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 Value for Money  4.2
 Rooms  4.0
 Cleanliness  4.0
 Location  4.4
 Security & Safety  4.0
 Service & Staff  4.0
 Food / Dining  3.0
 Total  4.1

"Shanghai Royal Court Hotel"

User Rating:  3.0
Reviewer:   Mario F. of Southampton, United Kingdom
Reviewed:   September 27, 2014  (see hostel reviews from Instantworldbooking.com)
Traveled:   September 2014     Type:   Single
1 2 3 4 5
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Comments  (English):
Prices are are not to bad compare the location, its near the center surround by shops, is got metro stations and direct metro line to pudong Airporrt, the Wifi works good is quite good accommodation for the short stay, when chekin you have to pay a deposit , reception staff don't speak english. but staff are ok.Breakfast not good.

"Central, Quiet, Quirky"

User Rating:  3.2
Reviewer:   Charles L. of Toronto, Canada
Reviewed:   December 20, 2012  (see hostel reviews from Instantworldbooking.com)
Traveled:   November 2012     Type:   Single
1 2 3 4 5
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Comments  (English):
I've travelled a fair bit through China for business: Shanghai, Chengdu, Fuzhou, Quanzhou, Changdu, etc. In Shanghai I often stay at the Fairmont Peace Hotel, but client caps on hotel spending sent me to the Shanghai Royal Court Hotel, which is under the price cap and 2 blocks from the client's office.

It's a strange place. To echo what others have reported: it's a bit hard to find, since it's at the end of an alley off the main street. In fact, you have to walk though a security gate to get to the green lawn turning circle on which the hotel is situated, so don't be intimidated: keep walking through (it will be unmanned, or they'll ignore you - it's not really a checkpoint, it just looks like one).

This alley walk from the street is an effective insulator of street noise, so the hotel is very quiet. I got upgraded to a large suite, so I had loads of space - way more than I need - so I can't speak to smaller rooms. Certainly you should be prepared for several things that, apart from the unfair standard set by the VERY Westernized Fairmont, you should expect at every Chinese hotel:

- hard beds. At this hotel they're not nearly as bad as those in, say, Fujian Province, where I've had to lay folded blankets on the bed as a secondary mattress (in Quanzhou I though I was lying on a box spring, not a mattress). At Royal Court they're hard, but not uncomfortable, and I slept very well there (I'd rather have a hard mattress than a too-soft mattress).

- the breakfast is depressingly bad. I struggle with all Chinese breakfast (just that meal), and the buffet at this hotel is no big shakes: undrinkable tea and coffee, a desultory collection of friend noodles, sausages, sticky buns, bacon, etc. Nothing remotely healthy, not even yogurt. There's a coffee shop around the corner: go there instead.

- internet access is a disaster. Spotty, low bandwidth . . . the upside is that 3 days of online activity cost me approx. USD 1.50. Compared to the gouge of North American hotel internet access, this is amazing . .. but you get what you pay for.

Promixity to the main shopping drag of Huaihung Road is undeniable, but be careful of emerging from that alley onto the sidewalk! As I was leaving to catch a taxi to the airport, I got TOTALLY smacked by a woman cycling too fast on the sidewalk, and she knocked my suitcase flying as she went down in a huge tangled mess of arms, legs, and her bicycle. We were both unhurt but wow. As you emerge from the alley, look both ways!

For short business trips to this area (to see this client), I would stay there again.

"Great value, great location, great rooms"

User Rating:  4.9
Reviewer:   Joe A. of Portland, United States
Reviewed:   June 27, 2012  (see hostel reviews from Instantworldbooking.com)
Traveled:   June 2012     Type:   Active/Adventure
1 2 3 4 5
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Comments  (English):
Loved staying here. It was very affordable and the location, though somewhat hidden from taxis, was quiet. I will stay here again when I return to Shanghai.

"Great place to stay"

User Rating:  4.3
Reviewer:   Alice R. of London, United Kingdom
Reviewed:   April 15, 2011  (see hostel reviews from Instantworldbooking.com)
Traveled:   April 2011     Type:   Active/Adventure
1 2 3 4 5
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Comments  (English):
Very nice hostel rooms (electric blankets came in very handy), and extraordinarily helpful staff! Better book ahead as is a popular option and often full... Enjoy Chengdu!

"Review"

User Rating:  4.8
Reviewer:   M. W. of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Reviewed:   August 30, 2010  (see hostel reviews from Instantworldbooking.com)
Traveled:   August 2010     Type:   Couple
1 2 3 4 5
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Comments  (English):
The hotel has a wonderful location. The room is spacious and well-designed. The hotel people are generally friendly. Breakfast could be improved.


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