Shanghai JW using pts
 

If I book a room here using our pts but my husband, whose name the account is under, does not join me, will there be a problem? I just did this in NYC and had no problems. Thanks.

There might be a problem if your husband finds out you're going to Shanghai without him (;)) but, no, Marriott won't have a issue.

As you probably did in NYC make sure to order the award in your name and you should be fine. In fact, per Marriott Concierge, this can now be done with e-certs rather than paper certs now.

Thanks-actually, I did not order the cert. in my name for NY but called Marriott this time and did it all by phone instead, including my name only on the cert.

It's a nice hotel in a good location. Check out the little library in the lounge -- the highest library in the world, and Catherine's 5 on the top floor of the Art Museum across the street. Enjoy.

Thanks, I will!

And don't forget to look for the secret "hidden" door in the library. It will take you to one of the best views of the city, period.

I noticed that both Courtyards in Shanghai feature a Executive Lounge. Do you get access as a Gold?

Yes, Golds should get access to the lounges. I've noticed that a number of CYs outside of NA are basically FS hotels with the CY name. I have a couple of friends who are Golds and stayed at a CY in India with a lounge. They had no issues getting access to the lounge.

Thanks. If I decide on this hotel (Hilton Shanghai is just a little more expensive..) I will call them before booking and ask if this is indeed the case, just to be sure.

CY Shanghai Pudong has a lounge and does provide free access to Golds and Plats. The location of the REN is much better if you intend to do some sightseeing while in Shanghai.

Found a really (imho) good deal at the Renaissance Yuyuan including breakfast; location seems to be very good for some sightseeing. I will only spend one night (36 hr layover); only downside is the huge construction site, or so it seems (Tripadvisor.com). Guess I'll go with the Ren :)

What about the Renaissance Zhongshan? It costs roughly the same, the property looks nice, but I can't find any personal experiences on the internet - no reviews at Tripadvisor or Expedia. Has anyone stayed here, perhaps?

New Courtyard Marriott Just Opened in Shanghai (Xujiahui a convenient place to be?)
 

Apparently it's the 800th Courtyard to be opened. I guess China would be the obvious place to open it given 8 is considered a very lucky number for the Chinese.

I'm planning to go to Shanghai / China in the spring for the first time, so this is great news. Anyone know whether the Xujiahui area of Shanghai is a good place to stay for a first timer. I've read all the posts on Shanghai and done some online research on the Xujiahui area and it seems perfectly fine. The recommendations on FT tend toward the Bund / French concession area, but I like the idea of staying at a brand new US branded hotel. I understand that there are lots of malls, small shops and food stores in the Xujiahui area and it's close to the subway.

My criteria in order of priority for choosing a hotel are (does this area meet that criteria??):

1) Safe at night (where there are people walking around, not a dead commercial/financial center at night)

2) Easy to get cabs. Subway nearby is a plus.

3) Lots of restaurants nearby.

4) Aesthetic appeal - has character or streets are clean/well-maintained, pleasant and easy place to take a stroll in the mornings (and not get run over by cars/motorcycles or be breathing in tons of exhaust).

Thoughts?

I live in Shanghai and was so happy that an unfinished building like Tibet Plaza in Xujiahui, such a prime area, (which stood there unfinished for many years) has finally been converted to a Courtyard. I have actually personally approached the local government and tried to approach the developer to discuss the possiblity of finishing this building. But the local government pusuaded me to stay away from this building, because it's related to the Tibet local goverment. Anyway, that's another story.

Below are just my personal opinions:

1) Safe at night (where there are people walking around, not a dead commercial/financial center at night)

Yes, it is. Shanghai, in general, is the safest city in China (Most cities in China are fairly safe anyway). Xujiahui, one of the shopping place in Shanghai with quite a few big shopping malls around, is a vibrant place at night.

2) Easy to get cabs. Subway nearby is a plus.

Yes, plenty of cabs and subway is 5 minutes walk, max.

3) Lots of restaurants nearby.

Yes, lots of them around, along TianYaoQiao Road and in the shopping malls, mostly Chinese restaurants though. A quick search DianPing.com (a Zagat copycat founded by a friend of mine) results over 1,000 restaurants in the Xujiahui/Sports Stadium area. I would guess over 200 of them are within walking distance. There are two nice restaurants in the Xujiahui Park.

4) Aesthetic appeal - has character or streets are clean/well-maintained, pleasant and easy place to take a stroll in the mornings (and not get run over by cars/motorcycles or be breathing in tons of exhaust).

In general, the Puxi area(west of the river) of Shanghai is very crowded, with lots of cars (not many motorcycles though). Xujiahui area is fairly crowded.

There is an old saying in Shanghai: One would prefer a bed in Puxi (west of the river) than a house in Pudong (east of the river). Things have changed somewhat in the past few years. But for a local resident like me, it's a no brainer, I will stay in Puxi, where all the good things in life are. So it's a trade off.

Have fun in Shanghai

According to the press release, this is the seventh Courtyard to be opened in China, and another is scheduled for later this year. Does anyone know where in China the additional one will be located? Several years ago, there was one under construction in Nanchang, but that halted mid-stream and I don't find any new information about it. Nanchang is sorely in need of some new hotels, and a Courtyard would fit nicely.

I just finished a week's stay at the Renaissance Shanghai Pudong.

The hotel is located several km southeast of downtown, in a mostly residential area near Century Park and the Science & Technology Museum. I stayed there because it's convenient to the sprawling business parks further east in Pudong where I was working for the week. I would not recommend this location for tourists as it's too far from downtown and isn't convenient to the subway.

As a platinum member I was upgraded to a club-level room with concierge access. The room matched what I have come to expect of FS Marriott properties in China -- plenty spacious for 1-2 people and tastefully decorated with rich materials.

The lounge provided breakfast in the morning and appetizers and desserts in the evening. I found the evening appetizers varied enough to serve as dinner most nights. Complimentary alcohol is available until 9pm.

I have stayed several times in Renaissance Zhongshan since its opening. Excellent Renaissance -- supposed to be the tallest Renaissance in the world.

Excellent lounge (great panorama view), always upgraded to a suite, easy subway transportation(3 lines have stops under the building. Location is a bit off downtown though). Lots of shopping in the Zhongshan Park area.

I would stay anytime there given my low corporate rate.

Hotel rates down significantly in 2010
 

After coming back from the Christmas/New Year holiday, I started to plan my stays this year. Surprisingly, I found the rates of Marriott family hotels in Shanghai have gone down significantly this year compared to last year. JW Marriott is down about 30%; Renaissance Zhongshan Park down 18%; Renaissance Yuyuan down 15%.

I noticed some SPG and IC properties' rates have gone down too. Le Royal Meridien down close to 30%; IC Pudong down 20+%.

Glad that the hotels in Shanghai have come to some senses now, especially given the tremendous rise in real estate prices in the last two years.

If you identify tthe properties with their respective full names, perhaps many here can help you. There are many Rens & Marriotts in Shanghai and they spread out all over town.

True, and its great for visiting there.
In fact many of the same properties can be pricelined for further savings!

Hotel in Shanghai for Expo
 

Going to Shanghai in July. Like to attend the Expo. Can anyone recommend a hotel near the Expo? Is the Expo convenient to main parts of the city?

Which side of the city do you prefer to stay at, Pudong (the east of the River) or Puxi (the west of River)?

There are many hotels near the area. If stay in downtown areas, either Puxi and Pudong, subway stations can be easily located and get you to Expo.

Its on the Pudong side of the city, on the river.
Try the Mrt courtyard in Pudong for location, Its only 20 RMB taxi ride to the expo. SH security is up for the expo, like it was in BJ for the Olympics.
-Have fun

Rennaissance Pudong is also not far away.

Changfeng park - how it is?
 

Hi,

Is there any review/opinion on this Marriott? I know it is new, but could not find much. It does seems to be a taxi-dependent type of hotel.

I will be here for maybe 2 nights.

Btw: I have booked for 2 nights, but there could be a chance that I need to check out earlier before using my 2nd night. I don't mind paying, but how will the hotels deal with this? Do I also get 2 nights credit?

Thanks

Just to add after a 2 night stay at this place.

Besides those + points, this is one of the best Courtyard that I have stayed in. Nearly a FS hotel, and one of the first where they have an Exec. floor. All in all, a terrific stay! A near perfect stay, only let down was the thin windows and wall, traffic can be heard even on the 23rd floor! and walls are very thin!.

Cheers!

Is the subway station close by Renaissance Yuyuan complete?
 

Hi the above was a quote from Dec 07, is there any update on whether the subway station is now open? Or the construction was only for the path of the subway line?

Any advice on how long is the walk to the nearest subway station is appreciated!

Thanks!
So Pang

Is Renaissance Shanghai Yuyuan located close to subway station?
 

Hi, I am trying to find out if anyone has any recent experience staying at Renaissance Shanghai Yuyuan? Is it close to the subway station? If not, how far is the walk? Is it a good location to tourist sites? Any input would be appreciated! Thanks!

Within 1km or 0.6 of a mile of two subway stations so not really that close:

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/maps/...-yuyuan-hotel/

Subway Station
East Nanjing Road (Line 2) (0.6 miles S)
South Huang Pi Road(Line 1) (0.6 miles E)

I was just doing some research on Marriott brand hotels in Shanghai tonight so the question was timely. :)

It's a beautiful hotel in a great location for visiting YuYuan, but not so convenient for public transportation.

Hi,

Just to give an overall impression of this place. Am currently here for the weekend.
Location-wise: both good and bad. It is very close to ChengFeng park and less busy compared to other parts of Shanghai. A residential area, so relatively quiet. Getting to the nearest subway station will take about 15-20 mins on foot. Good news is that there is actually a complimentary shuttle bus that runs (not sure how often since I was not interested in it) to the Bund area, Nanjing Rd, and a few more places.

Interior: This is with the typical new hype type of Marriott image. Spacious and of as expected still new since it was just opened recently.

Rooms: Not sure if I was given an upgrade, but it was a corner room, and relatively spacious with again lots of usage of glass in the bathroom. Room is loaded with new electronic gadgets and connections to whatever you have, though strangely the connections goes directy to those on the TV which itself is already quite heavy loaded with cables. Would have expected those separate connection boxes as you see coming up now at quite a numbe of properties. The bed if up to marriott standard.

Exec. floor: Great lounge with a good spread of b'fast and evening canapes. Yesterday I was the only person for the evening canapes and there was so much food. Great wine incld Chinese branded ones. They even had a whole duck for the Peking duck! Lounge attendents are great and very friendly. Two laptops are available for use.

Health club + Sauna: Well kept and very functional.

Staff: Overall, as usual very friendly. Again a mixture of Chinese and foreign staff. All helpful and level of English is acceptable.

Overall impression: A good one. I only hope that they don't overcharge since location is still the only setback here.

Hope this helps for those in the future planning to stay here.

Renaissance Shanghai Yangtze - Pool and Fitness Room
 

Can anyone please comment on the pool and fitness room at this hotel? The photos on-line don't really depict it well. Is the pool suitable for laps? Does the fitness room have a good layout of both cardio and resistance equipment?

Thank you.

Its been over couple of years since my last stay here. I found the hotel up to standard business class. Service generally good to very good. A great CL on top floor. The breakfast was to crave for.

I did not use the pool, leave that for others to chime in. The fitness room was quite complete with cardio/resistsance equipment. White towels & water available. Most times, had lightly traffic. You could have it for yourself sometimes.

Which Courtyard in Shanghai for Five Nights?
 

Want to attend the Shanghai World Exposition sometime in October. Both the Courtyard Shanghai - Pudong and the Courtyard Shanghai - Xujiahui look like great properties according to reviews on TripAdvisor. But which one offers more in the way of amenities and is in a location where public transportation is easily accessible? And which one is closer to the Exposition site? I'll probably use points to pay for the stay or would I be better off paying with the Marriott Visa card and running up a few thousand points. Thanks for your assistance!

For Courtyard Pudong you maybe able to get a LNF rate. I will PM you with the site so you can find it out.

Courtyard Pudong is closer to expo but outdated,
Xujiahui is very new, build in 2008, excellent location to anywhere at puxi,
Both have club lounges, free breakfasts, happy hours 7 days a week for elite or club guests
Xujiahua Courtyard is much much much better unless you want to stay closer to expo

How much farther is Xujiahua Courtyard than Pudong COurtyard to the Expo? Is there public transport or mainly cabs?

Also, are there any other hotel choices, like Renaissance or FS Marriotts that is close to the Expo?

the sequence of Marriott Family Hotels which is closer to expo:

Renissance pudong (cat 3) (about 7-8 old)
Courtyard Pudong (cat 2) (about 15 years old)
Yuyuan Renaissance (cat 3) (fairly new, open on 2007)
JW Marriott (cat 5) about 8-9 years old
Xujiahui Courtyard (cat 2) (faily new hotel, Open on late 2008)
Zhongshan Park Renissance (faily new hotel, Open on 2008) cat 3
Yangzte Renaissance ( Build before 1990 ) cat 3
HongQiao Marriott ( Build before 1990 ) cat 3
ChangFeng Park Marriott ( newest, 2010 hotel) cat 3


you can take subway line #1 (3 minutes walk from the hotel) then transfer subway #2 from Xujianghui Courtyard to expo, hotel personnel will be able to assist you, also many buses stop at yujiahui, I am sure several bus can go to expo, or at least near to
yujiahui area is one of the three largest shopping/business center in Shanghai, basically you can find everything.
However if you plan to take taxi ( better stay away during the slow and crowd peak hours), you need to spend RMB 40 (roughly US$6) more than from Pudong Courtyard

however, Pudong courtyard does have much easier access to EXPO than XUjianhui Courtyard since it is much closer.
If you care about the amemnity of the hotels, XUJIAHUI Courtyard has a nice size, quite new indoor swimming pool onsite, but Courtyard Pudong doesn't,
I remember courtyard pudong also charges internet even I am platium so I need to bring my laptop to the club lounge WFii
I do not remember if Xujiahui charges internet or not, however I do recommed Yuyuan Renaissance at another thread, they waive internet fee for platium/gold, also next to YUYUAN Garden, the top attraction in Shanghai. This hotel is the closest marriott hotels to Expo in PUXI. They also proactively provide you the option to either have 2 breakfast buffets at cafe or at lounge