Shangri-La Hotels in Nanjing

Driven by the excellent food and service at the Horizon Club, I switched from Shangri-La Yangzhou to Shangri-La Nanjing, embarking on another culinary adventure. 1. **Location**: The Shangri-La Hotel Nanjing boasts an excellent location. It's just one subway stop from Nanjing Railway Station, and the hotel is right next to the subway exit, making it incredibly convenient for exploring other attractions by metro. 2. **Guest Room**: A huge thank you to Manager Xiao Jiang at the Horizon Club for arranging the only lake-view suite on the 41st floor and for granting me a late check-out until 3 PM. The room was spacious and bright, with a generously sized living room and bedroom, both featuring full floor-to-ceiling windows offering stunning views of Purple Mountain and Xuanwu Lake. However, as the hotel has been open for some time, the room design inevitably had a few drawbacks. Firstly, there was no separate walk-in closet in the suite; I had to go into the washroom to change. Secondly, the luggage counter was rather small and high, which would be inconvenient for guests with a lot of luggage. Thankfully, the housekeeping staff quickly brought a luggage rack, providing a proper spot for my suitcase. Most importantly, the toilet in the bathroom wasn't separated by a door; it was openly situated next to the vanity, which significantly compromised privacy and convenience. While not a smart toilet, the heated seat was a comfortable touch. 3. **Dining**: The Horizon Club's dining options certainly lived up to Shangri-La's standards, with breakfast, afternoon tea, and happy hour all being very lavish. However, perhaps due to the sheer number of guests, the management felt a bit disorganized. Not only did the kitchen's food quality seem to decline—some dishes were bland, making me wonder if salt was forgotten or if they weren't cooked evenly—but the service quality also appeared to struggle. During breakfast, I asked a Horizon Club staff member if they could get me some Laoganma chili sauce from the downstairs restaurant, but they replied they couldn't leave their post. I then asked a chef, who promised to bring it, but perhaps they were too busy or forgot, as it only arrived after I had finished my meal. It felt like Nanjing's approach was different from Yangzhou's; the upstairs and downstairs restaurants seemed strictly segregated, preventing staff from cross-fetching items. What confused me, though, was that the soup dumplings I ordered and the pan-fried dumplings I picked up were clearly from the downstairs restaurant, as they arrived a bit cold. At Shangri-La Yangzhou's Horizon Club, staff would either ask the chefs or personally retrieve items upon request. Nevertheless, I must say, the à la carte duck blood vermicelli soup, seaweed wontons, beef noodles, and Eggs Benedict at the Horizon Club breakfast were quite good. The next day, when I had breakfast on the second floor, I discovered that, just as other reviews mentioned, the downstairs restaurant offered a much more extensive spread. There was a wide variety of Western breads and pastries, including large and fragrant caramelized egg tarts kept warm in a warmer, maintaining their fresh-from-the-oven quality. They also had trendy items like butter mochi, mochi yolk pastries, and kid-friendly treats like marshmallows, popcorn, and mini cupcakes—my eyes were truly overwhelmed by the choices. The Chinese section boasted delicious handmade soup dumplings, beef potstickers, siew mai, large pork buns, and duck blood vermicelli soup. Even the whole grain options like sweet potatoes and corn looked impressively large and generously prepared. However, when I asked the staff if I could order Eggs Benedict, they said they had never heard of it. Honestly, when evaluating a hotel's dining, I often prioritize whether they offer handmade food, especially at breakfast. I particularly dislike places that are filled entirely with reprocessed frozen foods; it just feels very insincere. Finally, I must also thank Sherry from the hotel's pastry shop for the delicious mini cakes and mung bean cakes delivered to our room. They were a wonderful surprise and a comforting treat after being out. 4. **Scenery**: Of course, a visit to Shangri-La Nanjing wouldn't be complete without checking out their rooftop helipad, but unfortunately, the weather wasn't good, so I missed out on the rumored stunning views. However, what I was very pleased with was the short walk—just a few minutes—from the hotel to Xuanwu Lake. It happened to be the lotus season, and strolling by the lake, I was greeted by the sight of 'lotus leaves stretching endlessly green to the sky, and lotus flowers under the sun glowing with a unique red.' As far as the eye could see, vast expanses of lotus leaves, like small umbrellas, swayed in the wind, creating gentle green ripples. Pink and white lotus blossoms bloomed in profusion, dotted amongst the green foliage, appearing exceptionally clear and elegant. Colorful pleasure boats crisscrossing the lake added a vibrant touch to Xuanwu Lake. In summary, I was generally satisfied with this stay. At check-out, I even received some delightful hotel-made palmiers, which was a lovely touch. I will definitely choose Shangri-La again on my next trip to Nanjing.