Shichahai

I stayed at this hotel for several nights. The location is good and very central, making it easy to explore the city and get around. The rooms are spacious and generally well maintained. However, I don’t think this hotel lives up to a 5-star standard. The room only provided instant coffee, which was disappointing for a hotel in this category. The shower showed visible signs of mold, and the bed was extremely uncomfortable. I usually prefer firm mattresses, but this one felt more like sleeping on a hard, hollow wooden surface with only a thin topper on it rather than on a proper mattress. The breakfast offered a very large selection, but the quality was only average at best. Many dishes were very greasy, the yogurt selection was limited, much of the fruit consisted of canned fruit, and the only fresh fruit available was melon. The service also left room for improvement. The breakfast staff was not particularly welcoming, and empty plates remained on our table despite several staff members walking past multiple times without clearing them. In addition, the Wi-Fi was unreliable throughout our stay, and the mobile reception inside the hotel was very poor. Overall, the hotel benefits from a central location and spacious rooms, but the comfort, food quality, service, and amenities fall well short of what I would expect from a 5-star hotel.