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This is the email I am trying to answer.
Dear Jian Shuo Wang,
I've just read ur blog in the net. I'm so happy because next week I will be there (Shanghai) and I know nothing about your city. And thanks god, I've found ur blog and it helps me a lot.
And I would like to ask some other info from you. My accommodation is Motel 168, No.1280, Gong He xin Road. I did check in the list of branches in Motel 168 website but I couldn't find out this branch, do you know where is this road, in which district?
And the place I have to go to everyday from Motel 168 is: Building No. 10, Lane 777, Guang Zhong Road West, Zhabei district, Shanghai 200072, P.R.China and another address is Azia Center, No.1233, Lujiazui Ring Road, Pudong District, Shanghai 200120, P.R.China
Could you help me to draw a simple map or just mark in the map the way to reach those places from my accommodation?
Thank you very much
Tram Nguyen
Tram is facing a very typical problem many visitors have. Because of the fast pace of chain hotels in China, most of the information is out of date, even on the website. Some are developing new branches at shock speed. When I blog about the Motel 168, it just opened one branch near my home, and now, it is everywhere.
Let me help Tram out.
Locations of Motel 168 in Shanghai
As of today (Febuary, 2008), Motel 168 has been spread out to many locations in Shanghai. Look at this map! This is the speed of expansion of a typical chain hotel in China. Besides the current 72 hotels, they have more to come.
Below is the distribution China wide:
It is a pitty that they don't have English version of the same information, and there are only still 6 hotels in its English website. So I will try to do a translation.
Scroll up to the Shanghai map, and you will see the numbered location.
40. Building 3-9, Lane 1 Xujiahui Rd.
41. 1398 Jingao Rd.
42. 38 Huqingping Rd.
52. 9830 Hunan Highway
Location of the Asked Motel 168
So you see, the Gong He Xin Rd. hotel is marked as 28.
For the other two locations, I didn't find it in this map, and not even in the upcoming hotel list. I guess they are already built, but this map itself is not updated. I am afraid I cannot help you to point the exact location. But I can tell you, the hotel on Lujiazui Ring Road may be close to the point 13, and the Changzhong Rd. hotel MAY be close to piont 28.
Hope this helps.
Posted by Jian Shuo Wang at February 15, 2008 9:51 PM
Copyright: You are free to redistribute this work, as long as you keep this disclaimer
and this link: http://home.wangjianshuo.com/archives/20080215_map_of_motel_168.htm
I think it's also worth mentioning that Motel 168 provides foreigners with that pink paper (Temporary Residence Permit). You're supposed to get it within 24 hours of entry to Shanghai, though you probably don't need it unless you know you'll need a visa extension later.
Posted by: DKwan (external link) on February 16, 2008 4:03 AMOh and I brought that up because it seems a lot of other motels don't provide that paper. (At least that's what they said, but maybe they didn't know what I was talking about.)
Posted by: DKwan (external link) on February 16, 2008 4:06 AMThanks DKwan, I didn't know that. Also, to add, I completely have no idea about visa or permit stuff for visitors.
Posted by: Jian Shuo Wang (external link) on February 16, 2008 9:54 AMthe pink paper is useless....if u want to extend ur visa just go to immigration office or proper agencies and they will handle for u... with or without "pink paper"
definitely our friend tram (from vietnam) will get lost.... choose a 168 close to lujiazui or in pudong, otherwise every day cross the river its a nightmare...
good luck
Posted by: jerry on February 16, 2008 1:54 PMThx for the information! Gosh, they're expanding so fast. Even the list above isn't up-to-date anymore. For example, the Chongming branch listed as "to be opened soon" has already started operations in 07. I spent a night there in Oct 07, and have nothing to complain about.
Their 168 RMB special room rate, albeit not offered in every branch, is just wonderful. It's cheaper than some youth hostels, and offers even more than many 3* hotels. They accept international credit cards, and in most of the branches there's a restaurant serving Chinese and Western food.
I hope they won't make the same mistake as the Jinjiang Inn chain that has begun to ail due to insufficient maintenance of their rooms. Hitherto, most of the Motel 168s are still relatively new. I'd be interested to see the condition of their rooms in about 3 years.
Posted by: DB on February 16, 2008 6:15 PMWhat a wonderful problem to have that one of the best chains of cheap hotels is growing so fast. I have to aggree with the earlier post if you want to be near the Bund get a Shanghai cheap hotel that is close to that area otherwise getting there can be a hassle. For me when I visited I did not wantto be in that area I went down there but it was like allot of big cities that I have been to.. I found the area around the railway station to be a great place to explore.
Posted by: Chuck Mieser (external link) on February 17, 2008 8:59 PMThank you so much for your information. Thanks for all below comments. Actually I usually go to the office in Guang Zhong west road so I think my colleagues book that motel 168 on Hong He Xin road is the right choice. So as what you meaned, the place I'm going to stay is not close to railway station right?
If I want to go around Lujiazui area, which transportation is much more convenient? I have 2 weekends there, so which places I better visit?
And I don't really understand about "The pink paper", is it necessary?
Thanks a lot for your helping
My friend has a hotel in Dan Shui, Guangdong and which has around 100 rooms. Now wants to sell it. Can anyone help and suggest how to contact the owning company of motel 168? Thank you.
Posted by: Shania on February 18, 2008 5:33 PM@jerry
The Extry & Exit Bureau didn't let me extend my L Visa without the pink paper. But of course maybe this policy isn't always enforced. If I had been wearing a business suit, maybe they wouldn't have told me to go get one from the police station.
Posted by: DKwan (external link) on March 2, 2008 12:51 PM