Howard Johnson Hotel - Shanghai

FIRST IMPRESSIONS...

The first impressions you get when you pull up at this hotel is that inspite of the industrial nature of the surrounding buildings, the hotel looks like it was built in the European Belle Epoque era. When you step inside you are greeted by a massive marble laden lobby that looks opulent. However, that is when the excitement ends. The rooms are so so...and even when we got upgraded to better rooms, they were merely good rather than great. The staff are helpful as far as their varying proficiency in English allows them to be and the location of the hotel is handy to the airport, but far from central Shanghai where you will require a circa 40 minute taxi ride. Overall, as a business hotel, it is good. But if you are trying to impress your other half, better, more central options would be a better bet.