How to Avoid Accommodation Traps in Shanghai
Pictures provided by operator in guest’s WeChat group
The RMB 2,000 “homestay” for 2 bedrooms, 4 nights, that changed address, wasn’t cleaned, and was flooded.
If you have read my other story about how my friend Mike ended up with a RMB 9,632 bill after a Bumble date in Shanghai, you might think that was his only bad decision after arriving in the city.
Unfortunately, before the dating scam happened, Mike had already fallen into a common travel trap that people rarely talked about. Maybe it was bad luck, but I want to bring this up; hopefully this could help other travellers in the future.
This one started with a simple intention: Trying to save a few hundred RMB on a hotel.
Mike used to live in Shanghai for several years. He hadn't been back for seven years, and when we met by chance during my holiday outside China, he told me Shanghai would be his next stop.
I asked: “Do you need recommendations for where to stay?” He told me he had already booked a homestay on Booking.com.
I opened the listing. WOW, the listing has a 9.5/10 rating and many positive reviews that seem very genuine from travellers all over the world.
My immediate reaction was: This looks incredibly cheap for this location.
The address shown was beside IAPM Mall (500 South Xiangyang Road to be exact), one of the most convenient parts of the Former French Concession.
I told him that if he added perhaps another RMB 200 or so per night, he could stay in a proper hotel in the area with a front desk, housekeeping, luggage storage and fewer things to worry about.
But Mike was curious. He wanted to see what he had found.
Red flag #1: The address changed after booking
The listing showed an address beside iapm.
After the booking was secured, however, the manager told him:
Your actual accommodation is somewhere else.
The new location was on Taiyuan Road.
Now, Taiyuan Road itself is a perfectly nice part of Shanghai.
That's not the problem.
The problem is:
Why isn't the place I'm sleeping at the address I actually booked?
An accommodation changing the property after you make the reservation should immediately make you stop and investigate.
The operator explained via wechat that：
We are a scattered homestay, and the address on the platform is our office address. Our actual listings are located in different areas, so please refer to the address we send you. Please be careful not to go to the wrong address! 💕
So my friend asked for recent pictures of the exact unit…
Red flag #2: The photos looked too good to be true
The photos looked beautiful. Definitely a different apartment listed on booking.com
And I noticed that it was a loft in a basement unit. (I’d rather not fall down the stairs to catch my pee break in the middle of my sleep)
From the entrance on the ground floor, there are several steps down below ground level.
So I asked in the WeChat group:
“The apartment apparently is a few steps below ground level. How do we ensure there is no mould or leakage and that it is airy and gets sunlight?”
Suddenly, the original two-bedroom option was unavailable because of the “summer rush.”
Instead, they offered Mike a 10% discount on this particular room, and Mike happily accepted.
Red flag #3: He cancelled on Booking.com and paid them directly off the platform
Mike cancelled his reservation on booking.com
Then he transferred RMB 2,000 directly to the manager's individual Alipay account.
Screenshot sent. Deal done. This is exactly what I would tell travellers not to do.
Booking.com itself warns travellers that unusually low prices can be a red flag and recommends being very cautious about unusual payment requests or being asked to move payment outside the booking platform. Its own vacation-rental safety advice specifically recommends keeping bookings and payments on the platform.
Once you voluntarily cancel your platform reservation and create a private transaction with someone through WeChat or Alipay, it may become much more difficult to ask the booking platform to intervene later. And you can’t leave your honest feedback in the platform's reviews later.
We finally saw the apartment
Mike's flight arrived Shanghai at around 6 a.m
Check-in wasn't until 3 p.m., so I suggested that instead of wandering around exhausted after a red-eye flight, he go to a 24-hour spa I know, take a nap, have a massage and recover.
At 3 p.m., the manager finally sent him the digital access code.
I met Mike there because it was only about one kilometre from my home and I was curious too!
Because I realised that I had encountered what appeared to be the same operator with another guest only four months earlier.
That guest had experienced something very similar with the same operator but a different branch:
We opened the digital lock. Walked downstairs. Basement. Pitch black. Strong smell of mould.
On that previous occasion, I immediately told my guest:
“I can't let you stay here, even for one night.”
We abandoned the apartment and moved him to a nearby Atour Hotel.
He was much happier.
So when Mike opened his apartment door, I already had a bad feeling, but this was worse.
The apartment hadn't even been cleaned
There was a thick layer of dust. Empty bottles. Stains on the sofa. Garbage. Poor ventilation.
And a used sanitary pad left behind by the previous guest.
I wouldn't have stayed in there for one minute.
Mike looked around and basically shrugged. “It is what it is. You get what you pay for.”
“If you are willing to accept the room, at least make them clean it properly.” I said.
Just the absolute basics:
Remove the garbage. Change the trash bags. Clean the dust and bathroom. Remove the sanitary waste. Make the place habitable with basic hygiene.
Mike messaged the management team and made it very clear:
“I don't want to move. I want the apartment cleaned properly.”
Their response sounded sincere, saying that they were arranging a “professional cleaning crew.”
Every problem had supposedly been communicated with picture evidence. They sincerely apologised for the inconvenience.
We were hoping that everything would be taken care of. So Mike and I went out for some local food nearby
Five hours later: nothing had been cleaned
Around 10 p.m., exhausted after travelling all night and spending the day outside, Mike returned to the apartment.
Nothing had changed. The garbage was still there. The sanitary pad was still there. Everything we had photographed five hours earlier was in exactly the same place.
Management apologised again. Housekeeping would come “right away.”
Mike replied:
“This is the second time I have asked you to fix this. It's very concerning.”
At this point, all he wanted was somebody to remove the previous guest's garbage.
Then, around 1 a.m., we received what may be one of the most extraordinary customer-service messages I have ever read in the wechat group. We were floored reading this:
There were flowers and crying emojis.
There was deep shame.
There was remorse.
There was a “tightness in my chest.”
There was discussion of how imagining Mike discovering the sanitary item made someone's “heart sink.”
There was even:
“I bow to you in deepest apology.”
At 1 a.m. in a WeChat group.
The whole thing read like someone had used AI:
“Write the most emotional apology possible to a foreign guest who found a used sanitary pad in a basement apartment. Add flowers.”
🌷🌷🙏🙏🥹🥹
Eventually, management offered to charge him only for the first night and refund him for the remaining nights.
And then Typhoon Dolphin arrived
This already ridiculous story somehow got worse…
On August 10, Shanghai was experiencing extraordinary rainfall from Typhoon Dolphin. The storm brought widespread urban flooding the worst since 13 years, major transport disruption and record-breaking rainfall to the city, bad luck I guess…
Which brings me back to my first question: when I saw that basement?
“How do we ensure there is no leakage?”
Well. There was leakage. Water started coming into this stinky apartment. Not from one small corner but from multiple sides.
Mike looked at the water coming into a below-ground apartment with all of his luggage, electronics and belongings and said:
“This is very dangerous. Will I get electrocuted?”
Finally, he left immediately, under extreme weather
Management's response was basically: because of the heavy rain and typhoon, many ground-floor rooms were leaking, and he could check out while they arranged someone to deal with it later.
This time Mike didn't argue. Eventually, after negotiation, he received RMB 1,460 back.
But now he had another problem.
Shanghai was in the middle of extreme weather and he suddenly needed somewhere else to sleep.
The money had already been spent. Hours had been wasted and he was exhausted.
And now he needed a hotel.
😌 He finally chose one of the hotels I recommended, luckily he got a room almost instantly. Took 25 min to get a Didi for a 1.5km ride.
There are legit comfortable hotel options in Shanghai
This is something I really want foreign visitors to understand.
When I tell you to stay in a proper hotel, I'm not saying:
“Spend RMB 3,000 a night at a luxury hotel.”
He absolutely doesn't have to.
China has an enormous domestic hotel market, with very good mid-range chains that many international travellers simply don't know about.
When I travel around China myself, I frequently choose these types of hotels.
Why?
I don't need a swimming pool or the extravagant Western breakfast buffet.
Give me:
A comfortable bed
Good air-conditioning
A clean bathroom
A powerful shower
Modern decor
A big TV
Fresh towels
Someone downstairs if something goes wrong
Maybe an optional simple buffet breakfast
I'm happy.
And because many Chinese hotel chains constantly renovate and open new properties, I often find their rooms newer and more practical than those at older international hotels at a similar price.
One big thing that 5-star hotels don’t have but these have: FREE LAUNDRY ROOM! Very convenient - Atour would even bring the washing back to your room.
Four Chinese hotel brands I would recommend
1. Atour Hotel 亚朵酒店
Absolutely my personal favourite.
Atour is a Chinese mid-to-upscale hotel group focused heavily on sleep quality and modern, comfortable rooms. It has locations all over Shanghai and across China.
I use Atour myself when travelling domestically.
The rooms are usually practical and comfortable, bedding is a big focus, and many locations have laundry facilities and food-delivery robots.
For most travellers, you have everything you actually need.
Here are some options I recommend and previous guests had stayed:
Jing’an Temple/Nanjing West Road Location
Huangpu Xintiandi Metro Station
Yuyuan Metro Station (near the bund)
2. JI Hotel 全季酒店
One of China's biggest and most familiar mid-range hotel brands.
Simple. Clean. Modern. No unnecessary luxury.
JI Hotel is part of H World, one of China's major hotel groups, and has a large domestic footprint.
There are many locations around Shanghai, so choose carefully based on the neighbourhood rather than simply picking the cheapest one.
Ji Hotel (People’s Square) BEST LOCATION recommended by former guests, great hospitality
Ji Hotel (Former French Concession - JuFuChang neiborhood)Great location for nightlife, near Jing’an Temple and M. Huaihai Road/IAPM mall/Jing’an Kerry Center
Ji Hotel (The Bund Jiujiang Road) Close to the bund and East Nanjing Walking Street
Ji Hotel (Xintiandi)Close to Tianzifang, Xintiandi, between Metro Madang Road and Dapuqiao stations, with many malls and great local food.
3. Crystal Orange 桔子水晶
A little more design-focused.
Crystal Orange is also part of the H World group and has operated in China since the 2000s.
If you want something slightly more stylish without jumping into luxury-hotel pricing, it can be a very good middle ground.
Orange Hotel (Middle of Former French Concession) Close to subway Line 1/7 Beautiful neighborhood with many local eats
Crystal Orange Hotel (The Bund Jinling East Road)Close to the Bund/Xintiandi
Crystal Orange Hotel (The Bund East Nanjing Road) Close to East Nanjing Road station and the Bund
Crystal Orange Hotel (The Bund Yu Garden) Walking Distance to YuGarden and Line 10/14
4. Waiting Hotel / Weiting Hotel 唯庭酒店
Another domestic option that international travellers may not recognise.
There are multiple Waiting (Funny name!)/Weiting properties around Shanghai, including central locations around Jing'an, Xujiahui and People's Square.
Waiting Century Hotel (Formerly Z:Stay and then Atour and now Waiting in 2026) Right next to the Orange Hotel even closer to subway Line 1/7 Chang Shu Road
Pujing Century Hotel (Line 1 Xinzha Road Station, Suzhou Creek area, longer walking distance to People’s Square and the Bund)
Waiting Hotel (People’s Square)convenient and popular location
As with any chain, quality varies somewhat by individual property, so check when that particular branch opened or was renovated.
What should you expect to pay?
You don't need to chase a suspicious RMB 300 apartment in one of Shanghai's most expensive neighbourhoods just to save money.
Depending on location, season and booking date, I generally suggest budgeting roughly RMB 600–1,200 per night (~$90-180 per night) for a comfortable mid-range stay in central Shanghai. During busy periods, prices can obviously go higher.
Could you find something cheaper? Absolutely, check out Meego and Zsmart, but these are 2-star hotels in a decent location, and you get what you pay for. Minimal, in terms of size and services.
But ask yourself what you are saving.
RMB 200?
RMB 300?
Then compare that with spending your first day in Shanghai:
Arguing in a WeChat group
Waiting five hours for cleaners that never came
Moving hotels in a typhoon
Negotiating refunds
Worrying about where you're going to sleep tonight
Suddenly that RMB 200 doesn't seem very expensive.
Another thing foreigners forget: accommodation registration
There is also a practical reason I often recommend normal hotels to international visitors.
Foreign visitors in China must have their accommodation registered.
When you stay at a hotel, the hotel handles the accommodation registration and submits the information to the public-security authorities.
When staying in a private residence or other non-hotel accommodation, the responsibility for registration may fall on the host or visitor, and Shanghai's official guidance states that temporary accommodation should be reported to the local police station within 24 hours.
It's just another thing you don't need to deal with when you're jet-lagged on holiday.
My red flags for booking apartments and homestays in Shanghai
Not saying all homestays have such bad practices; I am sure there are hosts who pour their hearts into ensuring guests have a decent stay and become repeat customers. One unusual thing doesn't necessarily mean your accommodation is bad.
But if you see several of these together, please slow down and reconsider, especially you have never visited the city before:
The price is dramatically lower than everything around it.
Compare nearby accommodation before assuming you've discovered a secret bargain.
The address changes after booking.
The room you sleep in should be the room and location you agreed to book.
They won't show you photos of the exact unit, or the photos look suspiciously perfect.
Reverse-image-search them if necessary, and check guest photos rather than only professional ones.
The apartment is below ground level.
Ask specifically about windows, ventilation, humidity, mould and water leakage.
They want you to cancel your Booking.com, Trip.com, or Agoda reservation.
Huge warning sign.
They offer a better price if you pay them directly.
You may save some money, but you're also stepping outside some of the protections and dispute mechanisms provided by the platform.
Everything happens through WeChat with different “managers.”
Ask who is actually responsible for the property and who received your money.
There is no reception or staff on-site.
Understand how problems will be handled before you arrive.
The cheapest room can become too expensive
Your holiday time has value too.
Mike did eventually get most of his unused nights refunded.
So financially, this story could have been worse.
But money isn't the only cost when you travel.
He lost time. He lost sleep.
He spent hours negotiating and communicating with a manager who uses AI English to apologise.
He had to move accommodation during extreme weather.
He spent the first days of his long-awaited return to Shanghai dealing with completely unnecessary problems.
And this is something I constantly tell my guests:
If you only have four days in Shanghai, spending half a day solving an accommodation problem is expensive.
Sometimes paying RMB 200 more isn't paying for a nicer pillow.
You're paying for:
predictability.
A real reception. A clean room. Someone answering the phone.
Someone who can physically come upstairs when the toilet doesn't work.
And somewhere dry to sleep when encountering extreme weather in Shanghai.
And after everything happened, he was able to laugh about it by just rereading the apologetic messages again.
He wanted to see what his bargain homestay would be like. Now we know, and we hope this gives insight to visitors who are about to consider booking homestays in Shanghai. Again, I am not saying all homestays are this bad (but this one struck twice with my own eyes), and since Airbnb exited the market, there is no quality control over the properties listed on the platforms, which is unfair to consumers without the information and being ripped off, which affected the whole experience during their stay here.
Lesson learned.
Sometimes travel advice is not about finding you the fanciest experience.
Sometimes my job is simply saying:
“Trust me. You don't need this BS on your holiday.”
Shanghai has plenty of good-value accommodation. You don't need to spend a fortune.
But when something looks too good to be true, the RMB 200 you think you're saving may be the most expensive RMB 200 of your entire trip.
Thanks for reading! Have you had any similar experiences in Shanghai to share? Any recommendations for accommodation you’d recommend or avoid? Leave a comment below :)