Renaissance Shanghai Yu Garden Hotel

We liked the hotel's good access to the main roads and Metro Lines 9 and 18. The main Shanghai museums are nearby, and a 10-minute walk gets you to malls, shopping centers, museums, and local underground markets. The exhibition centers are about a 10-minute taxi ride away. The interior is attractive, well designed, and up to standard, while the rooms are high quality, clean, and well maintained. Staff were warm and welcoming, and didn't act as if every little task required a tip, which I personally find irritating. Service was acceptable, though it would be better if more staff spoke English confidently. The restaurant serves good food, can host private events, and has a decent breakfast selection that could still be improved. I’d give the hotel 9 out of 10.

The pool is really small and didn't appeal much. There's no sauna, though there is a steam room. The room was clean, the mattress had a normal firmness, and there was an espresso machine. Service and breakfast were very good, just not quite at the level of similar hotels. The location works well, and more energetic guests can walk around yuyuan at night. Recommended overall.

The main reason we stayed was the hotel's location right beside Yu Garden, and wandering through the garden at night was unforgettable. The metro is only a few minutes away and reaches most tourist attractions in a few stops. Our room was clean and maintained well, with a view toward the Bund, but the hotel itself feels dated and needs renovation. Service was average. Although it's beside a major road and very conveniently placed, the entrance is awkward for both pedestrians and taxis. A few taxi drivers couldn't work out how to drop us at the entrance.

The main drawback was breakfast, which didn't have much variety, and the cleanliness could be better. When I asked a waiter for tissues, he walked off with a finger in his ear and came back to hand them over with that same hand. The location is also prone to traffic jams if you use DiDi. Still, the family room with two Queen beds was a rare find and good value. The hotel is opposite the metro and within walking distance of Yu Garden and Shanghai old street, with tourist spots like the Bund, Nanjing, Xin Tian Di, and Tian Zi Fang nearby. The bed was very comfortable, with both soft and firm pillows, and the bathroom was large with a tub. Room service was good. The picture was the view from my room.