I am spending a total of 6 nights in Shanghai. As usual, Hilton properties are my go-to! There is a wide range of properties in Shanghai be it Hilton or not. Hands down the two best Hilton properties in Shanghai would be the Conrad and the Waldorf Astoria. Given that this is my first time here, I would love to check them out and review them. I decided to split up my time between the two of them and will be spending 3 nights in each property! The Waldorf Astoria is the best and it sits right on the bund. You can check out my review of the property here. The location of the Conrad is superb with it right in the heart of the city on the main Nanjing Road. This is the huge shopping district in Shanghai and links to the Bund! It is very central and well-connected. I am relishing the chance to check out another Conrad in the world. The hotel is part of a mixed development with both offices and a mall. The guest rooms are from level 20 to 63. I stayed here twice during my stay in Shanghai. For the first stay, I got this superb upgrade to a City Suite. The other stay, I got an Executive Bund View Room. Stay tuned for that review soon.
Booking Process & Pre Arrival
I booked directly with Hilton and got the base-level deluxe room. I will be staying here for 2 nights. I paid around 1400 a night. China hotels usually do not charge for additional pax if you don’t get an extra bed. This is true here at the Conrad too! A couple of days out, I got an upgrade to the city suite. This is the entry-level suite over here. This suite would have cost around 3300 CNY a night. It is a huge property here. The Conrad Shanghai comes with 728 guest rooms and suites spread across 12 categories. You can check out the breakdown below.
| Rooms | Executive Lounge Access | Room Size |
|---|---|---|
| Deluxe | No | 40 Sqm |
| Deluxe High Floor | No | 40 Sqm |
| Premium | No | 48 – 55 Sqm |
| Bund View | No | 40 Sqm |
| Executive | Yes | 40 Sqm |
| Executive Bund View | Yes | 40 Sqm |
| City View Suite | Yes | 48 – 60 Sqm |
| Deluxe Suite | Yes | 60 – 89 Sqm |
| Premium Bund View suite | Yes | 79 – 91 Sqm |
| Premium Suite | Yes | 111 Sqm |
| Conrad Suite | Yes | 116 – 132 Sqm |
| Presidential Suite | Yes | 157 Sqm |
Checking In
I landed in Shanghai around 12.40pm. The airport is pretty far out from the city centre. It will take around an hour to travel. There are a couple of ways to do so. For novelty, we took the Maglev train before changing to a Didi. The next time, I will just get a ride straight from the airport. We paid 120 CNY for the train which comes with a discount with a same-day flight ticket. It was another 50 CNY for Didi. It is more or less the same with a ride directly. The traffic was pretty bad. We got to the hotel at around 2.40pm. Upon arrival, the bellboy came over to help us with our bags and also to usher us over to the elevators. The ground floor is just a reception area and it is very busy. The cafe is at the side here and there is also some seating. It is packed with people. The actual lobby is located on the 11th floor with an express elevator that takes you there. The elevator situation here is very complicated, there are 4 different sets of elevators! I am glad that they have staff staffed at the lobby to guide guests.
It is a busy time in the lobby. It took quite some time before I was helped. They had an elite line here but no one seems to be helping guests thru it. The reception was very cold and I was helped by a rather nonchalant staff. It didn’t feel welcomed. You should ask to head to the Executive Lounge instead. I didn’t like the style of the check-in area and how the desks were placed. It felt so cookie-cutter like in a resort. This doesn’t feel like a Conrad! My reservation details were reconfirmed and I was provided with the necessary information. There were three of us and they do not charge extra if you do not require an additional bed. This seems like the common policy in China. It might be worth splurging for a bigger room if you have a small family or group.
The elevators are downheck complicated and with it being such a busy property it still requires long waits at times. They have a mighty 4 sets of elevators. They still need to be colour-coded.
City Suite
While I originally chose a suite on the 61st floor, it turned out that there was some issue with the suite and I was reassigned to one on the 50th floor. This should be rather decent as well. The layout is different on each floor. On the higher floors, the footprint is low since they are mostly premium rooms and suites. I was assigned suite 5006. This is the entry-level suite over here. The City View Suite varies from 48 to 60 Sqm. So do choose the correct one as some are better than others.
Upon entering, the suite, I was pleasantly surprised by how lovely the decor was. I love the modern design with some Chinese influences. This is totally up my alley. This is a full one-bedroom suite. You have the bathroom immediately to the right. It can be the entrance to the bathroom on the right. The bathroom can be accessible from both the entrance and from the bedroom itself. This makes it handy and to be used in both the bedroom and the living room. This is especially true if you want to host guests or have friends coming over.
The bathroom is one of the nicest part of the suite. I love the circular shape and layout. The island sink concept is also very refreshing! You have his and her sinks on the opposite side. This feels like some luxury skincare boutique rather than a hotel room. There is plenty of counter space and even a side counter with more amenities. As per the usual amenities are from Byredo in large pump-size bottles. They have a full set of amenities including mouthwash. The vanity area is also where you can find a hair dryer. This is also a good spot to place some additional items and offer additional space. The ladies will find it useful for their skincare and all. It would be even nicer if they had a stool or something here.
Here is another highlight of the bathroom. You have a gorgeous super huge circular tub that reminds me of a hotpot! This will be amazing for couple soaking and I wish they had some red bath salt! That will really feel like an authentic mala hotpot! The toilet and showers are located in separate rooms. The bathroom comes with a bidet toilet so there’s something that is always appreciated and quite common in China hotels, especially the new and fancy ones is very special. Come for lunch as well. The standing shower is spacious and comes with both a handheld shower head and a rainforest shower head. There is also a ledge which is useful for your lower extremities. Temperature control is excellent. If the water pressure is much better that will be perfect. I would love to have this bathroom in my place!
Moving back to the living room. There are a lot of displays right behind the sofa and they have this light and feature display that makes it feel very residential. I also love the Chinese oriental touch! By the entrance, you have a luggage storage area which could fit a mid-size suitcase well. It is well stocked with everything that you might need for your stay, there are plenty of hangers, bathrobes, bath slippers, a safe and laundry bags. There is no ironing kit but these are only available upon request.
The minibar comes with all sorts of alcohol and non-alcoholic drinks. There are also snacks and a proper espresso coffee machine with capsules and packaged tea. Plenty of drinking water are also provided. I do appreciate them taking my request well. I am always dehydrated in hotels. These are all replenished during daily housekeeping and during turndown service.
Moving into the living space, it is not overly huge, it does feel very cosy. This will be good for couples and small groups. The sofa will be comfortable for three pax and it also surrounds a coffee table. Later on, the staff brought over some fruits as a welcome amenity.
Opposite the sitting area is a large smart-screen television mounted on the wall. It comes with a good number of both local and international cable TV channels. It also supports casting capabilities as well. I do feel like the television can be a little bit bigger for this suite. There is also more than enough space. This seems like an easy fix and upgrade!
In the corner, you can find a working desk. The Wi-Fi connections is very food and fast. It does come with the usual China firewall and limitations. There is also a touchscreen device here that allows you to control the various features and settings in the suite. This includes the temperature of the lighting and blinds.
The suite comes with a rather lovely and unblocked view of the surrounding area. Given how high up we are, it is especially good. We got the view of the gardens. This is lovely on a clear day in Shanghai. The chair offers decent back support if you need to get some work done. They also have stationery provided.
A sliding door separates the bedroom from the living room. I love that there is a physical barrier. The bedroom is a nice space with a plush kind size bed. I love that the mattress offers excellent back support with a firm surface. This is one of the comfiest bed I ever lay on. The sheets are high quality as well. Flanking both sides of the bed are nightstands with controls for the lightings and power sockets. It is a great space to have.
There is also a pillow menu that you can use to customize your sleeping experience.
The bedrooms come with a similar view to the living room, given that they face the same direction. Similarly, the blinds here are electronically controlled.
In the bedroom there is another television of a similar size to the one in the living room. It is almost an replica. This is pretty good for a cosy movie night.
Towards the side is the entrance to the bathroom. Turndown service is automatically offered in the evening with the bed tidy and amenities replenished. The hotel also very kindly brought over some cake on the day of my mum’s birthday. The air conditioning here is pretty good, even in the winter. I have experienced so many hotels having stuffy rooms due to central air conditioning during this time of the year.
Fitness Centre
The gym is open 24 hours daily. It is located on the 10th floor of the hotel. You can access it via the staircase located near the ATM. The gym is very spacious and well-maintained. The environment is nice. I love the high ceilings which makes it even more lovely. You also get a great view of the surrounding area. The facility comes with multiple sets of various equipment. We can find some treadmills, weights, lifts and step machines. There are also water and towels provided. What I didn’t like was the accessibility of the facility. I did not get a look at a pool since they were close and you need to go through a water curtain.
Swimming Pool
The pool is open daily from 6am to 11pm. It is also located on the 10th floor.
Executive Lounge
The executive lounge is located on the 44th floor of the hotel. This is one of the nicest areas of the hotel. It is super spacious and takes up more than half of the floor space. The lounge is open daily from 6.30am to 11pm. They offer breakfast from 6.30am to 10.30am, afternoon tea from 2.30pm to 4.30pm and evening hour from 5.30pm to 7.30pm. With the high ceilings, it seems like they are taking up more than 2 floors. The lounge offers an expansive view of the surrounding area and the bund! The view is excellent! This will be a nice change of environment if you want to get out of your room. It is funny why they chose this level for the lounge. Perhaps it is for the best since the numbers don’t work well for rooms.
The staff here are polished and leaps better than the front desk. They are warm and welcoming. It never really gets too busy over here in the lounge. I got in just as afternoon tea is offered. Drinks wise, there is your choice of coffee, tea, soft drinks and juices. The staff are always readily on hand to assist. It is more of less the same as the all day offerings.
Food issue, this got to be the smallest collection ever I seen at a Conrad. It is kind of stingy too. It was a platter of some sandwiches and cakes. This is not worth coming back for. If you are in the vicinity or dropping back your shopping, it might be worth popping by. Other than that, nope! You can do better than this, Conrad Shanghai!
This is the more lavish meal here. Evening cocktails are the main hours of a hotel evening cocktails. This is also one of the busiest periods. The lounge does stay pretty empty given how spacious it is. The selection is also pretty good. This in my opinion could easily be a dinner replacement. I will let the pictures do the rest of the sharing. There is a good selection of both international and Chinese options. You can even find crabs! They even had some barbecue skewers! China Lounge is always heavy on the food aspect. It is like a mini-dinner buffet here.
Moving onto the drink selection, they have selection of drinks. In the fridge you can find some can drinks and beers. There are also red and white wine. This is accompanied with some spirits and simple mixers. Everything is self served.
Breakfast at the Executive Lounge
Breakfast is also offered at the lounge. I checked it out during one of the mornings of my stay. It offers a much more exclusive and quiet environment as compared to the main restaurant which can get chaotic at times. Service is also much better over here. The view is also leaps better. You have the bund view to keep you company. The items are pretty extensive too. It is more or less the same as the main restaurant. They also have an ala carte station offering noodles and eggs. I might just opt for the lounge over the restaurant since I am not a huge fan of it.
Breakfast at Lane 11
Hilton elite members can also choose to have their breakfast at the hotel’s main restaurant. The Lane 11 restaurant is similarly located on the 11th floor. It is just by the side of the main elevators. Breakfast is served daily from 6.30am to 10.30am. The restaurant is packed in the morning. The restaurant is huge and there are plenty of staff to go around but they are not very polished and welcoming. I also feel like the place is such a waste not to come with a view of the surroundings.
There is quite a huge amount food on offer from western international option to Chinese options and local Shanghai items. I love the freshly made pancakes and pan fried dumplings. The rest was pretty unmemorable. It felt like it is more of quantity rather than quality. I will let the pictures do the rest of the sharing.
Conclusion
The Conrad Shanghai comes with a solid executive lounge and a fantastic location. It is perfect for both business and leisure travellers. The front desk needs to be polished. I did not feel welcomed both during check-in and check-out. The lounge is a lot better and you should ask to head there if you have access. The Conrad offers a better bang for your buck as compared to the Waldorf. I do wish that they could improve on the afternoon tea service at the lounge. That is unacceptable at Conrad. The property does have its quirks given that is such a huge property with over 700 rooms. It is not as intimate as some of the other Conrads. Stay tuned for my review of their Executive Bund View Room.
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