Sofitel Hyland Shanghai Question

[DontGetMeStarted]

Hi all ..off to Shanghai for 8 nights over Easter. Have now decided ( I think) on the Sofitel Hyland, primarily for its location and its club access. My question is does being a Plat member count much over there. Do I book a classic room and hope for an upgrade or request a paid upgrade on arrival (any idea how much?) or should I just book the Club room with b/fast and evening drinks, not sure what other experiences AFF'ers have had staying there but the locaton looks great. I am hoping to do an advance purchase and there is quite a difference a day between the classic room and one with the benefits. I think the price must be higher because of Easter too. Club Access room about $281.00 and Classic Room $197.00

 

[ric_melb]

Stayed there some 10 years ago. If I remember rightly the hotel was good, the bedrooms were good, and the location superb. It is right on the shopping street, and very close to the Bund.
I can't comment on Accor upgrades etc, but you know what they say: if you want to be sure of a Club Room, book it.

 

[mushypeas]

Stated here for 6 nights in '12 as platinum. Checked in at exec lounge, upgrade to corner suite... Exceptional service and over all great property.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

DGMS I have not stayed here for years as they upset me one time and I gave them life.

However I did have a staff member and his wife stay here late last year for 3 or 4 nts - I am in SIN at moment but back in MEL in morn - I will get him to post a few notes for you tomorrow if you like.

I know there was a really good deal going when they stayed there which included club access etc - more info morrow.

 

[DontGetMeStarted]

DGMS I have not stayed here for years as they upset me one time and I gave them life.

However I did have a staff member and his wife stay here late last year for 3 or 4 nts - I am in SIN at moment but back in MEL in morn - I will get him to post a few notes for you tomorrow if you like.

I know there was a really good deal going when they stayed there which included club access etc - more info morrow.

Thank you all for your replies. Cruiser will wait to hear back from you when you can

 

[Cruiser Elite]

DGMS my No 1 man has clarified a few things - it was August 2013 he and his wife stayed at SH in SH. They had a special running at that time - book 2 nights get 3rd nt free + lounge access free - and it was a very very good rate also. Below are a few of his thoughts:

Sofitel is an older hotel that has recently had a refurb but what it lacks in no pool makes up for in position.
Easy for Taxis. They all knew it and you walk out of the back door right in to the Nanjing Rd pedestrian walkway.
Check–in was easy. Language was no problem.
We were given our room keys and found a shower over the bath.
I went to reception and complained and they apologised and sent a porter with me to our room to take us to our new room which had a traditional shower. Very good.
Room was adequate size for its vintage but limited access to power points.
Shower / Bathroom was good and obviously refurbished from our previous room.
View from the window was excellent looking over towards the TV Tower.
Access to the Executive Lounge was excellent and made up for the smallish room.
High ceiling and amazing views with a French flavour to the European staff there.
Lounge area was a little small with big comfortable couch and chairs but the meals and the business section was excellent.
coughtail hour was outstanding with cheeses and fruits and the level of service excellent.
The only hotel that could cook a soft poached egg on the whole trip.
Excellent service and attention from the Exec lounge concierge desk.
Not cutting edge hotel but very comfortable and would certainly book there again.

Hope that helps DGMS - as I said I have not stayed there for 10yrs but I do remember Sofitel having equal to best brekky in SH.

 

[Anna]

I was considering this hotel recently but got put off by a number of reports of renovation / drilling noises during the day. Apart from that it sounded ok though.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

It is the best location in SH.

 

[DontGetMeStarted]

DGMS my No 1 man has clarified a few things - it was August 2013 he and his wife stayed at SH in SH. They had a special running at that time - book 2 nights get 3rd nt free + lounge access free - and it was a very very good rate also. Below are a few of his thoughts:

Sofitel is an older hotel that has recently had a refurb but what it lacks in no pool makes up for in position.
Easy for Taxis. They all knew it and you walk out of the back door right in to the Nanjing Rd pedestrian walkway.
Check–in was easy. Language was no problem.
We were given our room keys and found a shower over the bath.
I went to reception and complained and they apologised and sent a porter with me to our room to take us to our new room which had a traditional shower. Very good.
Room was adequate size for its vintage but limited access to power points.
Shower / Bathroom was good and obviously refurbished from our previous room.
View from the window was excellent looking over towards the TV Tower.
Access to the Executive Lounge was excellent and made up for the smallish room.
High ceiling and amazing views with a French flavour to the European staff there.
Lounge area was a little small with big comfortable couch and chairs but the meals and the business section was excellent.
coughtail hour was outstanding with cheeses and fruits and the level of service excellent.
The only hotel that could cook a soft poached egg on the whole trip.
Excellent service and attention from the Exec lounge concierge desk.
Not cutting edge hotel but very comfortable and would certainly book there again.

Hope that helps DGMS - as I said I have not stayed there for 10yrs but I do remember Sofitel having equal to best brekky in SH.

Wow thanks so much, great information. Think I will go with this one

 

[DontGetMeStarted]

I was considering this hotel recently but got put off by a number of reports of renovation / drilling noises during the day. Apart from that it sounded ok though.

Hi Anna..I actually saw those reviews too and wrote to the hotel who responded as per below..so when I make the booking I will drop her another line to make sure about the room. I have done a fair bit of research and price wise for club access this seems the best, more epensive than I thought but it will be Easter time so that might explain the higher $$.

Thank you for your email and interest to stay with us here in Shanghai.

We are happy to share with you that we expect the renovations works to be finished by mid-April 2014. However, we cannot guarantee as the work we have undertaken is pretty extensive.
We will well arrange for you a room that is far away from the noisy work, provided there is still any going on.

Please let me know if we can assist you with a booking – I am copying in our Reservations Department so they can quote a rate for you in case you would like to book directly.

Do not hesitate to contact me if you need any further assistance

Hopefully see you soon in April 2014!

Best regards,

Daniela Karadzhova
Quality Manager
Sofitel Shanghai Hyland

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Check rates for Le Royal Meridien also - it's a bit further out but still virtually right on Nanjing Lu - I usually stay there when in SH nowadays.

 

[DontGetMeStarted]

Check rates for Le Royal Meridien also - it's a bit further out but still virtually right on Nanjing Lu - I usually stay there when in SH nowadays.

OK thanks will do

 

[DontGetMeStarted]

Hi thought I would let you know that I have just booked the Sofitel Hyland for 8 nights, an Accor Sale was released yesterday for stay 3 nights and pay 2..rang the reservations department and they split my booking for me so that I got 2 nights off and ended up with a total of $1666.00 for 8 nights in a club room. Then wrote to the hotel manager again, told her about the booking to make sure that we did not have to keep changing rooms and to request and renovated room away from noise etc etc and requested a late check out. Lovely email back confirming all was in place and late checkout at no charge till 4.00pm so at $208.00 (prepaid) a night I think its a pretty good deal. Will write more once we get back. In the meantime if anyone has any advice re Shanghai it would be gratefully received. We are not upmarket diners, so looking for simple good food but I am prone to an allergy reaction to too much MSG ( how do I say that in Chinese ) Anything to avoid food wise or other ? Any tips on shopping...Thanks All

 

[Lowjhg]

I stayed at the SH last year in june. Location wise it was splendid, the ability to walk down into the main shopping belt was splendid, so as the ability to retire back into the club lounge after a very scorched afternoon from the shopping belt was much appreciated. We booked 2 club rooms, and as platinums the 2 rooms were upgraded to a junior suite. They have some good wines on offer during the coughtail hour, so are delicious are the canapés as well. Only downside i could not fathom was the shower and the toilet layout of the junior suite, quite literally you get a almost transparent sliding door that closes off the bathroom from the rest of the room.

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif]

... prone to an allergy reaction to too much MSG ( how do I say that in Chinese ) ...

[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif]MSG - 味精 (Pronounced as Wei Ching)[/FONT]

 

[DontGetMeStarted]

I stayed at the SH last year in june. Location wise it was splendid, the ability to walk down into the main shopping belt was splendid, so as the ability to retire back into the club lounge after a very scorched afternoon from the shopping belt was much appreciated. We booked 2 club rooms, and as platinums the 2 rooms were upgraded to a junior suite. They have some good wines on offer during the coughtail hour, so are delicious are the canapés as well. Only downside i could not fathom was the shower and the toilet layout of the junior suite, quite literally you get a almost transparent sliding door that closes off the bathroom from the rest of the room.



MSG - 味精 (Pronounced as Wei Ching)

Thanks so much, looking forward to the trip now, not long to go

 

[love_the_life]

We stayed at this hotel a few years ago and thought it was excellent. I had a friend staying there last week and she thought the hotel was very good. There was only one or two times she could hear any noise from the renovation work going on. The location was superb.
The Shanghai Museum has a very good shop and Blue Shanghai White at 17 Fuzhou Rd (behind the Sofitel) has excellent [FONT=freight, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]hand-painted porcelain teacups, teapots and vases. Unfortunately I did not get a chance to visit when I was in Shanghai at the end of last month. Sadly the small chopstick shop that used to be in Nanjing Rd E seems to have been taken over with the new department stores that have opened.[/FONT][h=1][/h]

 

[DontGetMeStarted]

We stayed at this hotel a few years ago and thought it was excellent. I had a friend staying there last week and she thought the hotel was very good. There was only one or two times she could hear any noise from the renovation work going on. The location was superb.
The Shanghai Museum has a very good shop and Blue Shanghai White at 17 Fuzhou Rd (behind the Sofitel) has excellent hand-painted porcelain teacups, teapots and vases. Unfortunately I did not get a chance to visit when I was in Shanghai at the end of last month. Sadly the small chopstick shop that used to be in Nanjing Rd E seems to have been taken over with the new department stores that have opened.

Thanks for the update and the tips on shopping, looking forward to the trip now and our first time in the Syd Flounge.

 

[DontGetMeStarted]

Hi All
Back from 8 nights in Shanghai, apart from 8 nights being way too long, this hotel was great. We stayed in a club room corner suite on the 18th floor and could not fault it. Champagne and fruit on arrival, cake delivered half way through stay for our anniversary. The evening reception was very good with some lovely french wine on offer as well as coughtails and spirits if you asked and really enough food to cover you for dinner if you had not been out already. One of the best beds I have slept on. The corner room suite had its own lounge area and desk and a TV there as well as in the bedroom. No complaints re bathroom/shower and also a separate bathtub. Was not bothered too much with the touts outside, though there are many we just ignored and did not make any eye contact. The restaurant down stairs was just OK but if you are in Shanghai would highly recommend Lost Heaven down near the Bund, was the best meal we had. Steer clear of M on the Bund restaurant, great views but food very overpriced and only just OK. Cant tell you much about shopping as my OH got quite sick and we could not face going back to 580 the fake market. Did a whole bunch of others things though and the metro was great. We caught the Maglev on arrival but used the hotel car service for the return, which was a good move. Thanks everyone for their advice, would have no hesitation recommending this hote at the right price and the position is the best.