Mandarin Oriental Pudong Shanghai

The pool closes at 11pm, but the life guard asked people to leave at 10:40. Two days ago the same guy did the same thing. Can’t believe this is a five star facility. If he hates his job so much, he probably shouldn’t work here Also some tiles on the pool floor are broken

I recently spent five nights in an Executive River View Room at Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Shanghai, and the entire stay was truly memorable. From the moment I arrived, I was impressed by the warm welcome, professional attitude, and thoughtful attention to detail shown by the hotel team. The room was spacious, comfortable, and beautifully maintained, with an excellent view of the Huangpu River and the Shanghai skyline. It was a pleasure to return to such a relaxing environment after a busy day. The facilities were of a high standard, but what made the experience particularly special was the service provided by the staff. I would especially like to thank Steven from the Front Office team for his professionalism, warm hospitality, and assistance throughout my stay. His attentive service made the arrival and overall experience smooth and enjoyable. I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to Lucas, Victoria, Amanda, Cindy, and Angela from the Housekeeping team. They took excellent care of the room and consistently paid attention to the smallest details. Everything was kept exceptionally clean and well organized, and their thoughtful service made me feel genuinely welcomed and valued as a guest. Mandarin Oriental Pudong offers an excellent combination of luxury, comfort, personalized service, and value for money. Compared with many other luxury hotels in Shanghai, it provides a very competitive experience without compromising the high standards expected from the Mandarin Oriental brand. The staff members are clearly committed to creating memorable experiences for their guests. Overall, my five-night stay was extremely enjoyable, and I left with a very positive impression of the hotel. I would gladly recommend Mandarin Oriental Pudong to anyone visiting Shanghai, whether for business or leisure. I look forward to returning in the future and experiencing the hotel’s wonderful hospitality again.

The Mandarin Oriental Shanghai Pudong is a hotel of genuine highs and frustrating lows. For the price and the brand, the gaps are hard to overlook. Let's start with the best part: the spa. I've been to the MO Bangkok spa — widely regarded as one of the finest in Asia and a crown jewel of the MO portfolio — and the Shanghai spa stands shoulder to shoulder with it. From the moment I walked in and had my assessment done, I felt an immediate, deep sense of calm. Absolute elegance and tranquility in the middle of one of the world's most frenetic cities. My masseuse found every knot and used exactly the right pressure. I fell asleep on the table. I would have gone back every single day if my wallet had permitted. Breakfast was also a highlight. The spread was generous and the quality was high — the live Chinese dumpling station was both delicious and fun to watch, the honeycomb was a lovely touch, juices were fresh and the gelato station added a playful note. No complaints here. The room was a good size — a riverview suite with a large tub, dedicated luggage storage, a clothes hanging area, study desk and a spacious bathroom. There were fresh flowers on arrival, which was a thoughtful touch, and a cake and fruit had been arranged to celebrate our upcoming wedding, which we appreciated. But that's largely where the polish ends. For a hotel of MO's stature, the service inconsistencies were glaring. It seemed like staff were overwhelmed, or perhaps not trained to be detailed enogh for MO. It was absolutely odd that such small touches were not displayed throughout our stay! Staff promptly took our luggage from the car on arrival — good. But after check-in, not a single member of staff pressed the lift for us or offered to show us to our room. No introduction to the facilities or amenities whatsoever. The Taipei MO did this without being asked, courteously and naturally. It's such a basic, foundational gesture for a luxury property that its absence here was jarring. Turndown service was inconsistent throughout the stay. No amenity was ever left — not an essential oil, not a small snack, nothing beyond the standard water and slippers. A curtain issue on the first night was resolved the following day (fair enough), and to their credit, they followed up with a generous portion of macarons as service recovery. But when I left a note requesting sparkling water, it was simply ignored — no water, no note explaining it wasn't available, no acknowledgement at all. And the fresh flowers that arrived so beautifully on day one were visibly fraying by day three, left untouched by housekeeping. The flooring in our room showed its age — scuffed and dated in a way that doesn't befit the brand. The automatic blinds, perhaps installed when it first opened made an irritating jarring noise whenever we opened and closed it. At breakfast, I noticed that one or two male staff members had noticeable body odour. I raise this not to shame anyone, but because at this level of hospitality, the guest experience is built on a hundred small details — and this is one that a well-run operation simply doesn't miss. It pointed to a broader issue with staff presentation and standards. Compounding this, English comprehension among staff at breakfast was limited, though they tried their best, which made interactions awkward. The contrast with the Taipei MO — where staff were polished, multilingual (English, Japanese, Korean), proactive and genuinely attentive — was stark. The most tone-deaf moment came at breakfast, when a manager approached our table and attempted to sell us a package deal for a future stay. Perhaps it plays well with a local clientele, but at a flagship luxury property that caters to international guests, it felt crass and entirely out of place (they could have done so at checkout instead). It read less like hospitality and more like a timeshare pitch. The MO Shanghai Pudong has the bones of a great hotel and a wonderful spa. But the service culture needs a serious reset — the Taipei MO is proof of what this brand is capable of when it's firing on all cylinders. Right now, Shanghai isn't there.

Kelly and Angela are excellent and helpful. Keep our room clean. Great service and helpful.

Great hotel with friendly staff and impeccable service. Would recommend coming here, especially for tea!