From Suite Upgrades to Skyline Views: A Globalist’s Stay at Park Hyatt Shanghai
- perksandpassports
- Oct 22
- 6 min read
Park Hyatt Shanghai has a reputation among Globalists—and not the flawless, glamorous kind you might expect. Spend five minutes on FlyerTalk or Reddit and you’ll see the pattern: rumors about the hotel not making standard suites available, reports that the hotel “plays games” with upgrades, and recommendations from Hyatt loyalists to stay elsewhere in Shanghai.
At this point, snagging a free suite upgrade sounds less like a Globalist perk and more like a bad gamble.
Naturally, I had to see for myself, so I flew to Shanghai this past month to cross this Park Hyatt off my list.
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Arrival & Check-In
I took a Didi (Chinese Uber) from the Hyatt Place where I’d been staying and headed over to the hotel. After a short drive (and getting a ticket for not wearing my seatbelt), I arrived at the base of the striking building. The hotel occupies the 79th to 93rd floors of the Shanghai World Financial Center, right next to the Jin Mao Tower and across from the equally, if not more, impressive Shanghai Tower.
When I got out of the Didi, the bellman helped take my carry-on out of the trunk and asked me to follow him to the elevator. After passing through 2 sets of giant doors, we reached the elevators to the lobby, located on the 87th floor. The elevator ride was surprisingly quick. I walked over to the front desk and presented my credentials. While the front desk processed my check-in, I waited anxiously for an update on my room. I had booked the cheapest rate room (King with River View), but was hoping for an upgrade. It wasn’t until I was handed my room key that I was told that I would be staying in the Park Suite. The gamble paid off!
I thanked the front desk agent and made my way to the second set of elevators that serviced the main hotel floors.
The Suite: Sky-High Serenity
Perched above the Huangpu River, the suite feels more like a sanctuary in the sky than a hotel room. First thing I noticed? Two separate entryways—a unique feature that, though unnecessary, was pretty cool.
The layout? A spacious living room, a private bedroom, a spa-like bathroom, and two powder rooms each with a bidet—one by each entrance. (Almost) floor-to-ceiling windows in both the living room and bedroom gave me a nice bird's eye view of Shanghai.
I opened all the different compartments and found a fancy coffee machine and two mini-fridges (one in the living room, one in the bedroom).
The bedroom strikes the balance between refined and cozy: a sprawling bed, reading chair by the window, and blackout shades. The two TVs (one in the living room, one in the bedroom) seemed a bit too small for the rooms.
And the bathroom? Giant mirrors. Small TV screen embedded into the center of the main mirror. Rainfall and handheld showers, deep soaking tub, Dyson hairdryer (yes, actual Dyson not a Chinese dupe), marble double vanity, luxury bath products—everything you want after a long travel day. The main closet, located in the bathroom, felt thoughtfully designed, with spacious shelving, drawers, and smart lighting for easy unpacking.
Between dual entryways, massive windows, and a spa-level bathroom, this suite hits all the luxury notes.
Breakfast: A Culinary Journey Above the Clouds
Located on the 91st floor, the dining room offers panoramic views of Pudong, the Huangpu River, and Pearl Tower—breakfast with a view. Breakfast here isn’t just a meal—it’s an experience.
So, let's talk about the spread.
Obviously you are going to have a great Asian selection; from Shanghainese pan-fried dumplings to congee with all the toppings you could possibly want. My favorite item was the Shanghai style xiaolongbaos, juicy and hot.
The Western spread consisted of classics like bacon, hash browns, and cold-cuts.
In addition to the buffet, there was an à la carte menu for made-to-order items (at no additional charge). I ordered the Taiwanese Beef Noodle soup. I would rate the dish at a fair 8/10, which is pretty decent coming from a Taiwanese-American foodie.
Drinks selection was ridiculous: fresh juices, dragonfruit smoothies, Yakult shots for a probiotic boost, and yes, sparkling wine (or DIY mimosas 😉 ) if you’re feeling fancy. Healthy options? Fresh berries, salads, and soy milk.
And lastly, they had an amazing selection of pastries and cereal.
💡Tip: Ask for a window seat, sip your morning tea or mimosa, and linger. This breakfast is one of the city’s best morning experiences.
Hyatt Privé Perks as a Globalist
A few minutes after getting to my room, the hotel sent over these welcome amenities: a bottle of red wine, plated dessert from the pastry team, and fresh grapes.
I had stacked Hyatt Globalist status with a Hyatt Privé booking. For those unfamiliar, Privé is a luxury program available only through select travel advisors.
The Hyatt Privé perks for the hotel were the following:
Daily breakfast for two
Room upgrade (confirmed at check-in when available)
Early check-in and late checkout
$100 property credit
Customized welcome amenities
As a Globalist, the 2 perks that made a difference for me were the property credit and extra welcome amenities (though I’m not sure which welcome amenity was due to my Globalist status and which I received thanks to my Hyatt Privé booking).
I put the hotel credit to good use the day of my check-out, enjoying a 300g Beef Ribeye Roll with sides at the hotel’s restaurant on the 91st floor (same place breakfast was served) before heading to the airport.
The Hyatt Privé rates were about $50 USD higher than the cheapest rates offered through Hyatt. However, I decided to go with the Privé rate because of the added $100 hotel credit (and hoping that the combined Globalist status + Privé booking would increase my chances at a suite upgrade). I originally booked a 1 King Room with River View at the Privé rate of $306, but ended up with a Park Suite which usually goes around ~$770/night.
Suite Upgrades: What Globalists Need to Know
Reddit isn’t exaggerating: Suite upgrades are limited. So, if you really want a suite, then you'll want to keep refreshing the inventory to see when a standard suite is available on points and apply a SUA. Although, it's worth mentioning that some Globalists have report declined SUAs even when available.
A few days before my stay, I received a standard pre-arrival email asking about my preferences and letting me know they’d try to have my room ready by 12 PM—matching my arrival time. No mention of suites—so I took the initiative.
In a polite and friendly reply, I expressed that I’d be thrilled to receive a suite upgrade if possible, and that I was flexible with check-in times. Luckily, my late checkout at the nearby Hyatt Place gave me some flexibility with timing.
That’s when they clarified: only three standard suites existed, all occupied with guests who had the option of checking out at 4 PM. They also noted that I had already been upgraded to a Bund View Deluxe Room:
"Since our hotel only have three standard suite, the suite room were occupied, and we are not sure the check out time of the suite room due to the guests enjoy the late check out time to 16:00pm. Also as our Globalist Member, we already upgrade your room to Bund View Deluxe Room, face to the Pearl of Tower and the Bund." -PH Shanghai Front Office
I replied, emphasizing that it was more important to me to have a suite than to check in early if a suite were to be available. In the end, it worked: I received a Park Suite upgrade.
Here’s what I learned from my experience:
Be proactive, not pushy: Politely and proactively express your interest in a suite upgrade.
Flexibility matters: Offering to adjust your check-in time can increase your chances.
Luck still counts: Even with a solid approach, upgrades aren’t guaranteed—but it worked for me.
With a mix of patience, courtesy, and strategic nudging, I scored a Park Suite—proof that a little persistence (and flexibility) can go a long way.
Final Takeaway
Park Hyatt Shanghai is a luxurious stay, but having low expectations about getting a standard suite upgrade as a Globalist is important.
✅ Pros: Stunning views, luxurious suites, lavish breakfast with skyline views
❌ Cons: Limited suite availability, location a bit removed from city buzz
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