Le meridien Shanghai, Minhang — Hotel in Shanghai

I was in Shanghai for a week of daily meetings with Cisco to kickoff new projects where we coordinate roles and responsibilities, technical requirements, timelines etc. This is essential and the foundation for a successful project. I stayed at Le Meridian and all was fine until Wed night 4/11/18. (I was staying thru Saturday 4/14). I went to the Executive lounge to have a drink and do some email and calls before they closed. Vlada and the other Hostess were excellent BTW and should be recognized their excellent work. I went to my room at 10PM and cleaned up after a full day that began @ 6AM. While on a call back to the US, I began smelling cigarette smoke – now after 11PM. I put a towel under the door thinking the hallway smoke was the cause and that it would pass. The smoke continued to get worse. I turn off the air conditioner and then get back to work with my staff in the US. While speaking to my staff the smoke is getting worse and worse in my room. I just had Glaucoma surgery recently and eyes still on mend and I can not have smoke and bad air that could cause infections as I could get an infection and go blind in the process. I put down my cell (still connected to the US) and called the front desk to inform them that they need to address this. Note that this is a non-smoking, hotel, nonsmoking floor and nonsmoking room. Shanghai recently also made it illegal to smoke in public places. I informed the staff of the situation and the gentleman immediately offers to bring up a “smoke machine” to clean the air. I pushed back and stated that I want the smoking stopped. He says options are smoke machine, try to move me, or ask the smoker to stop. I said Im not interested in anything than the hotel to honor the policy and the laws and stop the smoking. He said they would go an address the smoker. I get back to work with my staff in the US. Now the smoke is building and getting worse and worse and my left eye starts to shut down where I can not see my PC on my left eye clearly. Its getting later and later. I receive a call back from the gentlemen at the front desk and he advises that “ I apologize and I don’t agree with this but our policy is to not enforce the policy and they asked the offender to stop smoking but they refused and the hotel wont enforce the nonsmoking policy”. They then said someone just left on the 11th floor and they can move me. I asked why did they leave and will you force others to not smoke on the 11th floor? I’m told they cannot guarantee that and they were evasive why the other person just left so Im thinking smoking. I then told them its unacceptable and I need to leave the hotel and wanted assistance to move to a truly nonsmoking hotel. They wanted me to stay and were giving me no assistance at the hotel so I called the US Platinum line and they opened a file. Im still waiting for them to come back with a resolution as of today Sat 4/29/18 and I have not heard anything from the Platinum Starwood team on this case. I was advised that 48 hours max. Im a Platinum 50 over 5 years and lifetime gold btw. The US team is quite shocked after they check that it’s a nonsmoking hotel and how things are going. This is a health issue and not an inconvenience. The US tries to find another Starwood property for me and in the end (now around 1:30AM and I have to get up at 6AM to prep and travel to meeting location etc). I also have a herniated L4-L5 and a neck with C3,4,5,6 that is a train wreck (I just had surgery to kill nerves a week ago on that). Im both physically and mentally miserable at this juncture. I then ask for a Marriott and they were trying to find one with avail. Was not coming together and pushing me further out from my meetings so not going to work. I asked for Marriott but Starwood had to transferred me because they don’t have the same systems etc etc. Now it is 1:30 AM’ish. They are looking and looking and getting around Shanghai is not trivial unless you use the metro. Taxis become useless due to the traffic. I have meetings all day and Im running out of time to sleep and I have no hotel. I asked Mariott about a specific hotel property where I have colleagues at and they said – there are rooms, so they book it and Im now throwing my things into a suitcase to get out of the ashtray that now I san actually see smoke floating in the room. I go downstairs and give them my room number and ask for assistance to get me a car, and I get no help and they don’t want me to leave etc so finally I hit the street dragging my suitcase and backpack/briefcass and start walking towards the metro a 15 min walk. A taxi come up 5 min away from the Metro, which I had hoped would happen because I don’t think the Metro runs all night. Cab takes me to the Marriott, I walk in tell them my name and they inform me that there are no rooms until Friday. Is now Thursday @ 3:30AM. They offer to find me another hotel are 4AM and Im realizing that Im can not attend a meeting mentally or physically and that it will take more than a day to recover so I jump online to check flights and so I pay $500 change fees and have to pay another $1000 to get my business class seat back so I can take pressure off back and neck and sleep. Im Platinum on United as well or it would have been much worse from a cost perspective. Im a mess….. so I get myself together and get another cab and head to PVG. To date, Starwood has not contacted me back and I do have options so this my be the end of my relationship with them if ignored. I posted this for other road warriors to know to avoid this hotel. I don’t have any social media accounts besides LinkeIn, but if this is not resolved fairly I will make it my life’s focus to hit every social media platform to tell my story and make sure that others never have to deal with what I...

I recently had the pleasure of staying at Le Meridien Shanghai Minhang, and I must say that my experience was nothing short of outstanding. From the moment I walked through the doors, I was greeted by an excellent receptionist who provided a warm welcome and made me feel right at home.The room I stayed in was simply delightful. It was spacious, elegantly designed, and impeccably clean. The attention to detail was evident in every aspect, from the comfortable bed and plush linens to the tasteful decor. The room was equipped with modern amenities, ensuring a comfortable and convenient stay throughout my visit.One of the standout features of Le Meridien Shanghai Minhang is its fantastic location. Situated adjacent to a shopping mall and surrounded by a variety of restaurants, the hotel offers unparalleled convenience for guests. Whether I wanted to indulge in some retail therapy or explore the local culinary scene, everything was just a few steps away. This proximity made my stay all the more enjoyable, as I had easy access to entertainment, dining options, and other amenities.The hotel staff were always attentive and went above and beyond to ensure my needs were met. The level of service was truly exceptional, with the staff being knowledgeable, friendly, and eager to assist. Whether it was providing recommendations for nearby attractions or arranging transportation, their professionalism and genuine care for their guests were evident.Additionally, Le Meridien Shanghai Minhang boasts a range of facilities that further enhance the overall experience. The fitness center was well-equipped, allowing me to maintain my workout routine, and the on-site restaurant served delicious cuisine with an extensive menu. I also appreciated the peaceful ambiance and the availability of high-speed internet, which was crucial for my work-related needs.In conclusion, Le Meridien Shanghai Minhang exceeded my expectations in every way. The attentive and friendly staff, coupled with the comfortable and well-appointed rooms, created an atmosphere of warmth and relaxation. The hotel's convenient location near a shopping mall and various dining options made it a perfect choice for both leisure and business travelers. Without a doubt, I highly recommend Le Meridien Shanghai Minhang for an exceptional stay...

This is only the first night of my stay and I am already so frustrated by this hotel that I can't help it but come up and write a bad review. To be fair I will write out all the good (singular) and bads (plural).

Good - check-in was friendly. Lounge attendant was friendly too. That's it, all go downhill from here.

Bad 1 - LACK of AIR CONDITIONING in public area. I am literally sweating everytime I stepped out to the hallway, in elevator, in the first floor lobby area. This is hot summer days and hotel management still won't turn on the Air Conditioning stronger. Cheap.

Bad 2 - when I'm at the breakfast in the morning I was seated on a dirty chair! There were left-over food on the chair, how disgusting is that!

Bad 3 - not many staff actually speaks English. Very shocking as I've never had a problem staying at a Starwoods brand hotel in China with staff that can speak at least basic conversational English. And the ones don't speak English don't even try to help you to find a colleague that does, they just look at you and ignore you and do their own thing leaving you standing there. I had to ask the staff one by one in English to find someone that actually does speak English to respond to me and help me with my requests.

Bad 4 - I have a "we did not change your Linens as per your request", this is disgusting! So I'm sleeping on linens that the last guest was in? Unacceptable.

I also did not get an upgrade to a suite (always have in any other Starwoods brand hotel in China), but it's fine as it's not a guaranteed benefit. Just some information for future Platinum members looking for friendlier hotels that do upgrade Platinum members to Suites, this isn't one of them.

I have 6 more days at this hotel that I'm not really looking forward to. This is the first time I wrote a bad review on a hotel after just one night, it shows how disappointed I am with this "Le Meridien" which supposed to be one of the top luxurious brand in...