We spent five nights at the Mansion Hotel in the French Concession area of Shanghai. We particularly like small boutique properties and areas that are a bit quirky ....we thought we had nailed it. The location is excellent, and our room was quiet and of a decent size....but it could be sooooo much better. Every contact with the hotel and staff could only be rated as poor to average, from our arrival when our taxi driver had to shout in the hotel foyer to fine someone, anyone, alive (!) in reception..from there it stumbled and staggered ....the place is in need of a good scrub, well a complete redecoration to be completely honest, carpets are dirty, decor is overstuffed, velvet uncomfortable faux Victorian, reminiscent of something out of Agatha Christie novels, so bizarre in Shanghai...and one ghastly grubby armchair in a room for a double, such a no no in hospitality as someone has to sit on the bed ..a meal in the hotels much mentioned restaurant, not on the roof, was chaos, no tables laid, one table occupied with smokers, and so a beer and one entree after an hour of scuttling and rushing mindlessly...we have up!
The French Concession area is a leafy interesting part of Shanghai, very easy for exploring the many little boutiques, book shops, secret little garden spaces and plenty of food opportunities....
The Mansion Hotel could be wonderful, but sadly missed the boat for us....