Central Hotel Shanghai

My daughter was a big fan of the late-night porridge supper 😄. The staff were pleasant and friendly, and the location made nearby attractions easy to reach. We stayed at Atour Hotel for a couple of days on our Shanghai trip and had a lovely time.

The walls are thin enough that you can hear everything through the night. Still, breakfast was decent, and the rooms have smart features that made the stay comfortable. It's a cozy little hotel in a great location.

The rooms were really, really big, and the location worked well for shopping, right across from a large mall. Every staff member was very friendly with English, and most were polite and respectful. I'd definitely recommend it!

The breakfast buffet was one of the worst I've had. There wasn't much to choose from, and every morning the restaurant had a strong fishy smell. A 3-star hotel in the city I visited before this one served a much better breakfast. The lobby looks lovely in photos, but the service did not meet what I expect from a 4-star hotel. It was easily the worst 4-star stay I've had in more than 20 years of travel. I booked after seeing what seemed like a positive recommendation from another Singaporean on booking.com. I should have looked into it further instead of trusting that one review. I figured it would be reliable because Singaporeans tend to expect a lot from hospitality and cleanliness. Getting into the hotel was already a hassle. The lobby is on the 7th floor, which isn't convenient with elderly relatives or heavy bags. The drop-off is at a side entrance, then you have to haul your luggage over uneven pavement to get to the lift. Rain makes that even harder. At reception, I asked if anyone could help with the luggage. A petite female staff member kindly offered, but I said it was heavy and asked if a male staff member might be more suitable. Another staff member abruptly said there were no men available, though I'd seen one earlier. The woman ended up helping anyway. At least our room was on the same floor as the lobby. I then found the room had no window, something my booking confirmation hadn't made clear. Staff said rooms with windows were marked "City View" on the booking platform. I told them that was misleading, especially as other hotels on the same site explicitly say "No Window" in the room description. To their credit, one staff member was accommodating and offered a room change the next day. In the morning, another staff member asked us to leave our bags at reception and said they would be moved once housekeeping had prepared the new room. She showed us the room first, and we were happy with it. But just as we were about to head out, a tall, heavily built staff member rushed over and told us to move all our luggage ourselves. I politely asked if he could help, and he just said, "No." His colleague reminded him she'd already told us to leave it at reception. He brushed her off and said, "Let them take it on their own." I was shocked by how discourteous and unprofessional that was. I've never had hotel staff show so little courtesy, teamwork, or willingness to help in all my years travelling, especially at a place calling itself 4-star. The hotel looks attractive and has a pleasant lobby, but service falls far short. If you're okay paying 4-star rates for motel-level service and hospitality, this may suit you. Otherwise, I'd strongly suggest looking elsewhere. This version is strong, professional, and more likely to be taken seriously by future travellers and hotel management.