The Langham Yangtze Boutique Hotel — Hotel in Shanghai

we chose this hotel based on the good reviews and stayed for many nights but we were quite disappointed. if you treat it as an ordinary 3.5 to a 4 star hotel it is good. However, if you are expecting the charms of a boutique hotel, you will be disappointed. I choose to stay in boutique hotels wherever i go as generally, you get a very special experience but in this case, i don't think they know the first thing of what it means to run a boutique hotel. First, let's look at the positives. 1) the location is good - 3 minutes walk to nanjing main drag and close to restaurants and shops. 2) rooms are well kept and clean 3) hotel is quiet.||what makes me think it is lacking as a boutique hotel. the service staff are just perfunctory. 1) the answers to most questions is "i don't know" "we don't have it" etc. The i don't know would be answers to questions like how can i make a regional call or international call. what they don't have will be something as simple as a map. 2) the rooms either smell musty or smoky even though they have a no smoking policy - we changed our rooms but the effect was still the same. 3) the amenities in the hotel itself is really ordinary. we are lucky we brought our own ... this is not what you expect from a boutique hotel. 4) breakfast was just abysmal. so, you are paying for a boutique experience that you don't get. in that sense, i feel you are better off in a international 4 star chain that will be similarly anonymous and uninteresting. ||i am sorry i can find many positive things to say about yangtze boutique hotel. i try to like it but i didn't. for the price you pay, i think you can do better. or in fact - just pay half that amount and stay in holiday inn :). it will be similarly non-descript but it will be smack in the middle of nanjing road.||If i were to visit shanghai again, i think i would choose to stay in the former french concession area. the bling bling of the lights on nanjing street is good but after one or two evenings, you have...

3 night stay for 3 adults in 2 rooms||Upside:|(1) Location: Across the street from Raffles City mall. People's Square metro station is literally across the street, giving access to multiple subway lines. Nearest section of Nanjing Road pedestrian street is just a short walk away. Many places to eat in the neighborhood|(2) Efficient and warm service: Housekeeping is "old school" with evening turndown, providing a touch of luxury. Plenty of bottled water replenished twice daily. Concierge/doormen were helpful with luggage and transport advice|(3) Rooms were spacious and clean||Downside:|(1) Cheaper category rooms face the internal courtyard. Depending on the weather and time of the year (we went in autumn), these rooms can be a bit gloomy. However, courtyard-facing rooms probably are probably quieter, as the streets around the hotel are busy with traffic during the day|(2) One room was on the warm side, with the thermostat showing temperatures as high as 26C. Spoke to the front desk, and the explanation given wasn't very clear, but I suspect the HVAC system had probably moved to heating mode, even while the weather was still relatively warm. Fan was offered, which I turned down. Didn't consider opening the windows as the room was at the ground level of the internal courtyard|(3) Small gym. Well maintained, but with...

3 night stay for 3 adults in 2 rooms||Upside:|(1) Location: Across the street from Raffles City mall. People's Square metro station is literally across the street, giving access to multiple subway lines. Nearest section of Nanjing Road pedestrian street is just a short walk away. Many places to eat in the neighborhood|(2) Efficient and warm service: Housekeeping is "old school" with evening turndown, providing a touch of luxury. Plenty of bottled water replenished twice daily. Concierge/doormen were helpful with luggage and transport advice|(3) Rooms were spacious and clean||Downside:|(1) Cheaper category rooms face the internal courtyard. Depending on the weather and time of the year (we went in autumn), these rooms can be a bit gloomy. However, courtyard-facing rooms probably are probably quieter, as the streets around the hotel are busy with traffic during the day|(2) One room was on the warm side, with the thermostat showing temperatures as high as 26C. Spoke to the front desk, and the explanation given wasn't very clear, but I suspect the HVAC system had probably moved to heating mode, even while the weather was still relatively warm. Fan was offered, which I turned down. Didn't consider opening the windows as the room was at the ground level of the internal courtyard|(3) Small gym. Well maintained, but with...