The Eton Hotel Shanghai

The Eton Hotel Shanghai sits right at Pudong Avenue metro station, where lines 14 and 4 meet — a short ride from Shanghai's main sights and the riverside. The big draw is the view: rooms on the higher floors look out over the skyline and the Huangpu River, especially striking at night, and some suites even see the bridge.

The surrounding area is quiet and office-like, but there's a supermarket, cafes, and a McDonald's within 10 minutes. Staff speak English, rooms are cleaned daily, and the breakfast buffet is extensive. Guests specifically recommend booking a Premier room with a bathroom that has a river view.

Who it suits: anyone who ranks the skyline-and-river view above everything else and can overlook slightly dated furniture in exchange for a location right by the metro, minutes from the centre.

Worth knowing honestly: the hotel isn't new, and the furniture shows it — wardrobes and armchairs are visibly worn. Housekeeping can be inconsistent (some guests reported bedding not changed every day), and breakfast, according to several reviews, is a bit thin on cheese and cold cuts. Parking may turn out to be paid in practice even if the front desk says otherwise — worth confirming in writing.