Pullman Shanghai Central

The rooms feel dated, but if they get updated someday, this would be a very nice hotel to stay in. It's well placed near a subway and shopping centre, with lots of food nearby. The breakfast buffet has plenty of variety, and there's a stylish executive lounge with some nice food options.

I was here for nine days and was very happy with the stay. The room was spacious and comfortable, the bed was good, and the blackout curtains worked well. The gym is small but sufficient, though one machine wasn't working and wasn't even plugged in. The staff made a good impression. Ben at the front door was welcoming and friendly, spoke good English, and liked practising his language skills while we waited for a taxi. I think he'll be a real asset to the hotel. The concierge team was great with the several parcels I had delivered, and the check-in staff were friendly too. Most staff spoke enough English to make things feel welcoming and keep things running smoothly. The location is great and it was easy to get a cab. Breakfast had a good selection, but the sausages, bacon and similar items weren't great. Tables also weren't cleared and reset quickly enough. I often had to hunt for cutlery and napkins, and finding a clean table and chairs could be a problem. In the executive lounge on the 24th floor, afternoon tea came with cakes, fruit and sandwiches, but the sandwiches were disappointing, mostly bread with a thin slice of meat. Dinner there was much better, with a good food selection and a comfortable place to relax after work. The lounge drinks were disappointing, so I brought my own wine on the last day. The G&Ts I tried one evening were very weak and sweet, and I wondered if there was any gin in them. I did find a little cockroach in the room during the last few days, once in the bathroom and once in the cupboard where the fridge is. There's a fantastic Chinese restaurant down the road: leave the hotel, turn right, walk 100m, and it's on your right. Just to the immediate right of the hotel there's also a building with nail salons and spas, which is super convenient.

The room is spacious and the location is good, though it needs a proper dusting. Breakfast was good, but the seafood buffet at night was underwhelming and I wouldn't recommend it. Once, my laundry came back smelling strange, with none of the scent of softener or good laundry powder.

The room we were given was an ugly accessible one, with rails all over the bathroom. The bathroom looked old, the bathtub was rusty and dirty, and I didn't like the shower. It had a gross plastic curtain instead of a glass door. The beds were saggy and uncomfortable. The cleaning lady was nice, and the location was great.