Jinjiang Inn Shanghai Hongmei Road S

“Comfort at very goo prices”

This is a chain, not one single hotel. There are at least five properties in Shanghai. I stayed in one that is not even listed here, the JinJiang Inn at 165 Jianchuan Road in Shanghai. I paid 199 RMB per night ($US 31.60) but you can get discounts below that if you hunt around. I chose this hot… more

This is a chain, not one single hotel. There are at least five properties in Shanghai. I stayed in one that is not even listed here, the JinJiang Inn at 165 Jianchuan Road in Shanghai. I paid 199 RMB per night ($US 31.60) but you can get discounts below that if you hunt around. I chose this hotel for its location (mid-way between two of the friends I came to visit). This is a very basic hotel: please do not expect a palace for 30 bucks a night :-) However, you will have everything you need: A shower with plenty of hot water, a queen-sized bed with sheets changed every day, ensuite bathroom, air conditioner that works very well and FREE Internet. The Internet is supplied (at very high speed) by Ethernet cable. The cable is provided. Anyone who leaves WiFi running in a Chinese hotel is committing data suicide: just don't do it, WiFi is nowhere near secure enough for a nation that graduates ten computer scientists a minute, all of whom are now looking for work.... While you are at it, turn your file sharing off: yours will not be the only computer on the network :-) There is no Fridge in the standard room: that's extra. I don't drink, so I don't need it. There's a line of restaurants out the front door to your right. The TV is small (but I'm not much of a TV person) but it works. I sat on CCTV News Channel all the time, it's rolling news and features in English. The flooring in the room is faux timber, not carpet. Excellent! You do know that the carpet in an hotel room holds dead skin cells and germs and stuff from every person who has been in that room since the carpet was laid? You knew this, right? Eeeww... In this hotel, they mop the room floor: it's CLEAN when you get in :-) The trick to having a great time in a cheap Chinese hotel is to relax and go with the flow. If you start shouting and demanding, you will hear a lot of "Oh very sorry!" (they're not...) and "Sorry not understand!" (they understand perfectly). Remember that Chinese budget hotels operate on very thin margins, and give them time to come up with an idea: they will find a way. Your belt broke? No problem, there is a man around the corner... fixed! You need train ticket? No problem, there is a ticket-seller down the street... You need to get to the airport? No problem, the manager of the hotel has a taxi... :-)

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