Jinjiang Inn Shanghai World Expo

I’m looking forward to staying here again, ten years after my last visit. I enjoyed the place enough to book another 40-square-meter room so I can compare it with the one I had before. It suits anyone who wants to stay in a residential neighborhood and get a feel for everyday local life, rather than be in a tourist district. There aren’t local sightseeing spots, but buses and the subway make it easy to get around Shanghai. The bus stop is close, with routes to places like Pudong LuJiaZhui and the Hui Hai Lu downtown area in Huangpu. The subway is about a ten-minute walk away, and the bus lines are roughly a five-minute walk through the apartment community. There are local markets for fruit and everyday items, larger food shops for drinks and other groceries, and plenty of small restaurants, along with a few more upscale places. Massage and foot massage parlors are near the bus station around the corner. We now have a relative with an apartment in the neighborhood, which makes visiting convenient. Newer and older apartment buildings are mixed together here, and it’s a nice area for a stroll and to take in the local feel. When we’re in Shanghai, we often take the bus to favorite restaurants. One is Qian Xiang Ge on PuCheng Lu in Pudong, a very good Guizhou-style specialty restaurant decorated with old antique furniture. It’s reasonably priced and worth trying. They offer different levels of spice; the hot option is especially spicy and uses a secret recipe unique to them. I’ve been there many times on our visits and really enjoy it. The hotel is right across from the Local Police Department, at least it was when I stayed about ten years ago. Back then, I tried both a business A room and a 40-square-meter Suite. Both were nice for the price, which was only 230 rmb then. For a booking now (2017), it’s around 48-50 US dollars through Agoda or another secondary site. You can also book through the Jinjiang website if you can read Chinese or have someone help, then use a Jinjiang card for 10% off room rates. The free Jinjiang Senior card is available if you’re 55 or older; otherwise, you can buy a card fairly cheaply for discounts when staying at Jinjiang Inns around China. It also gives about 15% off at their restaurant each time. The suite was very nice, with a separate bedroom and living room, simple furniture, laminate floors, and lots of space for the price. I think they have several 40-square-meter suite layouts, including some that are all one room. We had the two-room version, which I prefer because the bedroom has a door. If visitors come by, everyone can sit and socialize in the living area, apart from the bedroom. The restaurant serves good, simple dinners if you don’t want to go out. Breakfast is simple but filling, with oatmeal, rice porridge, hard-boiled eggs, cold cereal, some Chinese-style vegetables and rice, plus juice, milk, tea, and coffee. From a room at the back of the inn, you can see a school’s large field and track, with high school students practicing sports, running, and jumping during school hours. It’s a nice open view, with newer, taller apartment buildings in the distance.