Moxy Shanghai Xuhui

The housekeeping team was friendly, and my room was cleaned well. It had a kettle and two cups, but no teaspoons, tea, coffee, or sugar. There was no room service either. Getting picked up was awkward: taxis and Didii couldn't come to the hotel entrance, so we had to go about 70 meters to a busy street. Sometimes the driver wouldn't stop on our side, leaving us to cross four lanes or wait in the rain. The hotel is in the homemaker Centre of Shanghai, with few restaurants within walking distance. The front office staff were the biggest problem. They seemed rude, rushed, and unwilling to help paying guests. There was no concierge or useful information, and the nighttime security guard was asleep at the desk when we came in. That was entertaining, at least. When we arrived, I heard staff call across the bar to English-speaking guests who had just returned a key and tell them they had to pay for an extra night. They looked surprised but agreed. We were then assigned the wrong, lower-standard rooms even though we'd booked an upgrade. It seems odd that late check-ins are put in a lesser room, never a better one. When we raised it, staff said nothing at our paid level was available that night and asked if we'd like the room we were entitled to the next night. Breakfast was nearly as disappointing. The cooked food was cold when collected, service used pagers, choices were limited, and there were hardly any napkins or cutlery. The hotel advertises ironing boards, but has no laundry. Asked about a laundry or launderette nearby, staff vaguely gestured toward the road. The closest is actually 1.4 km away and has very bad reviews. The next one is about 5 km away and requires a 300 RMV membership first, which isn't convenient for tourists.

It's a clean, basic hotel and good value for a budget stay. The Google location is wrong: Moxy is one block away, in Huiyang Plaza. The hotel uses about 10 floors of the building, with offices on the other floors and separate elevators.

The hotel is stylish and lovely, with spotless, spacious rooms and bathrooms. Getting there takes a fair walk from the metro, so it may not suit you if you don't want to walk much. At check-in, the English-speaking receptionist was quite rude. Booking.com had guaranteed a set price in yuan, but I was charged nearly 200 yuan more for the room, plus a deposit. I know deposits are common, but she didn't explain the amount or when it would be refunded. Her answers were vague when I asked, and eventually she told me I could leave.

I liked the room and its vibe, but the location isn't great if you rely on public transportation. I broke a glass cup and was charged either 27 RMB or 37 RMB. That felt like a bit of a culture shock to me. In North America, the concern would be whether I had been hurt by the glass, while here in China they wanted me to pay for it. A day later, I moved to the Holiday Inn right beside the metro.