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Reader Review :: The URBN Hotel in Shanghai

Where: 183 Jaiozhou Road, Shanghai, China, 200040

Every so often we feature a hotel review from one of our readers that we feel should be shared with the rest of you dear hotel guests. These reviews are highlighted because they are timely, about cool hotels in cool places and are relatively level-headed. Think you can submit one just like this? Send it in. Now, we present you with reader Eric's review of the URBN Hotel in Shanghai which he first heard about on HotelChatter. Enjoy.

I had just ended a long camping trip in the South of China, and arrived in Shanghai with no reservation. After this long trip, sleeping in tents and hostels, I craved a night or two of comfort.

I researched a few of Shanghai's upscale hotels on the internet and decided to pass on the luxurious monstrosities. Instead, I found the URBN Hotel, a new eco-friendly boutique establishment. Having enjoyed nature for the past couple weeks, I felt that a carbon-neutral hotel was appropriate for my next couple nights.

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URBN Hotels / Shanghai Hotels / Eco-Hotels / → All Tags

URBN Shanghai Made From Old Bricks and Tiles

Where: Jaiozhou Road, Shanghai, China

We said they'd be opening in December, and they actually got there. On top of that, the whole concept of the URBN Hotel Shanghai is so unique that we really want to stay there. It's the first of a planned chain of carbon-neutral hotels in China and, the owners hope, the start of a new pro-environment trend in China.

The URBN Shanghai was built in an eco-friendly way by including both salvaged bricks and tiles from buildings that were being demolished, and by buying additional materials only sourced from local manufacturers. Other green factors include natural shading from living bamboo, and fluorescent lights which have been made ambient by housing them in lanterns--the result of six weeks' research.

Now that the hotel is up and running, any energy used--and that even includes the commuting done by staff--will be calculated and neutralized through buying carbon credits. Naturally, some of this will be built in to the price you're paying for a room, and with rates starting around 2000CNY (US$280), it's not a cheap place to stay, but it's a green one.

[Photo: URBN]

URBN Hotels / Shanghai Hotels / Eco-Hotels / → All Tags

URBN Hotels Will Be So Good For You and The Earth That Spelling Skills Won't Matter

Where: Jaiozhou Road, Shanghai, China

No, it's not a misprint, although any search engine worth its salt will try to suggest you search for "urban" instead: but Shanghai is about to get the first URBN Hotel. The first of a planned dozen or so "design and carbon neutral" hotels, the URBN Hotels, Shanghai is due to open in December and should be taking bookings in November, apparently--although the reservations tab on their website doesn't seem to be functioning yet.

The concept behind the URBN Hotel is impressive: as well as being a designer hotel, it aims to be totally carbon neutral both by building and operating in a green way, and by buying carbon neutral credits to offset some of the necessary activities of the hotel once it's up and running.

As well as being eco-friendly, the developers want guests at the URBN to get more deeply involved with their destination, so they'll be adding services like tai chi, yoga, Chinese cooking classes and even basic Mandarin lessons.

In the near future, URBN hopes to expand to cities including Beijing, Hangzhou, Dalian, and Suzhou, following the same method of renovating an existing structure and "greening it up". China and green seem like a new combination to us and we're looking forward to following the evolution of URBN.

[Photo: URBN]

Related Stories:
· China's First Carbon-Neutral Hotel [Carbon Neutral Tourism]
· Hotels in Shanghai [HotelChatter]
· Travel Stories in Shanghai [Jaunted]