Astor House Hotel (Pujiang Fandian)
Built in 1860 and reconstructed in late Renaissance style on its present site in 1910, this hotel north of the Bund was once Shanghai's top turn-of-the-twentieth-century hotel. In 2003, the hotel, formerly a run-down backpackers' favorite named the Pujiang Hotel, underwent a much-needed renovation and is today a somewhat pricey three-star hotel once again being called by its original name, the Astor House Hotel. The brick-enclosed inner courtyard on the third floor now leads to rooms that have been refurbished and stripped down to accentuate the building's original highlights (high ceilings, carved moldings, and wooden floors). Beds are firm and comfortable, bathrooms large and clean, and there are even little flourishes like old-fashioned dial telephones. Visitors can also choose from four restored "celebrity rooms," once occupied by famous visitors such as U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant in 1879 (Room 410), Scott Joplin in 1931 and 1936 (Room 404), Bertrand Russell in 1920 (Room 310), and Albert Einstein in 1922 (Room 304).
Facilities:
Restaurant; Internet cafe; spa; bike rental; tour desk; self-service laundry
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| Address | Huangpu Lu 15 | |
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| Location | Northeast side of Suzhou Creek, north of the Bund, Hongkou District (Northeast Shanghai) | |
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| Transportation | Metro: Henan Zhong Lu (about a mile away) | |
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| Phone | 021/6324-6388 | |
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| Fax | 021/6324-3179 | |
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| Web site | www.pujianghotel.com | |
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| Room Information | 130 units | |
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| Prices | ¥680-¥1,080 ($85-$135) double; ¥1,580 ($198) celebrity room (20%-40% discount, 10% service charge) | |
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| Credit Cards | AE, DC, MC, V | |
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| In Room Amenities | A/C, TV, fridge (select rooms) | |