Review of Shanghai Everbright International Hotel by Judith

We arrived at the Everbright Hotel at 9pm, and were told by the reception desk staff, who spoke limited English that they would not accept our reservation due to an event holding there, even though we had a confirmation number and date with us. This left us in Shanghai, with no hotel room and my daughter due to take part in a FINA swimming competition early next morning. After arguing with the staff, who continued to gather behind the reception desk, and shriek at us in CHinese, the duty manager arrived. He spoke a little more English, but was totally unsympathetic to our situation, and told us that the Everbright had NEVER confirmed our reservation. We found two rooms in the hotel next door, and the next day I took it up with FINA, who got us rooms at the Everbright, for three times the price that we had arranged. Once in the Everbright, the comedy of errors continued! We needed to keep ice in the mini bar for my daughters injured shoulder. The hotel refused to unlock the mini bar, until we paid US$100 as a deposit, despite us telling them we did not intend to take anything from the mini bar. I paid the $100, only to find that the refrigerator did not work! It took two days to get it fixed. My daughter went to practice in the hotel pool - we were told that we had to pay to use the pool. Despite only using it for 45 minutes, we had to pay US$20. At 5pm we decided to go to the bar for a drink. We were told the bar was closed, and they didn\'t know when it would open! Exchanging money at the hotel was odd, because at least three or four staff members would hold our money up to the light, turn in over several times, mutter away in Chinese, look at us, look at the money, and generally treat us like criminals each time. I am well travelled, and do not expect to go to a country and everyone speaks English, but even when travelling to Vietnam & Cambodia, staff at much smaller hotels on the reception desk at least, speak good English. I would never stay at this hotel again, and certainly wouldn\'t recommend it. It was not at all user friendly in any way shape or form. In all a highly frustrating experience. The Huaxia Hotel next to it is much more friendly, although it\'s a three star hotel.