Shanghai Kangqiao Holiday Inn

Finally found a taxi driver willing to drive the half hour out to this hotel I had heard about and found it eventually and when we got there it was really nice, a huge new built hotel out in the suburbs.

I have booked online a room and I remembered ticking the checkbox for join the rewards program too, it was free so I thought why not! 
When I came to check in they told me that they had given me an upgrade from the room I had booked to a suite, on the 22nd floor of the 24 floor hotel! 

When I got to the room I had a good sized living room with a huge sofa and TV, office area, and a small bathroom, with a door through to a huge kingsized bedroom with a huge seperate ensuite with a shower, a bath with another shower, two sinks, a walk in closet, and all with huge windows giving a panoramic view out over Shanghai, and in the distance, the bund! it was breathtaking! and very reasonably priced. 

Once I had checked in a explored the room for a bit I got ready for the main attraction, the reason I booked this hotel, the swimming pool! 

I missed swimming a lot, in China the pools are few and often dirty or crowded so I had heard this place had a very nice pool so I got changed and went to check it out.

I got the lift to the 24th floor and after a quick look got changed, the pool was got sized, 15m or so, and on the top level with a glass roof, but the best bit was that it jutted out from the 24th floor over the side of the building with huge glass windows giving view over shanghai on three sides, it was also deep for a chinese pool so you could really swim out over the edge of the building and see the bund in the distance and when you got 5-10 meters out over the edge, you could swim along and then look down through 6 large glass windows in the floor and see the 24 story drop down to the ground below!

I had a great time swimming in the pool in the late afternoon and had it basically to myself for most of the time with only one or two other chinese swimmers at most, one of whom lent me his goggles for a better look down! 

After the swim we went for a walk out around the area and looked up at the pool from below, very cool! 

Included in the price was access to the club lounge on the 21st floor so I headed there and they provided unlimited free drinks, juice, soft drinks, wine, beer and spirits along with some food and a comfy place to relax, and when I told them my room number we were let in and made to feel very comfortable. 

After relaxing there for a while we went back to my room, ordered room service and watched a film on the sofa before getting some sleep.

The next morning I got up, had a huge breakfast at the included buffet, with unlimited bacon and eggs! cereal etc etc, (although it wasn't quite as extensive as the Hangzhou hotel from before) and then took advantage of the free late checkout to get another swim! 

I checked out on monday at 3pm very relaxed and very happy from my luxury hotel stay, I got over to the bus station and got the bus back to Ningbo ready to start class on the tuesday at 10am! 

It was a very nice holiday and if I get the the chance I will definitely go back again!