Grand Central Hotel Shanghai

I took an early morning flight and since Pudong Airport is a bit far, I stayed at a jjimjilbang on the first day and started using the accommodation from the second day of my trip. Since it's a trip among college students in their early twenties, the travel budget isn't very large, but I still wanted to stay somewhere safe, so I decided on this place with many reviews from Koreans. + There are really a lot of Koreans here; you'll hear Korean everywhere and the staff at the front desk are proficient in English. My English is not very good, so I communicated using a translation app, but there were no communication difficulties. + The location is great. Right in front of the hotel, there's a Lawson, and behind it, there's a FamilyMart and a fruit store. Directly across from the hotel is Nanjing East Road, where you can find Miniso Land; I've attached photos of the street that you can see as soon as you step outside. + The room is really spacious, the bathroom is wide, there are two sinks, and the bed is very comfortable. I wondered if this was the scale of the continent. There's a work desk, a sofa, and two really spacious beds!! It was really nice. + The luggage storage service is excellent. I arrived the day before check-in, stayed at a jjimjilbang, and came to the hotel early the next morning, using the storage service not only for that but also for the early morning flight the next day, I used it until 9 PM after check-out. Since the hotel is on Nanjing East Road, I was able to store and reorganize my purchases conveniently during the stay. - There is a deposit for the minibar and snack bar. This may seem obvious, but as a beginner traveler, this was my first time staying at such an expensive hotel, and when I found out the deposit was 1,500 yuan, I almost had a panic attack. If you’re planning a low-budget trip like us college students, I recommend being aware of this and setting a separate budget for the deposit. The deposit is paid via Alipay at check-in and refunded at check-out; the refund period seems to take about 1-2 weeks. - However, it seems there are not enough power outlets. One by the desk and one between the beds, but it is good to bring a voltage converter. - I had researched subway tickets, but still found taxis more convenient. The subway station requires more walking than expected and is not far by taxi, or within walking distance are places like the Oriental Pearl Tower, the Bund, Nanjing East Road, and Yuyuan Garden, which I explored on foot while I took a taxi to Xintiandi and Tianzifang. For Disneyland, I booked a pickup and drop-off service. If I come to Shanghai again, I'm 100% planning to stay here again!!

I booked three rooms for six nights mainly because of the convenient location — it’s just a short walk to 南京路步行街. To be frank, the first night was quite tough. I wasn’t used to rooms without interconnecting doors, so I couldn’t monitor my kids easily. The room furniture and power sockets are a little old, and my bulkier international adapters kept slipping out. Luckily, I had bought two adapters from Taobao beforehand, so that helped. There’s also no air-conditioning during winter. My family was fine with the temperature, but if you prefer a cold room, this may not be suitable. That said, the stay improved once I settled in. The hotel staff were polite and helpful, and I really appreciated that they helped receive my Taobao and Meituan parcels without any issues. The beds were comfortable, and housekeeping checked in daily on our preferred timing for room cleaning and towel changes. I believe pillowcases were changed daily too. I also liked the lift situation — they have around five lifts, which made things very convenient. We never had to wait long, and even during checkout periods the lifts were not overcrowded. Another plus point is the designated waiting spots for private transport. Our drivers often arrived a bit early, and having proper waiting lots made things stress-free. Some hotels don’t allow waiting cars, which can be quite troublesome. Overall, I may consider coming back again for the convenience and service.

I stayed at this hotel over the New Year and had a wonderful experience. The location is excellent—just a 2-minute walk to Nanjing Road and very convenient for visiting the Bund. The suite was very spacious and comfortable. We stayed as a group of four and found it to be great value for money. The suite included one large bedroom, a separate living room, and a small working room that could be converted into an additional bedroom with an extra bed, which worked perfectly for us. The highlight of our stay was the exceptional service, especially from Francis Zhang the concierge. He was extremely helpful, enthusiastic, and genuinely service-minded. He went above and beyond to assist with arrangements, recommend and book restaurants, and proactively arrange our airport transfer without being asked. His attentiveness and positive attitude made our stay smooth, stress-free, and truly enjoyable. The 5-star rating was largely thanks to him.