Novotel Shanghai Hongqiao Hotel

Getting to the room can mean a bit of walking, and there aren’t many lifts. The location itself is good, though it’s still far from the metro. The reception service was really bad when I needed help in English. I’d asked ahead for a receipt with the address and for it to be sent out, but the one I got at checkout had the wrong details. Even after I requested a new one, the service was unsatisfactory. I nearly missed my flight waiting 30 minutes for the correct receipt. Allow lots of time for checkout if you stay here.

The rooms were clean and had a luxurious feel, with high-end brands in the amenities. Housekeeping kept everything tidy and replenished the fridge with water and soda. Breakfast changed daily and had a good mix of Western options and tasty Asian dishes. The staff were especially helpful and accommodating, and the lobby bar team did a great job serving drinks and snacks to our business group. The location was excellent too.

We were a group of 14 on a two-night business trip, representing four nationalities, and the stay was generally good. The hotel is beside a mall and IKEA / DECATHLON. A few things fell short of Novotel standards. Some rooms were clean but had loud neighbors, and a few clearly smelled of recent smoking, which was unacceptable for non-smokers. One colleague was assigned a room that another guest entered at 2:30 am, waking him up. That check-in mistake was scandalous. The staff’s English was poor, including when explaining the wifi passwords. Breakfast was generally fine, though the bread was the worst I’ve had at a French chain hotel. There were no room amenities unless you specifically asked reception. I’d forgotten my toiletries, so I requested a toothbrush and got one in a package, only to find there was no toothpaste in it. Is that kind of cost cutting really needed for a 100 USD room?

They said the east side had no AC because it was winter, but the room was so hot I couldn’t find a way to sleep. Very disappointing. 1022