- Fabulous for kids on the weekends.
- Walking distance to Sheshan Sculpure Park.
- Under forty-five minutes from downtown Shanghai during off-peak hours.
- For a fancy Starwood hotel, service isn't quite up to snuff.
- If you are there for a romantic weekend, forget it! (See "Fab for Kids" in Pros...)
- Le Meridien Sheshan Shanghai: 1288 Linyin Xin Road, Sheshan, Shanghai, Shanghai 201602
- Telephone: (+86)21 5779 9999
- Website: Le Meridien Sheshan
- Check in: 3pm. Check out: 12pm.
- Tip: bring along sand and water toys for the kids, the hotel's rent for a steep price tag.
During fine weather, a trip to Sheshan is simple. Stow your bags at the hotel and then head to the Sculpture Park with the kids for the afternoon. Bring them back to the hotel and everyone get cleaned up for dinner at Le Cafe, the Western buffet served in the hotel's main dining room. For a quieter meal, head upstairs to the Chinese restaurant. But if you've got kids, stick to the buffet - there's something for everyone and plenty of screaming kiddies, so yours won't be noticed. Retire early for the evening in spacious, very comfortable rooms (ask for a lake view) that come complete with a large flat-screen and DVD player. (But if you want extra towels, a splash of milk for your coffee or, heaven forbid, an ice bucket, you might be fighting with housekeeping for an hour...)
The next day, after breakfast back at the buffet, head out to the pool and playground. Parents can relax poolside while kids enjoy pools of varying depths and a playground and sand pit. Poolside service delivers drinks and snacks (but don't expect everything to be available on the menu, a steak sandwich is apparently difficult to make...). Ask for late check-out so you don't have to rush off back to reality.
