Cheap Hotels in Shanghai

We get a lot of queries about where to find good quality but inexpensive hotels in Shanghai.

There are a number of places to look. One is at Motel 168, they are a chain of budget hotels operating 22 hotels in China, 14 of them in Shanghai. They pride themselves on their modern furnishings and cleanliness and super cheap prices.

A double room can start at 168RMB (US$21) and go up to 388RMB (US$48.50) for a suite - a bargain in anyones books. The website is in English and the reservation staff speak English, so its great for travelers.

Another one is the tried & true Wotif. We used Wotif when we first arrived in Shanghai and stayed at The Magnificient Hotel & Plaza (which was not so magnificent, but was well located and cheap).

For the mid level market, Accor (the French giant that owns Sofitel, Novotel & Mercure) also operates the Ibis hotels. They have only 2 hotel Ibis in Mainland China now (in Tianjin and Chengdu) but they expect to open another 50 in the next ten years. There is no word yet if Accor will bring in their super budget brands of Etap and Formula 1 - that would be good news for the international wanderer.

Searching around the web will also help you find hostels and other modern & inexpensive places to bunk down, but for my money, you can't beat the prices and value of Motel 168.

Comments

[AC]

$21 USD/night?! Bet that doesn't include in-room high-speed internet ;-)

For my first visit to Shanghai next month I'll be staying here:

http://www.yangtzehotel.cn/

Anyone heard anything about this place, good or bad?

[Sabrina]

Hi AC

I don't know the hotel, but it looks pretty good to me and it certainly is in a good position. Its just minutes away from the famous shopping street - Nanjing Road, and walking distance down to the bund. Across the road is People's Square and the Metro station.

Looks like a good pick to me.

Enjoy your trip!

[Some Guy in Shanghai]

I've stayed in a couple of the Motel 168 locations. Both of them were wired up with cat-5 cables to a spot on a desk where you might have plugged in your laptop. Both of the staff at them told me "mei-yo internet".

Aside from that the rooms were quite a deal. Even with the lack of net access I wouldn't hesitate to stay there again. The price is right, the rooms are decent. Both times I've stayed in the second-most expensive rooms, only because all the most expensive rooms were taken; and still thought it was an absolute steal.

Plus they have windows that open.

$125/night for a small room at the Shangai Regal East Asia, or $50/night for a 2-story top-floor suite the size of a small apartment-- For that price differential I can cope with a few towels with slightly frayed edges.

The one in XuHui on South Wan Ping road is not nearly so spacious, but the superb location makes up for it. A 10-minute walk to Metro City, etc. and I found the staff to be quite polite even if their ability to speak english left much to be desired.