in the middle of nowhere.

The hotel itself was excellent. Nice comfortable room with a very comfortable bed. Too often the beds in China are like a cement slab. Not in this hotel. You could wake up and think you were in any better hotel anywhere in the world. I slept very well.

Hi speed net access quick and reliable (but not free - I think it was RMB100 per day).

Club lounge was nice. Efficient friendly staff, good breakfast, wireless web access. One morning the lounge was very busy, so they gave us and afew other people who came before and after us coupons for the buffet breakfast downstairs (which was outstanding, by the way). It was nice that they did not want to overcrowd the lounge and just took care of it without any hassle.

Had dinner one night in the Chinese restaurant (sorry I don't remember the name). Food was very good.

All in all, I would call this a very solid 4 star property. I will likely stay here in again when I get back to Shanghai.

Update - Renaissance Shanghai Yuyuan
 

I thought I'd add a few after-departure thoughts to the original post.

During this early-December stay, the hotel changed its internet policy. No longer is there free internet in the common areas, including the lounge. You now buy MagiNet cards for either one or 24 hours of access (I believe the 24-hr was 120 yuan, or about US$15). Important to note, though, that these periods are elapsed login time, not elapsed clock time (like most of Europe). If so inclined, a guest can easily make a 24-hr card last a week.

The guest service and, especially, the staff in the 17th-floor lounge were outstanding, better probably than the impression I left in my original post.

The construction outside (a subway is being built under the street at the main entrance of the hotel) is a real headache in two ways currently. First: the intermittent noise is somewhere between very noticeable and occasionally sleep-depriving. Second: the strange traffic patterns around the construction zone can make catching a taxi during prime A.M. hours a tough task. On two rainy days of my stay, I went down to catch a cab at around 8:30 am, and waited around 45 minutes to an hour before one could be flagged. (This was the exception, not the rule.)

So in the end, I can still recommend the hotel because of reasonable rates, service, and room quality, although it will become a much better property when the road construction is completed.

Safe travels!

DH and I stayed one night at Renaissance YuYuan, in late September. Actually, it turned out to be the "official" grand opening when we were there. Front desk staff was very attentive, but a little overwhelmed by the preparations for the upcoming speeches and events.

Room was lovely, but the glass-walled bathroom was a bit of a surprise. Bed was very comfortable. We did not have the a/c problems - temp was fine.

I agree that you really need the name of the hotel in Chinese characters. Even with that, some drivers looked quizically at the address. If you are arriving at PVG, one of the Marriott hotel kiosks (advertised for more than one Marriott) had a business card for the YuYuan. That worked great for us on arrival.

Would not hesitate to stay here again for a reasonable rate (if company travel dept allows).

By the way, grand opening celebration lasted the whole day. We didn't attend the speeches and were out of the hotel in the morning, but we did get to visit all the restaurants (could have eaten in them also, if the mood struck) as well as the lounge, spa, etc. before we checked out. It was quite an experience.

Thanks to those that posted on this thread that I now know I will not be charged $45 for service fee. I am staying in Shanghai JW Marriott next month.

JW Marriott in Shanghai
 

Has anyone had a reason stay at the JW Marriott in Shanghai?

I'll be there for two weeks in April and wondering what to expect.

Any insight would be appreciated.

Thanks

There are a bunch of mentions of the JW in prior posts, but I just finished a stay there last week and will echo what those posts say ...

It's a top-notch hotel, from the rooms to the service to the views. Even the bathrooms are top-of-the-line. Easily my favorite Marriott property. Great lounge, too, with the world's highest library on the 60th floor (check out the hidden door). A bunch of solid places to eat are within walking distance, as well. You'll enjoy the stay - I could use another few nights there.

I completely agree with wiffle--this property is awesome. Probably the best city JW Marriott of them all. Quite luxurious, spacious rooms, beautiful bathrooms (nice size--not oversized), excellent executive lounge, fabulous buffet breakfasts with a view, Starbucks in the lobby....

And to cap it all--IMHO the best location in Shanghai, where Nanjing Road West meets East.

I completely agree with wiffle--this property is awesome. Probably the best city JW Marriott of them all. Quite luxurious, spacious rooms, beautiful bathrooms (nice size--not oversized with dual head shower), excellent executive lounge, fabulous buffet breakfasts with a view, Starbucks in the lobby....

And to cap it all--IMHO the best location in Shanghai, where Nanjing Road West meets East.

Me too. 5 stars all the way.

Thanks for the comments

I look forward to being there.

I've never been to China before, not to sure about local cuisine and have heard to avoid it if possible. Is the food at the JW western and ok?

You can get Western, Chinese, Japanese at the JW...but do NOT fear the local cuisine. There's a dumping house within a short cab ride, but I forget te nsme right now, Mre Hazmike will know & I'll post tomorrow night. It's simply the best...featured on the US's Food Network.

Take a Marriott Consierge with you to buy your knockoffs...shopping in SHA was more of a hassle than in BJI. The JW offered us free use of one of their limos to go shopping. ^

There is also a Chinese vegetarian restaurant right next door on Nanjing Road (turn left when you get out of the hotel). Also, check out the afternoon tea at Catheleen Five on top of the Shanghai Art Museum, which is right across the street. And the MoMa Shanghai is also right there next to the Art Museum.

While you are at the hotel, check out to "The Tallest Library in the World." At the entrance of the Lounge on the top floor, there is a stair leading one floor up to the library.