Disappointing Experience at The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai
I stayed at The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai for two nights, and unfortunately, my experience was far from the luxury service I expected.
1. Discrimination at Flair Rooftop Restaurant
On my first night, I visited Flair, the hotel's rooftop restaurant. Before going, I was told at the lobby that the restaurant operates on a first-come, first-served basis, with no reservations. However, when I arrived at around 5:50 PM, the restaurant was only 20% occupied, yet the host told me it was ”fully booked.”
Then, the host questioned my intent, asking whether I was there for drinks or dinner. When I said ”dinner,” he suddenly mentioned a 1,600-yuan minimum spending requirement. I agreed without hesitation and ended up spending over 2,200 yuan. But what truly bothered me was the initial rejection and the selective enforcement of the minimum charge, implying that I was being judged based on my appearance or nationality. If the restaurant was truly full, why was I offered a table once I confirmed I would spend a significant amount?
2. Misleading Room Upgrade Offer & Hidden Promotions
When I checked in, I had already booked a suite with a city view for around 4,000 yuan. However, the receptionist tried to upsell me a Pearl Tower view for an additional 3,300 yuan, which is an unreasonable price just for a different view.
What’s worse is that she failed to inform me about an existing hotel promotion: (cant remember the amount exactly) If I pre-purchased 1,000 yuan, I could use 1,400 yuan at Flair rooftop restaurant. I only found out about this the next day and when I asked whether I could retroactively apply this promotion to my bill (which was charged to my room), I was told it was not possible because I had to buy the package in advance. Had I known about this offer beforehand, I would have gladly used it. Instead, the staff prioritized upselling me a more expensive view rather than informing me of real benefits available to hotel guests.
3. Concierge Service & Taxi Nightmare
The service at the concierge was another major disappointment. I had a reservation at a Chinese restaurant across the river and asked the concierge to arrange a taxi for me. Knowing that taxis in Shanghai can be unreliable and tricky (as I had experienced the night before with an airport taxi taking me to three wrong hotels and turning off the meter), I was relieved when the concierge used Didi (a ride-hailing app) to book a ride.
However, when the car arrived, the concierge instructed a bellboy to walk me to the car, but he never confirmed whether it was actually mine. Just as the door was closing, a woman with luggage rushed in, claiming it was her ride to the airport. It turned out the car was not for me but for an entirely different passenger!
At this point, I was already late for my dinner reservation. When I walked back to the concierge to ask what happened, he seemed irritated and dismissively said, ”Don’t worry” before reluctantly walking me to the correct car. This lack of professionalism and carelessness was incredibly frustrating. If you’re arranging a ride for a guest, ensure they get into the correct car.
Final Thoughts
This all happened in just one night—I can't imagine what else could go wrong during my stay. I sincerely hope no other guests have to go through such an experience. The Ritz-Carlton brand is known for its luxury and top-tier hospitality, but what I encountered was discriminatory treatment, misleading sales tactics, and poor service coordination.
I hope management takes this feedback seriously and improves their service, ensuring all guests receive fair and professional treatment, regardless of their appearance or nationality.
Ps: nice swimming pool by the way!!
