I stayed at this hotel for one night this week.

Am I glad it was only for one night. What a disgrace of a hotel to be put into the SPG portfolio.

While I understand that the design of the hotel is supposed to be that of a decrepit old building (complete with exposed bricks, mortar, concrete, I-beams, steel rods, etc.), the entire effect seems too much of an overkill. It seems like walking into an abandoned factory.

There were even some flies, mosquitos, and small insects (some dead, some not) inside the room. I get goose bumps still thinking about it.

Breakfast was included in my rate, but it was very minimal (sausages, pancakes, fruits, juice, and coffee/tea). I ended up going to the Starbucks right across the street.

If it were not for the 11,000 bonus points for staying at all of SPG's 11 brands this year, I probably would not have chosen the Waterhouse at all.

Definitely not returning here anymore.

Hi Fly Me To The Moon,

Thank you for sharing your recent experience at the Waterhouse in Shanghai.

Feel free to email us your stay details at [email protected] so we can share your feedback with the hotel directly and follow up with you.

Best regards,

Alexis Lhopital
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

Has anyone else stayed and had a better experience? I'll be in Shanghai soon and also want to stay in a Design Hotel to get the all 11 brands (doing StR in Beijing and an LC to fill in the others), but your review kind of scares me.

I've never stayed there, myself, but eat lunch at there on occasion, when I'm in the area. Where do you need to be in Shanghai? (That neighborhood doesn't have a great deal going for it at this point in time.)

- I stayed there in June for 1 night. It is true that there is not much going on around hotel - just a few restaurants and small shops in restored old buildings. I have arrived about 6 pm and was greeted by name because I was the last person to check in. As PLT, received an upgrade to a two room suite but no Bund view.
The room was sparking clean - would post pictures if I find more time. An interesting "industrial" design. If I remember correctly, the floor was a composite plastic but not the real wood.
Comfortable bed and a reasonable desk to work on. One of the benefits was to use a mini fridge for free. It contained water, coca cola, and minute made (?) orange juice. Average internet speed and I would have to connect through VPN.
Breakfast was included and it was in a restaurant. Selection was rather minimal: toast, croissant, may be a sausage or ham, a few slices of cheese, some cut fruit. The offerings were similar to small bread-and-breakfasts in Europe. I wasn't offered any cook-to-order items.
When I returned to Shanghai last month, I went back to Le Royal Meridien that is my favorite SPG hotel there. During last year I have also stayed in Westin Bund and Sheraton Pudong. When compared among these 4 SPG properties, I would put Waterhouse at the very end of the priority list.
To conclude, there was nothing bad with my stay, but there is nothing that would definitely bring me back there (perhaps, with an exception of lucrative SPG pomo!)

Look at the first picture of the exterior of this hotel!

It looks appalling!

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/prefer...opertyID=27943

Basic breeze-block which appears to be partly derelict!

Wires everywhere, peeling paint!

At first I thought it was a joke but see from the very first posting, it's not!

Room pictures look nice. Web site said only "19 rooms . 11 Suites" in the hotel. Is it that small?

Yes, it is that small. And, "South Bund" is a code word word for "nowhere near the Bund". But, to be fair, Westin "Bund" Centre is almost as egregious in its use of the term.

Pretty scary looking, and 12,000 points or CNY1200?????

Surprised this hotel is still in business looking like it does.

Cat 5. Hotel website:

https://www.marriott.com/hotels/trav...ls?program=spg

"The Waterhouse at South Bund, located on the banks of Shanghai's Huangpu River, inexorably raises the city's boutique hotel stakes. Its 19 guestrooms, destination restaurant, rooftop bar, and enormous all-purpose event space produce an exhilarating atmosphere and breathe new life into the Shanghai market. Neri & Hu Design and Research Office, one of China's leading architectural voices, entirely transformed the 1930s building but maintained the original facade. Lyndon Neri explains the design ethos for The Waterhouse: ‘This is a hotel that puts the emphasis on the traveler in search of some meaning, and not just the luxury component of living.’ A conceptual blending of the antique and the contemporary, the hotel offers magnificent views of the Pudong skyline, where the city's quaint low-rise architectural heritage is still largely intact. The Waterhouse at South Bund prides itself on integrating into the traditional local environment while challenging its boundaries."

SkiAdcock, those photos are a bit misleading...you need to show the other parts as well

Looks really cool compared to all the boring Marriott/Sheraton bunkers.

Lyndon is an old friend and one of the best architects globally (he did the Edition). I haven't stayed here and will try to swing by but I've never seen Lyndon do anything awful.