Metropolo Jinjiang Hotel Classiq Nanjing Road

For mid-budget travelers chasing a good-looking design hotel that doesn't blow the ceiling, Metropolo Jinjiang Hotel Classiq Nanjing Road is a tempting pick. Rooms start at around ¥520, roughly $74 a night. It sits on a small lane off East Nanjing Road, just a 4-minute walk from East Nanjing Road metro, exit 5. The building is a 1930s Shanghai-era block, renovated in 2017, painted dark grey with gold edging. The lobby is narrow but comes with a brown leather sofa and a proper bookshelf, and all of it adds up to a combined real-guest score of 9.4/10.

Rooms and decor

The Classic Queen runs 22 sqm — not large, but smartly designed. The bed sits in the centre of the room, the wall behind it is papered with a Chinese peony print, and there are brass Mid-century lamps and a small desk by the window. You get a universal plug with two USB-A ports, and the bed is soft in a good way, dressed in 400-thread-count Egyptian cotton that doesn't sleep hot. The bathroom is a small 4 sqm, shower-only with no tub, but the Rainshower has good pressure and hot water arrives straight away. The Aromatherapy Associates eucalyptus soap is a nice touch after a full day on foot. Every square metre earns its keep.

Food and amenities

Checking reviews before booking turns up consistently high marks, with cleanliness rated the strongest — and that shows the moment you walk in. The wood floors are polished, the towels bright white, and there's no musty smell at all. Housekeeping comes once a day at 11am, swapping towels and topping up two free water bottles. Breakfast is a simple Chinese spread for ¥48 (about $7): chicken congee, BBQ pork bao, a boiled egg and seasonal stir-fried veg. Not fancy, but tasty and clean.

Location and getting there

The location is the biggest selling point. Walk straight east from the hotel for 600 metres, about 8 minutes, and you reach The Bund at the Customs House clock tower. At night the Pudong skyline lights up every 5 minutes between 6pm and 10pm. Walk back 5 minutes and you hit the pedestrian stretch of East Nanjing Road, passing Jia Jia Tang Bao, the famous xiaolongbao spot where people queue 40 minutes. East Nanjing Road metro, on lines 2 and 10, is 4 minutes away, and Pudong airport is about 40 minutes via the Maglev for ¥50 (around $7).

Things to know before booking

This is a 4-star hotel, so it doesn't carry the full kit of a 5-star, and there's no bathtub anywhere — just the shower. Nanjing Road is busy and crowded, so the area stays lively rather than peaceful. And because the score is high and the price low, rooms fill fast in high season, so book well ahead.

Our take

Metropolo Jinjiang Classiq Nanjing Road is the best-value pick on this list for anyone who wants a good-looking design room and a genuinely central address for under about $74 a night. We give it 9.4 for the Mid-century design, the cleanliness and the easy-going staff. It suits couples aged 25 to 40, solo travelers with an eye for design, and first-timers in Shanghai who mainly want to wander on foot.