Elite Residence Shanghai

Small, decent hotel, nothing fancy - i think it was previously a service apt. stayed in a studio which was always clean. there was a little walk-in waredrobe but i didn't have much use for it as it was too tight to put an open luggage so i had to put it below the TV. they have free wifi and free LAN connection for laptops. breakfast is a tiny spread as compared to proper hotels, but very sufficient. otherwise just head out to eat. the location is honestly fantastic. many malls within a short 5 min walk away. it's by the main road (albeit a small door/lobby) with a mani/pedi shop next door, so the taxi will always be able to spot it. the next building is a shopping mall with underground connection to the train station (Line 2) and other shopping malls in the vicinity. however, don't suggest to take the train with luggages because there are a number of steps to the train station (some escalators only work upwards, and some only have stairs). my grouses would be 1) they stopped laundry services, but are still publishing them on their website and on the card holder - only when you arrive the room would you see a notice on a table saying there are alternatives - other laundramat providers but cannot wash & return within 2 days; there's a laundramat on Level 3, but i would have to iron on my own (this business trip was really too tiring for me to do all that) 2) the front desk staff are very polite, however they seemed to be either overworked or overwhelmed with the amount of work, thus a little scattered when i was doing check-in. i'd sympathise with them though and just be a little more understanding. overall, recommend!

Zhongshan Park has become my go-to district to stay when travelling to Shanghai. It is convenient and close to the city centre but at the same time not too touristy. It's my first time staying at Elite Residences but I will definitely come back to it from now on! Granted this is not the luxurious hotel type, but it's clean and offer all that I need for a comfortable stay whilst travelling around the city for business. This place is across the street from Renaissance, has 2 Starbucks and 3 food court within walking distance. Plus, it's close to Lines 2, 3 and 4 on the subway, which is extremely helpful when travelling around the often congested Shanghai. It is also easy to get a taxi on the street since there is the huge shopping centre across the street.

This is a great alternative to western hotels if you are willing to make a few compromises. First of all, the location of this hotel is EXCELLENT. The hotel is only 100m from exit #6 on Metro Line 2. Using this metro station, you are three short metro stops from Hongqiao Airport, or four short stops from the Bund and Financial district. Line-2 (Green Line) is very convenient. You can even reach all the way to Pudong Airport on the metro (though I don't recommend this due to the >1 hour travel time). The hotel itself is completely adequate. It has a light breakfast included, full-time front desk, a small conference room and a small exercise room. The hotel is clean and felt very safe. The main negatives are: 1) They allow smoking in the rooms. My room did not smell of smoke, but I am not overly sensitive to this. 2) The HVAC was not very robust. It was plenty warm, but it struggled to cool the room at all. Two large windows open which provided good ventilation and should be enough in all but the warmest months. 3) It was a little loud. The hallway floors are tile and you could hear doors slamming down the hall. This hotel is less than 50% of the cost of the typical western-style hotels like Hilton, Marriott or the Renaissance just across the street. It's also located very near a hotel and a large mall with more than 20 restaurants. I recommend this hotel for tourists, business people on a budget, people that want to save some money but be close to the main attractions of Shanghai, and smokers. If you have pets, are sensitive to smoke residue or are require full-service amenities, like room service or a pool, then this hotel probably won't meet your needs. This is a hotel that I would stay at again or recommend to friends / family.