Nee how! So I figure that I have stayed in a LOT of hotels over the last 5 years. You can pretty much figure that I’ve stayed in one of the nicer hotels in every American city as well as some very expensive places in Great Britain, Germany, France and Brazil. If you asked me yesterday, what was the nicest hotel that I’ve stayed in, it would definitely have been one that I’ve been to in downtown San Francisco. That’s all changed. Count that out. There is no way that I’ve ever stayed in a hotel as nice as this Marriott in downtown Shanghai (which I’m writing from at the moment). To adequately describe the service, the view and the room would pretty much be impossible, but I can try. When I first pulled up to the hotel in the private car they had waiting for me at the airport (with my co-worker), there were two people there on the curb to meet us. One of the girls immediately came up to me with a “Mr Allan, please?” From there, the personalized service did not stop with no less than two people attending to me the whole way until I was in my room with my luggage (no going to the front desk – that was all pre-arranged or something – will I have to pay?) and had a full meal and dessert sitting beside me. I have never experienced service like this. One disconcerting thing is when you have these people coming right into your hotel room with you, wanting to know if there is anything they can get me. It wasn’t in a bad way, just unnerving from a personal space perspective to have this attendant there.

Seeing as my room is on the 51st floor, there can hardly be, but an incredible view so I won’t get into that. I’ll just take some pictures and put them on the site when I get back.

Lastly, the room is beyond all other rooms. There is a towel that I used after my shower this morning (we’re +8 in timezone so it’s now Monday morning while it’s Lord’s Day night back home) that barely brushed the ground when I held one end up as high as I could. I’m sure it was 8’x4′ and a bullet could not have penetrated. Then ignore that for a second and move to the shower where there is 6, yes 6, shower heads pouring water on you from above and all around. Consider for a moment that two full walls of the hotel room (corner room) are fully open to see the city, and that includes the bathroom. (Being on such a high floor means that no one can see in.) Move outside the bathroom for a moment to a room full of soft lighting, four real bonzai trees, and piles of fresh fruit and water. Opening the closet, you will find the most luxurious bath robe, slippers, and accessories that I have ever witnessed. I’m sorry! It’s really hard to even hold any others up to this one. And did I mention the view …

So all this after landing in Shanghai last night at 20:30. Even after being up 26 straight hours, I wasn’t that tired and browsed a very “happening” street called MaoMing road. Very upscale, interesting and vibrant. I never really get hit with the jetlag much if I force long days like that, sleep when it’s dark and get up at normal time (08:00 this morning). Well, I’m out to do some exploring today and then some good dining tonight. Does all this sound fun? It is. But I miss Heidi and Newborn 1.0 terribly. Smile all!