Iforest Hostel (Shanghai Bund Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street Branch)

Yu Garden and the Bund are easy to reach on foot from this central location. We stayed in rooms 202 and 222, and the nights were noisy if we opened the windows. With them shut, the rooms felt stuffy. There was no air conditioning in the building in December, so getting fresh air was a problem. The basics were covered, but housekeeping didn't regularly replace things like toothbrushes, toothpaste, or tea bags. Laundry was another hassle: there were just two washers and two dryers, so people had to queue. One dryer barely heated, and the other's door kept springing open while it ran. Once it stopped, other guests would take the clothes out and use it themselves, which was frustrating. The convenient location helped make the stay fine, though this place suits people who are content with basic facilities.

The location is excellent, right beside the one star Michellen restaurant ChengLongHang, and about 200meters from Ninjang Road and Metro Line 10. The room was small, but nice, clean, and fully equipped, with a very big TV. The toilet was clean and looked good, and it had an automatic flush sensor. There’s only one elevator, which was inconvenient, so my family often took the stairs down.

You’re surrounded by places to eat, including McD, a cafe, a bakery, and a tiny convenience store right next to the hotel. Nanjing Street and the metro are less than 100m away, so the location is very handy. The room was okay, though the frontline employees weren’t very friendly. At check-in I asked to use the lobby washroom, which needed an access card. After trying for ten minutes, I asked the front desk again and he told me off, saying no card was needed. Apparently the lobby washroom is “forever occupied”.

The location worked really well for me, it’s convenient and feels close to just about everywhere.