Gokurakuyu Hot Spring Hotel Shanghai Chuansha

There are big play areas for kids, so it works well for a family, and it also feels comfortable for a couple. The Hotel-Spa has Japanese-style decor, thermal baths, spa facilities, and massage.

The baths were the best part, though they didn’t compare to a good onsen in Japan. There’s no cold plunge, the hottest pools aren’t very hot, and most of the pools seemed to be about the same temperature. I had a scrub and massage at the baths before my other treatment, and I’d recommend getting a massage there instead. It was half the price and much more enjoyable. I might go back to the baths if I had nothing else to do during a long layover, but I’d never stay at this hotel again. The hotel itself felt two-star at best. It may have been remodeled recently, but it was very basic and smelled strongly of cigarette smoke. The walls are thin, and the baths stay open until 1 a.m., so hallway traffic and slamming doors made an early, restful night unlikely. There was no English, which meant awkward translation apps and hand gestures. I also struggled with the shuttles and ended up using didis. I booked a massage on the second floor, and it was the worst I’ve ever had. The therapist’s technique felt like torture. I left more tense, with knots, and badly bruised; I couldn’t lie on my back for two days. The treatment room smelled of smoke too. People were smoking in the treatment room reception area, which is a strange thing to have at a spa. Creepy arcade music from downstairs carried into the treatment room, and a sound machine would help. Torture-like massage, horror-movie music, and inflamed sinuses made for a miserable experience.

Not inclusive.