Located in the heart of downtown Ningbo, Shangri-La Ningbo offers 562 luxuriously appointed guestrooms with city views or river views, as well as 57 serviced apartments provides a feeling of âhome away from homeâ during the guestsâ stay in this enthralling city. It is just a walking distance to The Park by K11 Select Shopping Art Center (newly opened on September 28, 2024)ïŒNingboâs famous shopping areas â Tianyi Square and Heyi A five-minute drive sees guests to Tianyi Pavilion, the oldest existing private library in Asia. The hotel owns a fully equipped health club with a state-of-the-art gym, the largest hotel indoor swimming pool in Ningbo, two tennis courts, Jacuzzi, sauna, steam bath and CHI, The Spa â a perfect place for relaxation and rejuvenation.The hotel houses a lobby lounge and three dining venues. Shang Palace, our signature Chinese restaurant, specialises in authentic Ningbo and Cantonese cuisine together. Lobster Bar and Grill, the awarded Western-style restaurant, offers a decent environment and live band performance. Yi CafĂ©, the all-day dining restaurant, serves the best international buffet in the city. Our child-friendly hotel has a dedicated Kidâs Club area offering many activities for children every Sunday, whilst their parents dine on our sumptuous buffet. From large-scale business conferences to small-sized social events, Shangri-La Hotel, Ningbo provides more than 5,000 square metres of meeting space for meeting organisers to prepare the perfect event. Aside from the largest pillarless ballroom in Ningbo at 2,000 square metres, which can accommodate 108 round tables, the hotel also has a spacious pre-function area of 800 square metres and 16 function rooms sized from 29 to 305 square metres.
"My friend and I visited Ningbo to watch a movie, and it was my first time staying at a Shangri-La property. We booked a room with Horizon Club access (executive lounge), and I have a few honest remarks for everyone's reference:
1. Service: Before check-in, no concierge contacted me regarding my needs, which was quite surprising. Other hotels in Ningbo of a similar price range that I've stayed at, like the Sheraton and Hilton, always contact guests in advance. Even after checking in, there was no WeChat contact from a concierge. To request room service, I had to either scan a QR code on the table or make a phone call.
2. Check-in: Since no one contacted me beforehand, I had noted my check-in preferences in advance, hoping for a room upgrade if available. In the past, on Ctrip, there were two scenarios: either the hotel would reply saying an upgrade depends on same-day availability, or they would confirm the upgrade. This time, I received a confirmation that the upgrade was arranged. However, upon check-in, it wasn't mentioned, and the room assigned had a musty smell with a locked window that couldn't be opened for ventilation. My happy expectations quickly soured. I think it's better to just say upgrades depend on availability rather than making a promise and not delivering; it's truly astounding.
3. Package: The package included K11 consumption vouchers, but again, no one informed me how to use them. I eventually had to go down to the front desk to ask. Moreover, they couldn't be collected at the hotel; I had to go to the mall. Once there, I was told that tickets for tomorrow's movie could only be booked on the same day, making my trip a complete waste of time. It was truly awful.
4. Horizon Club: The Horizon Club was the only highlight of this stay. The ladies at the lounge were all smiling and attentive, and the view was excellent. Happy hour was incredibly rich and filling, the best I've experienced in so many luxury hotels over the past two years. Breakfast was also very good, with all the expected food categories available.
To sum it up: If you're coming for the food and scenery, go for it. Otherwise, I'd say skip it. And it's best to book a room with Horizon Club access, or you might experience poor service like I did this time. What's even more ridiculous is that while I enjoyed good service at the Horizon Club, my friend, who isn't a Shangri-La member, was pressured into applying for a membership card. It's truly a bittersweet moment. Given this attitude, they might as well set up a proper concierge service."