Come to this hotel when you come to Shanghai, it's comfortable and affordable!
Hotel Experience Part 3: Shanghai Expo Sawa Hotel || Sawa Hotel is a brand under Atour. The hotel in this review opened in August 2022. I booked a standard room, and as an Atour Platinum member, I was upgraded to a city view king room for free. As usual, the full score is 10, and the passing score is 6. Let's start the review:
1. Hotel building. The hotel is a standalone building with a square courtyard inside. From the moment you enter the hotel, you feel the surroundings become quiet. This shows that the building was designed to reduce external noise, creating a tranquil space in the bustling city.
2. Room.
The elevator exit decorations, plants, corridor colors, and doors perfectly match the hotel theme, giving a just-right feeling.
Upon entering the room, the first impression is that the space is large, about 1/3 larger than a standard Atour room. The color scheme is dark, with a warm tone. The long desk has a retro speaker, tea set, aromatherapy, and matches. From the desk to the chair and small items, everything is carefully selected, exuding a strong sense of simplicity and elegance.
The window has a phone, paper money, and remote control. The room has all the standard Atour amenities. Notably, the room buttons are toggle switches, providing a satisfying tactile experience.
The bathroom is similar to Atour, but the toothbrush and comb are wooden to match the hotel theme. The bathrobe is a must-try, the most comfortable I've worn, enhancing the stay experience. The bed and pillows are soft.
3. Dining. Like a standard Atour, there is breakfast and late-night snacks. The restaurant is a courtyard, with interesting tableware and seating arrangements, like having breakfast under a big tree in a village. There are single and multiple seats. The breakfast variety is rich, at Atour S level.
4. Other facilities. Sawa Hotel has no gym but has a yoga room. The courtyard center is a tea room surrounded by a pool, with beautiful night views. Sitting inside with friends for tea would be a pleasant experience. A farewell gift is given upon departure.
Overall rating (10/10) or (6/10). Why two ratings, one just passing and the other perfect? Because the hotel experience depends on mindset and expectations! If you evaluate it as a business hotel, it seems odd. A four-star hotel with no gym, few desk outlets, and seemingly unnecessary speakers, aromatherapy, and tea sets, not much better than a standard Atour, even less business-oriented. But if you come with a "wabi-sabi experience" mindset, everything makes sense, even perfect. From entering Sawa Hotel, you're surrounded by a tranquil, simple atmosphere. Everything you see, touch, hear, and watch serves the "wabi-sabi" theme, deserving a perfect score.
If you're an Atour member, remember this: Sawa is an Atour S with a wabi-sabi style.