Hengshan Moller Villa (Hengshan Male Bieshu Fandian)
A famous curiosity around town, this hallucinatory Gothic/Tudor fantasia of brown-tiled steeples, gables, and spires was constructed by a Swedish shipping magnate, Eric Moller, in 1936. From 1949 until 2001, it was used as the headquarters of the Shanghai Communist Youth League. In 2001, the Hengshan Group restored the original mansion, added several hideous imitation buildings in the back, and reopened it all as a hotel. Inside the lobby of the original house, chandeliers and gilded furniture clash loudly with marble pillars, parquet floors, and a Chinese moon gate. Rooms here, with high ceilings, dark wood paneling, and thick drapes, are comfortable enough but overpriced (starting from ¥2,500/$300 before discount); cheaper standard rooms in the back annex are dull. Despite a prime location at the northwestern edge of the French Concession, this hotel delivers poor value for money, trading heavily instead on its bizarre history and eclectic architecture.
Facilities:
Restaurant; bar; access to health club, pool, sauna and tennis court at the Shanghai Grand Club next door; business center; room service; laundry service/dry cleaning.
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| Address | Shanxi Nan Lu 30 | |
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| Location | South side of Yan'an Zhong Lu, Jing An District (Northwest Shanghai) | |
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| Transportation | Metro: Shanxi Nan Lu | |
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| Phone | 021/6247-8881 | |
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| Fax | 021/6289-1020 | |
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| Web site | www.mollervilla.com | |
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| Room Information | 45 units | |
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| Prices | ¥816-¥1,440 ($102-$180) double; ¥1,040-¥7,240 ($130-$905) suite; 10%-30% discount | |
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| Credit Cards | AE, DC, MC, V | |
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| In Room Amenities | A/C, satellite TV, broadband, minibar, hair dryer (select rooms), safe (select rooms) | |