Pros

  • Excellent location close to restaurants, bars, and shops
  • Walking distance to the Bund, People's Square, and Shanghai Museum
  • Two on-site restaurants and a lobby bar
  • Breakfast buffet with Western and regional selections (fee)
  • Modern rooms with flat-screen TVs, minibars, and electric kettles
  • Generous leisure options like fitness center, indoor mini-golf, billiards, and karaoke
  • Massage and salon services
  • Conference space and business services
  • On-site parking and airport transfers for a fee
  • Free Wi-Fi throughout the property
See More Pros

Cons

  • Heating and air-conditioning aren't individually controlled
  • Wi-Fi can be spotty at times
  • Breakfast is not included in rates
See More Cons

Bottom Line

The 280-room Central Hotel Shanghai is a four-pearl option with an excellent location just off Nanjing Road. Guests can walk to numerous restaurants, shops, and bars, as well as major attractions such as the Bund, People's Square, and Shanghai Museum. Rooms are spacious and modern, and come with flat-screen TVs, minibars, and tea kettles. Two restaurants serve Western and Chinese fare, including a breakfast buffet, and there's a bar in the lobby. Leisure options are surprisingly diverse here and include a fitness center, billiards, indoor mini-golf, karaoke, and massage and salon services. Seven meeting rooms accommodate business and leisure gatherings. Travelers who would prefer to be even closer to the Bund could check out the Les Suites Orient, Bund Shanghai, but rates are a little higher.  

See More Bottom Line

Amenities

  • Cribs
  • Fitness Center
  • Internet
  • Spa

Oyster Hotel Review

Central Hotel Shanghai

Scene

Grand, elegant hotel suitable for both business and leisure travelers

Guests enter this 27-story hotel through a grand, two-level lobby. That scale is helpful in this part of Shanghai, where big-name upscale and luxury hotels pack the blocks in every direction. The Central Hotel Shanghai makes for solid competition. Floors and walls are gleaming, and huge crystal and gold chandeliers hang overhead. The lobby is mostly just open space, but sofas and chairs in the corners give guests a place to perch. While the social vibe at this hotel isn't too noticeable, guests have several options for on-site recreation, although most choose to be out and about in this lively city. With its excellent location and business space and services, this place draws all sorts of guests, including business travelers, tour groups, families, and couples. 

See More Scene

Location

Prime location on Nanjing Road close to restaurants, shops, bars, and attractions

The hotel is located on vibrant Nanjing Road a minute's walk from the Century Square shopping area and surrounded by many restaurants, shops, and businesses. The Bund waterfront promenade and People's Square can both be reached in 10 to 15 minutes on foot, in opposite directions, and the Shanghai Museum is about a 15-minute walk from the hotel. The closest metro station -- at Nanjing East Road -- is about an eight-minute walk, and the Shanghai Train Station is 15 or so minutes away by car. Plan on a 45-minute drive to reach Pudong International Airport by car, though traffic can be bad. 

See More Location

Rooms

Spacious and modern, with flat-screen TVs, minibars, and marble bathrooms -- but heating and cooling are central

Modern rooms feature neutral beige and brown color schemes, clean-lined medium-toned wood furniture, and large mirrors above ergonomic work desks. Amenities in all rooms include air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, stocked minibars, safes, free Wi-Fi, and tea kettles. The Wi-Fi can be spotty. Bathrooms also are attractive, with marble countertops, magnifying mirrors, hairdryers, scales, and upscale toiletries. Some rooms have separate tubs and showers, while others have shower/tub combos. A glass wall separates the bathroom from bedroom in some units, which some travelers may not appreciate. Robes and slippers are provided, and shoeshines are available. Executive Deluxe Rooms add a sitting area with a sofa and chair, plus a coffeemaker, and these guests have access to the Executive Lounge. Some rooms have nice views of the city. Keep in mind that while rooms are technically heated and air-conditioned, these are centrally controlled and not always turned on (or off) to guests' liking.

See More Rooms

Features

Two restaurants and a bar, fitness center, karaoke, indoor mini-golf, billiards, salon, and conference space

This hotel offers most everything needed for a comfortable business or leisure stay. The hotel's well-known Chinese restaurant, Wang Bao He 1744, specializes in seafood and regional dishes. It has 13 rooms, all with different designs to showcase the customs and people of regions in the Yangtze River Delta. All are elegant and sophisticated. A breakfast buffet is served daily in the fancy 24/7 coffee shop and offers a variety of Western and local selections, both hot and cold. It costs extra. A bar in the lobby has cushy sofas and chairs for relaxing with a drink. Room service is available. 

A spacious carpeted fitness center has cardio and weight-training equipment as well as free weights. Water is provided, and windows overlook the city. Other on-site recreation includes a karaoke room, indoor mini-golf, table tennis, and billiards. The salon has two chairs for hair and beauty services, and massage treatments are available. 

Conference space accommodates business and social gatherings of various sizes in its seven rooms, and there's a business center. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel, and parking is available for a fee. 

See More Features

Oyster Hotel Review

Central Hotel Shanghai

Scene

Grand, elegant hotel suitable for both business and leisure travelers

Guests enter this 27-story hotel through a grand, two-level lobby. That scale is helpful in this part of Shanghai, where big-name upscale and luxury hotels pack the blocks in every direction. The Central Hotel Shanghai makes for solid competition. Floors and walls are gleaming, and huge crystal and gold chandeliers hang overhead. The lobby is mostly just open space, but sofas and chairs in the corners give guests a place to perch. While the social vibe at this hotel isn't too noticeable, guests have several options for on-site recreation, although most choose to be out and about in this lively city. With its excellent location and business space and services, this place draws all sorts of guests, including business travelers, tour groups, families, and couples. 

See More Scene

Location

Prime location on Nanjing Road close to restaurants, shops, bars, and attractions

The hotel is located on vibrant Nanjing Road a minute's walk from the Century Square shopping area and surrounded by many restaurants, shops, and businesses. The Bund waterfront promenade and People's Square can both be reached in 10 to 15 minutes on foot, in opposite directions, and the Shanghai Museum is about a 15-minute walk from the hotel. The closest metro station -- at Nanjing East Road -- is about an eight-minute walk, and the Shanghai Train Station is 15 or so minutes away by car. Plan on a 45-minute drive to reach Pudong International Airport by car, though traffic can be bad. 

See More Location

Rooms

Spacious and modern, with flat-screen TVs, minibars, and marble bathrooms -- but heating and cooling are central

Modern rooms feature neutral beige and brown color schemes, clean-lined medium-toned wood furniture, and large mirrors above ergonomic work desks. Amenities in all rooms include air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, stocked minibars, safes, free Wi-Fi, and tea kettles. The Wi-Fi can be spotty. Bathrooms also are attractive, with marble countertops, magnifying mirrors, hairdryers, scales, and upscale toiletries. Some rooms have separate tubs and showers, while others have shower/tub combos. A glass wall separates the bathroom from bedroom in some units, which some travelers may not appreciate. Robes and slippers are provided, and shoeshines are available. Executive Deluxe Rooms add a sitting area with a sofa and chair, plus a coffeemaker, and these guests have access to the Executive Lounge. Some rooms have nice views of the city. Keep in mind that while rooms are technically heated and air-conditioned, these are centrally controlled and not always turned on (or off) to guests' liking.

See More Rooms

Features

Two restaurants and a bar, fitness center, karaoke, indoor mini-golf, billiards, salon, and conference space

This hotel offers most everything needed for a comfortable business or leisure stay. The hotel's well-known Chinese restaurant, Wang Bao He 1744, specializes in seafood and regional dishes. It has 13 rooms, all with different designs to showcase the customs and people of regions in the Yangtze River Delta. All are elegant and sophisticated. A breakfast buffet is served daily in the fancy 24/7 coffee shop and offers a variety of Western and local selections, both hot and cold. It costs extra. A bar in the lobby has cushy sofas and chairs for relaxing with a drink. Room service is available. 

A spacious carpeted fitness center has cardio and weight-training equipment as well as free weights. Water is provided, and windows overlook the city. Other on-site recreation includes a karaoke room, indoor mini-golf, table tennis, and billiards. The salon has two chairs for hair and beauty services, and massage treatments are available. 

Conference space accommodates business and social gatherings of various sizes in its seven rooms, and there's a business center. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel, and parking is available for a fee. 

See More Features

Best Rates

Amenities

  • Air Conditioner

  • Airport Transportation

  • Babysitting Services

  • Basic Television

  • Beauty / Hair Salon

  • Business Center

  • Cable

  • Concierge

  • Cribs

  • Dry Cleaning

  • Fitness Center

  • Gameroom / Arcade

  • Internet

  • Kids Allowed

  • Laundry

  • Meeting / Conference Rooms

  • Mini Bar (with liquor)

  • Rental Car Service Desk Onsite

  • Room Service

  • Spa

Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.