Oakwood Residence Jing An Shanghai — Central Jing'an, Plane Trees and Cafés, Full Kitchen in Every Room
If you are coming to Shanghai for longer than a fortnight, or simply want to feel like a resident rather than a tourist, Oakwood Residence Jing An is the name that keeps coming up. This four-star serviced apartment sits in the heart of Jing'an — one of Puxi's most liveable neighbourhoods, defined by old plane trees, specialty coffee shops and the kind of restaurants where actual Shanghainese go to eat. A score of 8.8/10 from more than 1,600 real guest reviews reflects a property whose clientele — long-stay business travellers and families who know exactly what they need — tends to choose it more than once. Jing'an Temple metro station (Lines 2 and 7) is a five-to-eight-minute walk; Nanjing West Road and Kerry Centre are just around the corner.
Imagine a Wednesday morning: you walk out of your apartment building, pick up a flat white from the coffee shop under the plane trees, come back and brew a second one in your own kitchen. At midday you ride Line 2 three stops to a meeting in Lujiazui, come home and run a load of laundry without needing to find a laundromat. That is the actual rhythm of a stay at Oakwood Residence Jing An Shanghai — and the guests writing about it consistently in reviews make the same observation: having a real kitchen and your own washing machine turns Shanghai from a city you are visiting into a city you are living in, at least for a while.
Units range from Studios of 40–50 square metres, which work well for solo travellers or couples and run approximately ¥650–900 per night (฿3,250–4,500) outside peak season, through to 1-bedroom apartments of 60–80 sqm at around ¥950–1,400/night (฿4,750–7,000) and 2-bedroom units of 95–120 sqm for families or small teams at ¥1,500–2,200/night (฿7,500–11,000). Every unit includes a fitted kitchen with appliances, washer/dryer, and high-speed Wi-Fi. The 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom layouts have a separate living area — practically important for anyone working remotely and needing to draw a line between desk and bed.
"Guests say Jing'an is the neighbourhood that makes Shanghai feel worth living in — old houses, huge trees, good coffee. Oakwood gave them a genuinely spacious apartment and a kitchen that actually works. Some stayed two months and didn't want to leave."
The Jing'an district — and especially the stretch close to Nanjing West Road — is widely regarded as one of the most pleasant places to be based in all of Puxi. Jing'an Kerry Centre, a full-scale upscale mall with a strong food and beverage floor, is a ten-minute walk. Wujiang Road, a food street packed with accessible restaurants running from dumplings to hot pot to Taiwanese milk tea, is within easy distance of the metro exit. Jing'an Temple itself — the working Buddhist temple that gives the neighbourhood its character — is a few minutes on foot. And the supermarkets (Ole' and City Shop) that matter for anyone who genuinely uses a kitchen are both reachable on foot.
Shared facilities include a residents' gym, a lounge that doubles reasonably well as a co-working space, and daily housekeeping — the last point separating Oakwood meaningfully from a straightforward apartment rental. Breakfast is available at an added charge. For long-stay guests, Oakwood offers monthly rates that are substantially lower than the per-night OTA price; it is worth contacting reservations directly rather than booking via a travel platform for stays of a month or more. The concierge team handles parcel reception and can assist with local administrative matters — useful for expats on assignment.
Line 2 from Jing'an Temple runs directly to Lujiazui in four stops (around ten to twelve minutes), covers People's Square and East Nanjing Road heading east, and connects to Hongqiao station (interchange for high-speed rail and the airport) heading west. Line 7 opens the north of the city toward Changping Road and the Suzhou Creek district that has become one of Shanghai's livelier creative quarters. The connectivity from this station is strong enough that guests rarely need a taxi for anything other than early-morning airport runs.
Standard Studios start from approximately ¥650 (฿3,250) per night outside Shanghai's peak seasons. Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) — the city's most popular travel periods — push Studio rates to around ¥900–1,100. Golden Week in October and Lunar New Year can go higher still. Compared to a four-star hotel room in the same neighbourhood, where you would typically get a smaller space with no kitchen, the per-night rate here represents reasonable value even before factoring in what you save on restaurant meals.
Worth saying plainly: this is a four-star serviced apartment, not a luxury hotel. The furnishings are clean and functional rather than flashy; there is no large swimming pool or full-service spa; the gym is compact. If you are looking for 5-star hotel experiences — butler service, a signature restaurant, a grand lobby — Oakwood Jing An is not that. What it is, consistently and without great complication, is a well-located, properly equipped apartment in one of Shanghai's best central neighbourhoods, with genuine long-stay value and a metro connection that makes the whole city accessible.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Jing'an is one of the most liveable neighbourhoods in Puxi — cafés, parks, supermarkets and restaurants all walkable
- ✓ Rooms are notably larger than standard hotel rooms at the same price point; Studios start at 40–50 sqm
- ✓ Full kitchen and washer/dryer in every unit is the key practical advantage for longer stays
- ✓ Jing'an Temple metro (Lines 2 and 7) 5–8 min walk connects the whole city without taxis
- ! No large swimming pool or spa; gym is compact
- ! Décor is comfortable but functional, not luxurious — set expectations accordingly
- ✓ Jing'an location feels genuinely residential — supermarkets, wet markets and parks are all accessible on foot
- ✓ 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom units are excellent for families or colleagues who need real living space
- ✓ Daily housekeeping included — this is not a bare apartment rental
- ✓ Long-stay guests report the monthly rate is significantly lower than the OTA nightly price
- ! No on-site restaurant; you eat out or cook in (the neighbourhood has plenty of both options)
- ! Rates during peak season and Golden Week rise considerably — book early
- 💡If you want a large swimming pool or full spa on-site · Oakwood Jing An has a compact residents' gym only · Fix → see Ascott IFC or Fraser Suites Top Glory in our list
- 💡If you want a full five-star luxury hotel experience throughout · This is a comfortable four-star serviced apartment with a residential feel, not a glamorous hotel · Fix → see The Middle House or Langham Xintiandi in our list
- 💡If you want to be closest to The Bund or Pudong · Jing'an is in central Puxi, a metro ride away from the river · Fix → see Ascott Huai Hai Road or Fraser Residence in our list