The Peninsula Shanghai

Location

Everything was great!

I recently saw a video about the design concept of the Peninsula Shanghai, which can be summed up in two words: elegance. This was the first Peninsula I stayed at, and only after checking in did I truly understand the weight of those two words. If the Peace Hotel was the king of old Shanghai, then the Peninsula Shanghai, just two streets away, is the "trophy wife" hotel of the newer generation. It's not my favorite hotel - that award goes to SOWAKA in Kyoto, but it's among the most beloved in my book.

We booked a Deluxe River-view Room. The Big Three of Lujiazui caught our eye immediately as we entered the room. The room looked a bit dated, but it was very well maintained, and I absolutely adored the use of Art Deco as its main design inspiration - it made even the traces of wear look particularly stylish, exuding a weathered yet refined charm. Like other Peninsula hotels, the room had everything: from a hygrometer to a fax machine, to various stationery items, everything a guest could possibly need, they provided. The walk-in closet was also extremely spacious and had a luggage compartment large enough to fully accommodate a 30-inch suitcase. The turndown service mat had "Goodnight" written on the side facing the bed and "Good Morning" on the other side, which was super cute. My only critique would be the hairdryer, costing around 200 RMB on Taobao, and my girlfriend burned her scalp while using it.

The service was professional and efficient, but somewhat distant. It's understandable, though, as given the hotel's size, you can't expect the personalized service of a boutique hotel. I asked for an iron and an ironing board, and housekeeping delivered them within minutes, which was super impressive. If I had to nitpick, it would be that I emailed the concierge before check-in to request a late check-out using Peninsula Time, but received no reply for a week until I got in touch with Amex, who helped to put through my request to the hotel.

Compared to the Peninsula Beijing, breakfast featured more à la carte options, with the buffet mainly offering pastries and fruits. Although the breakfast venues for both hotels were in the main lobby, the atmosphere here was significantly quieter and more intimate, perhaps due to fewer guests around Chinese New Year. The à la carte items were all of excellent quality. I was pleasantly surprised to find a Singaporean-style soft-boiled egg, something I hadn't had since leaving Singapore 7 years ago. The only downside was the large portions: unless you are a competitive eater, one à la carte dish is usually enough to fill you up, which isn't ideal for guests who wish to try a few items.

The night before checking out, we went to Sir Elly's Bar and ordered a few cocktails and brought them back to the room, which the staff kindly helped to arrange. I can't find a better hotel in Shanghai that embodies the spririt and vibe of the city better than the Peninsula Shanghai, and for that, I will most definitely be back.

床很舒服乾淨、化妝台很溫暖方便。

This stay should have been exceptional but unfortunately it was not.

Ten years ago we stayed at the Peninsula in Hong Kong and experienced what was probably the best hotel service we have ever received. Because of that, we arrived at The Peninsula Shanghai with very high expectations. We had just come from the Four Seasons in Seoul, which had been an outstanding hotel, but we genuinely believed we had saved the best until last. Sadly, that was not the case.

Our concerns began almost immediately on arrival. When we stepped out of our car, the team at the door appeared unwelcoming and rather miserable. No one offered a greeting or welcome; we were simply asked if we had any bags. Our luggage was removed from the car and taken away, but as we walked towards the entrance another doorman called out to us to use a different door nearer to where he was standing. When we did so, another member of staff stopped us and asked if he could help. We explained that we had just arrived and were about to check in.

At that point we were already wondering what was going on. We were dressed smart casual, quiet and polite and are a couple in our late 50s — hardly the type of guests who might normally attract such scrutiny. After only a few minutes at the hotel we were already questioning whether we had made the right choice staying there.

We were keen to give the hotel every opportunity to impress and hoped this was simply an unfortunate first impression. However, during our four night stay the experience remained very inconsistent.

Positives

The concierge team and reception staff were excellent — professional, friendly and extremely helpful. They showed us how to use an app to order taxis and made some very good recommendations for places to visit.

The housekeeping staff were also warm and courteous, always acknowledging us when we passed them in the corridors. In fact, the first person in the hotel to say “welcome” was the lady cleaning the lift buttons when we arrived, which unfortunately highlighted the contrast with the door staff.

The hotel itself is beautifully maintained and spotlessly clean. Our room was comfortable, well equipped and thoughtfully designed. The food in the restaurant was also of a very high standard, although priced at a premium. We particularly enjoyed the Peninsula porcelain crockery, silver cutlery and teapots!

Negatives

Unfortunately, the attitude of the male door staff was consistently disappointing. They occasionally called after guests rather than approaching them properly and frequently appeared distracted by their phones. On one occasion two of them were openly giggling at a guest who had just left the hotel wearing an unusual coat, which was quite uncomfortable to witness and felt very unprofessional.

It gave the impression that some members of the team had received little training or simply did not take their role seriously. At times it genuinely felt as though the experience might have been better had there been no one stationed at the door at all.

The restaurant service was also inconsistent. Staff frequently seemed disorganised and unaware of what their colleagues were doing. We were asked the same questions by multiple staff members taking orders and, on one morning, part of our breakfast order appeared to have been forgotten entirely.

On another evening we asked a waitress how best to eat a particular dish, as there were many small bowls and sauces but no explanation was provided. We enjoy trying new foods, so this was not an issue in itself, but when asked whether the meat should be dipped into the hot soup the waitress simply giggled rather than offering any guidance. Again, this suggested a lack of training and confidence.

Conclusion

Some of the staff we encountered were excellent, but the service we experienced from others — particularly the door team and elements of the restaurant staff — was far below what we would expect from the Peninsula brand.

Given the reputation of the hotel group and the price we paid, the experience was disappointing. Several staff members appeared cold or indifferent and some never smiled at all.

With hindsight, we would likely have chosen to stay elsewhere. This should have been a memorable and outstanding stay, but unfortunately inconsistent service meant that it fell well short of the standard we associate with the Peninsula name.

Given our previous experience with the Peninsula brand, this was particularly disappointing as we know the company is capable of delivering exceptional service. We hope the management team will review the issues raised, particularly regarding staff training and professionalism at the entrance and in the restaurant, so that future guests receive the standard of hospitality the Peninsula name is known for.

The best customer service I have ever experienced. I love the bars and restaurants. The staff are extremely friendly and very professional. The service is perfect – I could go on and on.

During check-in and check-out, I had the pleasure of meeting two duty managers, Mr. Austin Yu and Mr. Harris Qi. They were very helpful, very friendly, and highly professional. Thank you so much.

Many thanks as well to the concierge team and the manager, and to the extraordinary housekeeping team – wow!

The Spa and massage was perfect . Breakfast team excellent .

Bartenders excellent .
Evane, Ellaine , Angela . Thank you.

Thank you for making our stay so special.

床很舒服、化妝檯更衣間很大

Klaviermusik
Restaurant Sir Ellys

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