Waldorf Astoria is a luxury hotel brand under the Hilton Group, positioning itself as a super five-star Shanghai escort hotel.
The Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund is located in the core area of Shanghai’s Bund. It consists of two buildings: a newly completed modern tower and a historic building called the Waldorf Astoria Club, which used to be the legendary Shanghai Club and is one of the few remaining outstanding buildings in Shanghai. During the hotel’s renovation in 2010, with the help of archival photos and historical records, the appearance of the Waldorf Astoria Club was carefully restored and equipped with contemporary luxurious facilities, providing a new aesthetic experience for guests who are used to modern Western five-star hotels.
The hotel has a total of 260 rooms, all of which are over 45 square meters in size. The room prices generally start from 2000 yuan and are higher compared to the Peace Hotel, which also reflects the old Shanghai style. The room style is simple and provides services such as 24-hour hot water, air conditioning, TV, telephone, wireless internet, and room service. It is equipped with high-quality bedding, bathroom amenities, Simmons mattresses, and matching furniture. The Imperial Suite, with an area of 210 square meters, offers a 180-degree panoramic view of the Bund and features a separate living room, dining area, and kitchen.
Despite its luxurious appearance, the service level at the Waldorf Astoria can sometimes leave guests disappointed. The response time is slow, and the cleanliness of the slightly outdated rooms is not up to the same level as other hotels in its class. It is more suitable for short-term stays for guests who prefer the view of the old Shanghai Bund.
The hotel offers 24-hour parking service or self-parking. It provides information and schedules for local sports events, local retail stores, and nearby shopping centers. For foreign tourists, bilingual shopping guides can be arranged for a fee, and the concierge department provides luxury car services. There are also flower shops and boutiques in the hotel to meet guests’ gift-buying needs.
The Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund performs averagely in terms of business services. The chairs in the rooms are somewhat low, which may cause discomfort after sitting for a long time. There is no executive lounge specifically designed for business travelers, but the third-floor business center provides typing, copying, printing, faxing, and other secretarial services for guests. The meeting venues include Bund One to Nine, Jia Hall, Jing Hall, and Shanghai Club Hall, among which the Shanghai escorts Club Hall offers a terrace and a view of the Bund.
For guests who want to enjoy exquisite food during their travels, choosing the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund is a good choice. The hotel has six restaurants and bars with different styles, including Bai Wei Yuan, PELHAM’S Western Restaurant, Wei Jing Ge, The Long Bar, Pujiang Hui, and Yi Ting. They offer a variety of cuisines, including Western, Cantonese, Shanghainese, and Huaiyang cuisine. After a satisfying meal, guests can go to Pujiang Hui for tea, try the hotel’s signature Red Velvet Afternoon Tea at Yi Ting, which is recommended on the CNPP100 list of best English afternoon teas, or enjoy a drink and the view at The Long Bar while trying dishes like crab meat tortellini with cheese martini, Alaskan king crab roll, and caviar served with a mother-of-pearl spoon. The only downside is that the breakfast options are limited and the prices are relatively high.
The Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund offers a wide range of dining activities. Every Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, Chef Yuan, a senior chef from Hong Kong, presents exquisite and authentic Cantonese-style dim sum brunch at Wei Jing Ge, featuring classic traditional dim sum such as cod fish dumplings with olive, chicken feet with black bean sauce, steamed pork dumplings, and crab meat buns. For strawberry lovers, they shouldn’t miss the “Strawberry Garden Party” afternoon tea set newly launched by Yi Ting. As it is a seasonal activity, it is available until May 31, 2018.