Metropolo YMCA Hotel, People's Square Shanghai

Great hotel at the heart of Shanghai. Service was professional. Huge room and bed. However the room was a bit dark. I didn’t use the gym or the laundry so I could not comment on those aspects. There were only a few good restaurants nearby though. I ate at the same crab noodle restaurant for two days in a row.

The hotel is as central as you can get in Shanghai and is in a beautiful and historic old building that dates from early last century. It is surrounded by restaurants, has a metro line around the corner and has a theatre and even a Starbucks on its doorstep (which compensates a little for not having breakfast available in the hotel). My room was very spacious and well equipped with a powerful rain-shower and small bath, tea and coffee making facilities, a very comfortable bed and excellent wi-fi. The room and hotel in general is a little dated but doesn’t suffer from this. The reception on the first floor is nicely appointed and is accessed via a lift or beautiful stone staircase from street level. Staff are very helpful and welcoming. Rooms are quiet given the roadside proximity and I slept soundly each night. The Bund was about a 25 minute walk at night and there were lots of malls and restaurants to choose from just a stroll from the hotel itself- we ate at a Turkish-style bistro about 10 minutes walk away on the first night which was great value, and had a real buzz. There are also some nice bars nearby for a late night drink before bed. Overall, I would highly recommend as a weekend stopover option for central Shanghai, with metro accessibility and lots to do nearby.