Evergreen Laurel Hotel Shanghai

The last time I visited Shanghai was at least 15 years ago, so when I got the chance to visit again on a business trip, I was quite delighted. Although time was limited and I could not visit many places, I was happy to revisit Shanghai to see the development and taste their food

We stayed at the Evergreen Laurel Hotel Shanghai, which was 30 minutes away from central Shanghai, as it was nearer to our office. From the exterior, it looks like a typical Chinese chain hotel and is located just next to a mall

The lobby is huge with elaborate Roman pillars and chandeliers, with almost 7 counters for check-in and check-out purposes. The restaurant is also located on the same floor, and there is a huge sitting area for customers to sit and chill. The check-in process was pretty quick with polite staff

The room is spacious with a huge king-sized bed, a working desk, an armchair sofa and a side table for resting. The overall decor is dated in style but maintained well in terms of condition, and everything is kept clean and well. The furniture is also a mix of Chinese style and modern style, which fits well into the aesthetics of the room. The bed was soft but acceptable for me, and the multiple pillows given allowed me to mix and match them for the perfect height

The toilet is also quite spacious, with a separation between the bathroom and the shower area, ensuring the floor remains dry and clean. Basic amenities are provided, and the condition of the bathroom and towels is well maintained. The shower pressure is also good, with good heat for a hot shower

The restaurant for breakfast is spacious, and the spread was quite substantial with both local delights and international cuisines

They had an open kitchen, which was constantly cooking to refill the food in the buffet area, as well as a live station area to customise your preferred kind of eggs. The staff is also able to make fresh fruit juice if the ones available are not suitable for your taste. I had mainly the Chinese items like congee, noodle soup, fried noodles and fried rice, which were decent in taste but slightly oily for my palate

Overall, the hotel stay was decent and was near to supermarkets, restaurants and shops, while it is away from central Shanghai, the surrounding neighbouring malls were quite self-sufficient for a short stay. There is also a train station directly in front of the hotel for people who want to travel by public transport to other parts of Shanghai

Address: 1136 Zuchongzhi Rd, Pudong, Shanghai, China, 201203

Room rates from SGD 109