aa4ever

I am planning a family trip to China for June-July of this year. I have searched through the forums, and have sort of been able to figure out about which hotels seem best once there, but location and "overall picture" (location, hotel, etc) seem beyond my grasp. I've sort of limited it down to these. I would love if anybody could tell me how location is (and their opinions on the hotels) for tourism. I want a good balance between location and quality. I am open to other suggestions.

Beijing:
RC Financial Street
Peninsula Palace
Grand Hyatt (I can perhaps use pts to upgrade to a larger room/suite)
St. Regis

Shanghai:
Grand Hyatt (same reason as above)
Ritz-Carlton
St. Regis (I can get a really good rate here)
Note: I'm really concerned abt location in Shanghai

Please advise if any of these are good for tourists.

Thanks so much for your help!

DavidO

The Virtuoso properties in these places are:

Beijing -- Peninsula Palace, St. Regis, Raffles.

Shanghai -- Grand Hyatt, Regent, St. Regis

There are significant benefits if you book through a Virtuoso agent. [Disclaimer: I am a Virtuoso agent, so I'm biased!] You will get daily breakfast and upgrades (if available) at all of these hotels. Upgrades at time of booking are offered at the Peninsula Palace and Raffles in Beijing, and at the Grand Hyatt in Shanghai.

Free round-trip airport transfers are offered by the St. Regis and Raffles in Beijing. And you also get a one-hour massage for two at the St. Regis in Beijing.

Nachria

I would rec:

Shanghai:
Four Seasons Hotel
(highest rated hotel in the city by most travel publications)

Beijing:
Ritz-Carlton or the Peninsula Palace (it was recently renovated)

aa4ever

Thanks for the advice. Anyone have any insight on which location is better in Beijing: Pen or RC Financial?

Also, locations in Shanghai.

Finally, I am booked in both the LMO and MO in HKG. Which one is better location and hotel wise? Prices are exactly the same (deluxe room and L600 deluxe room). I notice the room at the LMO is 170 sq ft bigger.

Thanks
ar

Kagehitokiri

MO has view and perhaps slightly better for tourism
LMO is more popular on FT

IIRC the Hyatt has the best location in Beijing

dont remember Shanghai locations being discussed in the same depth as Beijing

(its all here if you search)

bearbrick

in Beijing

the Peninsula Palace - excellent locatiion , style , arguably product but fairly new after a recent renovaton.

the Grand Hotel on Chang an avenue ...has rooms that overlooks a part of the forbidden city - a chinese luxury hotel.

the Raffles Beijing also along chang and brand new - well almost....admit i have not been since the renov.

the grand hyatt ...would probably be a good tie with the raffles ...ie a good 3rd.

the st regis pales with those mentioned above.

if you go for st regis i would rather go for the kerry cente hotel or for that matter the newly opened Regent hotel. ....new but not central.



in Shanghai

hard to beat the Le Royal Meridien ....smack on Nanjing Rd new and good product and basically undeatable location ...get the higher floors with river views.

the jw marriott , the westin and if it opens by then the hyatt on the Bund.
otherwse the Meridien as above would be ideal for family .

i would not go for the grand hyatt and anything in pudong unless u have work.

other alternatives would be 88 xintiandi with kitchen and somerset and citadines.

but those are not necess luxury experiences.

fourseasons....well....not sure would recommend it. but if the ritz carlton portman appeals tat would certainly be a good alternative ..but in a less "sexy" location....might as well go for the regent or the hlton or for that matter

hope that simplify things

Fliar

Have only stayed at the Pen (isn't it renamed to just 'Peninsula Beijing'?) and thought it was great, especially the club access. Booked through Virtuoso and got an upgrade to a duplex suite which was really beautiful. I did a trip report I think...

UAL747fan

pen in beijing

grand hyatt in shanghai


both very nice and great hotels.

Raffles

Grand Hyatt is easily the best in Shanghai but location is tricky for tourists - the Marriott is actually the best choice for sightseeing. However, the Hyatt is the highest hotel in the world and is astoundingly well done. You'd be missing something by not staying there.

Beijing - was there in March at the InterCon on Financial Street. Financial Street is not good for tourists. The Govt is trying to build a luxury hotel zone there to attract businesses, but the businesses aren't there yet - and neither are shops etc! Perhaps in 5 years ... Admittedly, its very close to a metro station so you are not isolated, but still. The Hyatt, whilst perhaps not the greatest hotel in town, is built about the biggest Western-style shopping mall, so you are never short of places to eat or drink, and is worth a look purely for that.

TRAVELSIG

I don't know what you are up to in Beijing, but I really like the Kerry Centre Horizion Club levels.
In Shanghai, JW Marriott has the best location if you are there for tourism, or of course the Meridien (which is very close by).
Hyatt is in Pudong which is a bit of a hassle if you are a tourist.
Pudong Shangri La is also an excellent hotel if you do decide to stay on that side of the bund.

aa4ever

Thanks everyone for the great advice - it really is helping! I'm there for tourism, so doing all that stuff. I want locations that are convenient for this.

From the feedback, I'm thinking that in Beijing the best bet will probably be the Pen. It seems to have a good location and to be nice. I'm going to pass on the RC Financial Street - doesn't sound like it is right for the occasion (location wise, at least). Does anyone else have experience with the Grand Hotel on Chang Avenue? Overlooking the Forbidden City sounds really neat...

For Shanghai, I think I'll forget about the St. Regis b/c location really sounds bad for tourism. Now, I'm at either the Grand Hyatt, the Royal Meridien (or the JW), or the Hyatt on the Bund (if it opens). I'm sort of heiring towards the Royal Meridien or JW b/c of location. Also, what level will the Hyatt be (equal to the Grand or lesser or greater)?

For HKG, I am still undecided btwn the MO and LMO. I'm heiring on the LMO for the 600 sq ft room (vs. 430) and the configuration which looks more comfortable. Also, that airport meet and greet (which the MO doesn't seem to offer) sounds like it might make arriving a bit easier.

Thanks again for all the help - I really appreciate it!

bearbrick

forgot about HK !!

if its a toss up betwn LMO and MO .....it has to be MO hands down....if you have kids that would be the better choice . even if you didnt have kids !!...besides being newly refurb ....it has "better " views as opposed to the LMO which has none !!......

splurge and go for the suites at the MO that would be a real treat.....

also have you thought of the Peninsula ? ....that would be ery suited for familiy ....its in KOwloon but its pretty special .

re shanghai ......betwn JW and Meridien ......it has to be Meridien .....Le Royal that is !!^ .....if you need to experience the Grand Hyatt then its probably better to have a lunc or dinner there that would be a treat for the kids ..........the hyatt Bund .....would probably not be opened so soon ...

KyRoamer

We stayed at the Kowloon Shangri-La in HKG and loved it. The location was excellent. Our room was up high overlooking the water.

It has a desk in the arrival area at the airport. That proved a great help when on departure we discovered we had let a package in the room. A call from the airport and the hotel delievered free the package to its airport desk.

We grabbed it and made the plane with minutes to spare. And because we had to wait in the arrival area, my wife did not have time to explore all of the high priced shops in the departure areas

bearbrick

well....the shangrla kowloon would not be an obvious choice .....it has too many "negatives" as it were.....if i were to move so far "east"TST...i would go only as far as the Intercon .....which has amazing views of HK......but now that its intercon .....i am uneasy to recommend it......the Peninsula is still supreme in Kowloon.....[ this is taking into account the gawking tourists at the lobby !! ]
he should go all out and splash out on the heliopter ride from the airport !

bearbrick

yes its is now just plain The Peninsula and not the endeared Peninsula Palace......

also the grand hotel's website just www.grandhotelbeijing.com