The Portman Ritz-Carlton Shanghai is a storied institution that’s been delivering hospitality for over 20 years.
Name
The Portman Ritz-Carlton Shanghai (上海波特曼丽思卡尔顿酒店)
Location
Conveniently located on the famous Nanjing Road, The Portman Ritz-Carlton forms part of the Shanghai Center, a commercial, shopping and dining complex. For those taking Shanghai metro, there’s two stations (Jing An Temple Station and Nanjing West Road Station) within walking distance from the hotel.
Room
At check in, I was notified that I had been upgraded to the Club Premier Suite (#blessed). At 79 square metres, the suite was expansive with a separated bedroom, a study area and living room.
With two armchairs, a sofa and a TV, the living room was the ideal place to relax after a busy day exploring the city.
A huge king bed, with luxurious linen, was the centerpiece of the bedroom. Despite the size of the bed, there was ample room left to fit a writing desk, a lounge chair and an extended wardrobe.
Connected to the bedroom was the gorgeous marble bathroom. Inside was a double sink vanity, a separated toilet, a spacious shower as well as an over-sized bath tub.
Bathroom amenities were from Asprey, a UK brand, and covered the essentials. While the bathrobes, slippers and bath salts provided an touch of luxury.
Next to the entrance, was a wooden console which had the kettle, Nespresso coffee machine and snacks placed on top. Tucked away in the console was the minibar on the right side, on the left side were the cups and glasses.
There was also several bottles of complimentary Ritz-Carlton branded water throughout the room.
Facilities
Guests looking to relax or exercise will be delighted to know that the Portman Ritz-Carlton Shanghai is equipped with a full-fledged fitness center, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, spa, saunas and a whirlpool hot tub.
The fitness center was one of the largest I’ve seen in a hotel and featured numerous workout machines, free weights and even a separate aerobics/Pilates area.
Both the swimming pool and whirlpool hot tub looked clean and maintained when I had a quick peek one morning.
Club Lounge
Perched high on the 43rd floor, the recently renovated Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge provides Club and Suite guests a place to relax. As a foodie, I was excited to see that there were “five complimentary culinary presentations daily” on offer:
- Breakfast
- Midday snacks
- Afternoon tea
- Hors d’oeuvres and Cocktails
- Chocolate and Cordials
The Ritz-Carlton Club is divided into two distinct areas: a main dining area and a lounge/library section. The dining area is situated next to the buffet and was popular during breakfast when I visited. On the other hand, the stylish library area is much quieter and suited for reading or a spot of work.
Additional Club benefits ranged from complimentary garment pressing to a personal limousine service within 3 kilometers from the hotel. Full benefits can be found here.
Food & Drink
Despite the multitude of breakfast options in Shanghai, I ended up dining at the Ritz-Carlton Club lounge out of convenience. Breakfast is served buffet style with a good mix of Western and Eastern dishes such as bacon, eggs made to order, dumplings and noodles.
Health conscious guests are also catered to with lighter options such as yogurt, fresh fruit and cereal.
If you’re after a more substantial meal, you can head down to the Portman’s Restaurant on Level 1 for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Alternatively, the Ritz Bar & Lounge also serves up food and drinks from the morning to after midnight. It’s a intimate space to unwind with a cocktail or tea in hand.
There’s also several restaurants nearby in the Shanghai Center including renowned dumpling chain Din Tai Fung, Pizza Marzano and a casual Japanese restaurant Hanagatami.
Service
Most of the staff I encountered during my stay were courteous and very professional, in particular I was rather impressed by one of the doormen who bid me farewell by name as he called a taxi for me.
I loved the cute towel Panda (complete with a fake twig) that housekeeping left on our last day!
Small Details
One of my hotel pet peeves is a lack of power points and USB ports, fortunately this was not a problem at the Portman Ritz Carlton as there was numerous outlets including this handy power-board on the bedside table.
Verdict
Whether you’re a first time visitor to Shanghai or a regular traveler, the Portman Ritz-Carlton Shanghai provides a calm oasis from the hustle and bustle of the city.
This review was based on an independently paid stay.
The Portman Ritz-Carlton Shanghai
Shanghai Center
1376 Nanjing W Road
Shanghai
China
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