base XINTIANDI Serviced Apartment

The shared kitchen was the biggest letdown. It had decent appliances and cooking tools, but not many plates, no cutlery, and dirty dishes and old things left behind by guests. The rooms themselves were quiet even though the hotel is on a busy avenue, and both had kettles, minibars, daily cleaning and replenished water. Their mattresses were firm and comfortable, the showers had great pressure and drained properly, and the individually controlled central air conditioning cooled the upstairs well. We booked rooms 219 and 201, and our stay was mostly positive despite a rough start. During heavy rain, water leaked into room 201, the Exquisite Duplex Studio, near the work area where we had two new MacBooks. Luckily they weren’t damaged. Receptionist Ozzy was very attentive and helped sort it out, including moving us to room 217, the Executive Duplex Studio. Room 217 was roomy and bright, with a comfortable work chair and washer-dryer. Room 219 had a smaller window and a simpler workspace, but was still a good stay. The hotel’s central location made getting around easy, with a metro station in the building and another across the street. There’s also a convenience store at the entrance and a supermarket close by. The free gym is well equipped, there are several places to work, and at least two laundry areas with washers and dryers, also free. Most receptionists speak English, which helps. An older man on the night shift doesn’t, but reception in Block A can assist then. You do have to climb a short set of stairs to reach the elevator, though that wasn’t much of an issue. Overall it worked well for us, but the leak could have caused serious damage and the kitchen needed to be cleaner, so I can’t give a perfect score.