Grand Central Hotel Shanghai

We chose this hotel for its location and really liked how beautiful the interiors are, especially the lobby. The staff were friendly and helpful, the bed was comfortable, and the sheets were clean. The toilet looked a bit dated, and both the drain and toilet bowl got blocked once, but it was otherwise clean and we had no other complaints. The air-conditioning is why I'm giving it four stars. It seems to be hotel policy, and maybe a wider local practice, to turn off the centrally controlled AC in winter. We were there in mid-to-late November. The first few days weren't very cold outside, so the room felt hot; the hotel gave us a fan, which helped. Later, when the weather cooled down, opening the window at night worked, so in the end it was fine.

The room was spacious and clean, and the service was very nice. We didn't mind too much that the AC couldn't be adjusted and the room stayed warm. The 180 yuan breakfast was awful, though. It was the most expensive meal and the worst in both taste and quality on our Shanghai trip. If breakfast isn't included in your booking, I'd skip it.

The location was the only thing I liked. Everything else left a bad impression, and I wouldn't stay again. The lobby felt dirty and smelled fishy, and the room wasn't clean either. It was stuffy with no airflow and stayed above 25°C even with the windows open. The staff came across as snobbish and unfriendly, especially toward local guests. It felt like they cared more about foreign customers and looked down on Chinese guests. Even asking a question seemed to bother them.

Sunny and Queenie in the lounge were the best part of our stay. Sunny checked us in, followed up with management about a stained towel and the room attendant, and helped us plan local outings and find places to eat. Queenie sorted out a delivery problem with my lost Taobao parcel by using her account to have it sent to the hotel. They both made us feel at home and really went above and beyond. The central AC policy caused a serious problem on our third night, when the room got hot and stuffy. A technician said they couldn't turn on the AC because it was centrally controlled and other guests might get too cold. He suggested opening the window and bringing us two fans. I found that unacceptable. A paying guest shouldn't have to be uncomfortable for the sake of other guests. The staff deserve praise, but the hotel needs to rethink this policy or offer a practical fix when a room gets too hot. Without Sunny and Queenie, I'd have been much more dissatisfied.