Yitel Premium Shanghai Review 2026: Budget Family Rooms
Discover why Yitel Premium is the ultimate budget-friendly hotel for groups of three in Shanghai, featuring prime location and comfortable family rooms.
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Discover why Yitel Premium is the ultimate budget-friendly hotel for groups of three in Shanghai, featuring prime location and comfortable family rooms.
The Best Budget-Friendly Hotel for 3 in Shanghai
Yitel Premium on Nanjing East Road
Words and Photos by TravelSun (Adapted by Global Explorer)
Finding affordable accommodation in Shanghai can be surprisingly tough.
Since I was traveling in a group of three,
we quickly realized that booking a room for three often meant booking two separate rooms,
which completely blew our travel budget!
After some intense research, I struck gold.
I found a 4-star hotel right on the bustling Nanjing East Road
that cost us just ~$33 per person per night.
If you're traveling as a trio and want incredible value,
let me introduce you to Yitel Premium.
When hunting for hotels in China,
Trip.com is usually your best bet.
They often have listings and deals you just won't find on Agoda or Booking.com!
That's exactly where I booked our stay for this trip.
Yitel Premium Hotel
Check-in: 2:00 PM | Check-out: 12:00 PM
Location-wise, Yitel Premium is unbeatable.
It sits right in the heart of Nanjing East Road.
You're just a short walk away from famous local eateries,
fun shops like Miniso, and all the downtown action.
📍 Yitel Premium
No.379 Zhejiang Middle Road (4F), Shanghai, China 200001
One quick tip: the hotel doesn't have
a massive English "Yitel Premium" sign outside,
so it can be slightly tricky to spot at first.
Just keep an eye out for this distinct purple sign to find the entrance.
The hotel actually starts on the 4th floor,
so you'll need to hop in the elevator to reach the front desk.
Once you step out on the 4th floor,
you're greeted by a surprisingly sleek and modern lobby!
Our official check-in time was 2:00 PM,
but because they were fully booked the night before,
we had to wait about 30 extra minutes for housekeeping to finish.
I was a bit annoyed at first, but the staff was incredibly apologetic
and offered us complimentary breakfast vouchers to make up for it. Apology accepted!
When we finally got into the room,
I realized why it took a bit longer—they had literally wet-mopped the floors.
You don't always see that level of deep cleaning in budget hotels,
so I was genuinely impressed by how spotless everything felt.
The short wait was definitely worth the squeaky-clean room.
A quick heads-up: some budget hotels in China can smell like smoke,
so always check recent reviews. Fortunately, Yitel Premium was completely odor-free!
Our Family Room was set up perfectly for three:
one double bed and one single bed.
There are convenient outlets right between the beds,
and we had plenty of floor space to open up all our suitcases.
The room came with a small desk and a lounge chair.
The provided hairdryer had surprisingly strong airflow, which is always a win.
One minor detail: there's no mirror at the desk,
so if you need to do your makeup sitting down, bring a compact mirror!
They also provide plush, comfortable slippers.
(Keep in mind this is a budget-friendly spot, so don't expect a sweeping city view from the window.)
A really nice touch at Yitel Premium
is the complimentary bottled water and soft drinks in the room.
Right by the entrance, there's a handy
open wardrobe area with hangers for your coats.
The bathroom was sleek and modern.
The vanity mirror even had built-in lighting
and an anti-fog heating feature—super handy after a hot shower!
Water pressure was excellent, and the drainage was perfect
throughout our entire 4-day, 3-night stay.
My only gripe? Even with a travel shower filter,
the local water left my hair feeling a bit stiff.
Just something to be aware of when traveling in Shanghai!
Another great perk of this hotel
is the complimentary hot tea and water stationed in the lobby.
We'd always grab a cup on our way back to the room.
Since the weather in early March can be quite chilly (around 45-50°F),
that hot tea was an absolute lifesaver.
Our Family Room rate originally included breakfast for two,
but thanks to that slight check-in delay,
they generously gave us a voucher for our third person.
Shanghai is a culinary paradise, so we hadn't planned on eating at the hotel,
but since it was free, we decided to check it out!
The breakfast buffet is located in a cozy dining room
right next to the 4th-floor lobby.
While it doesn't have the massive, sprawling spread of a luxury resort,
it was actually perfect for a quick, satisfying morning bite.
They served a good mix of fried noodles, fried rice, and fresh fruit,
alongside stir-fried veggies and warm, comforting dim sum.
The highlight for me was the live noodle station.
A hot bowl of freshly made noodle soup is the best way to start the day.
Since the variety is somewhat limited, I'd recommend eating here once
and spending your other mornings exploring
Shanghai's incredible local street food and cafes.
They even had these adorable plates for kids—
I just had to snap a picture!
I managed to put together a pretty solid plate!
Loading up my noodle soup with fresh cilantro was heavenly
(if you're a cilantro lover, you get it).
But the real star? These tiny mandarin oranges.
They are incredibly small but pack the sweetest, most vibrant citrus flavor
with zero tartness. If you see these in Shanghai, you must try them!
If you're traveling to Shanghai in a group of three
and want to keep things budget-friendly without sacrificing comfort,
I cannot recommend Yitel Premium enough.
Finding a 3-person room that isn't wildly overpriced
or located way out in the suburbs is a challenge.
Here, you get a prime Nanjing East Road location that is simply unbeatable.
At just around ~$33 per person (with breakfast included!),
it's an absolute steal for a 2026 Shanghai trip.
The only real downside is the lack of soundproofing between rooms.
If you're a light sleeper, you might want to pack some earplugs!
A family room for 3 people can be booked for ~$33 per person per night, including breakfast. You can get a cheaper rate by booking through Trip.com.
The check-in time is 14:00, and the check-out time is 12:00. The hotel lobby is located on the 4th floor. You can find the purple sign outside and take the elevator up.
The family room consists of one double bed and one single bed. Free water and beverages are provided in the room, and it is equipped with a vanity, chairs, a wardrobe, and hangers.
The soundproofing between the walls is not very good, so those sensitive to noise need to be careful. Also, it is a bit disappointing that even if you use a shower filter, your hair may become stiff due to the characteristics of the water.
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