The only hotel in Shanghai I’m willing to revisit that meets all my needs

Shanghai Renaissance Yu Garden Hotel

This time in Shanghai, I dove straight into the Renaissance Yu Garden Hotel! I originally thought it was just a well-located business hotel, but from check-in to check-out, it was full of surprises, completely overturning my impression of downtown hotels!

📍Hidden in the golden location of the old city

The hotel is right next to Yu Garden. Open the window and you can see the upturned eaves of the City God Temple. A 3-minute walk immerses you in the lively Nine-Bend Bridge of Yu Garden. After exploring Yu Garden, you can conveniently head to the Bund to see the night view, just a taxi ride away. Even better, the subway Line 10 is right downstairs, making it super convenient to get to Xintiandi or Disneyland—definitely a blessing for travelers!

🌆Step into modern Jiangnan upon opening the door

I was amazed as soon as I entered the lobby! The giant glazed lantern looks like an upside-down magnolia flower, with light and shadow casting on the ink painting screen. Modern design hides the subtle beauty of Jiangnan. During check-in, the staff handed me a warm plum juice, instantly dispelling the fatigue from the journey. Even the elevator hall is decorated with old Shanghai monthly poster advertisements—detail lovers will be crazy about it!

🛏️Sleeping in a cloud garden

The Yu Garden view room I booked was such a great deal! Through the floor-to-ceiling window, you can see all the pavilions and towers of Yu Garden. At night, when the lights come on, the golden eaves reflect on the lake, looking like a dynamic ink painting. The room uses a lot of bamboo weaving elements, and there’s a Haipai-style gramophone-shaped table lamp by the bed. I brewed the Nine-Bend Red Plum tea prepared in the room, stretched out on the sofa watching the view—so comfortable I didn’t want to leave.

🍜Haipai flavors on the tip of the tongue

I ate breakfast at the Ran Restaurant until my belly was full! The local pan-fried buns had a crispy bottom and juicy filling that burst with every bite; the freshly made small wontons had thin skins and lots of filling—I ate three bowls in a row. Before leaving, I made a special stop at the Renaissance Pavilion Chinese restaurant to check in and ordered crab roe xiaolongbao. One sip was so fresh it felt heavenly, and even I, who don’t like sweets, became a fan of the osmanthus rice cake!

🏊‍♀️A healing corner in the bustling city

I didn’t expect such great fitness facilities in a downtown hotel! The gym is fully equipped, and the floor-to-ceiling windows overlook Yu Garden. Running while enjoying the garden view makes exercising a pleasure. The 25-meter heated pool has a starry ceiling, and after swimming, I went to the adjacent sauna room to steam away all my fatigue.

🤩A heartwarming little episode

I accidentally left my charger in the room when checking out. Just as I got downstairs, I received a call. The staff not only kept it safe but also personally delivered it to the lobby. Before I left, they even gave me two packs of Shanghai’s special pear syrup candies for the road. Feeling remembered like this was truly heartwarming!

💡Real stay experience:

Strongly recommend choosing the Yu Garden view room! The scenery is completely different by day and night, and every photo looks beautiful.
The hotel cooperates with Yu Garden, so guests get ticket discounts—remember to ask the front desk.
The rooftop bar’s night view is amazing; be sure to book a window seat early.

This stay experience was simply legendary! Next time I come to Shanghai, I will definitely revisit! Here, you can feel the lively atmosphere of old Shanghai while enjoying the comfort of a star-rated hotel—do you get it?