Ramada Encore Pudong Airport — The Cheapest PVG Hotel with 6,600+ Reviews to Back It Up
Here is a number worth knowing: 6,615 guest reviews on Trip.com — more than any other hotel in the entire Pudong Airport cluster. The score sitting on top of that stack is 9.0/10, and the rate starts at just ¥260 (฿1,300) per night. The Ramada Encore by Wyndham Shanghai Pudong Airport was fully renovated in 2023, runs a free shuttle every 30 minutes to PVG, and does exactly what a pre-flight budget hotel should do. One thing to be straight about upfront: it sits 7–9 km from the terminals, so you will be riding that shuttle — not walking to the gate. If you knew that already and the price still looks good, read on.
Let's start with that review count, because it is the real story here. More than 6,600 verified guests on Trip.com have stayed at this hotel and left a review — and the average landed at 9.0. That does not happen by accident for a budget airport hotel. Travellers who give a 9.0 after spending one night before an early flight are telling you something specific: the shuttle showed up, the room was quiet enough to sleep, and nothing went wrong. That is precisely what the reviews say, over and over.
The 2023 renovation makes a real difference. Guests consistently mention that the rooms feel newer than the price suggests — clean finishes, comfortable beds with decent soundproofing, functioning AC, fast Wi-Fi. This is not a five-star setup, but it is a very solid three-and-a-half. The Wyndham brand consistency means there are no nasty surprises: what you see in the photos is what you get when you open the door.
One guest recalls: "Cleaner and more modern than they expected at this price. Shuttle was on time, room was quiet, they slept well before their 6am flight. Would book again without hesitation."
Now the part you need to plan around: the hotel is 7–9 km from PVG terminals — not walking distance. The free shuttle runs every 30 minutes and takes roughly 15–20 minutes to reach the terminal. That means if you have a 5:00 AM flight, you should be on the 4:00 AM shuttle at the latest — which means checking what time that shuttle departs and setting your alarm accordingly. The front desk staff are reportedly good about helping guests plan this; tell them your flight time at check-in and they will coordinate the right shuttle slot for you. Compare that against the Holiday Inn Pudong Airport (0.78 km) or Ramada Plaza (1.3 km) and you are trading proximity for a significantly lower rate.
At the standard rate of ~¥260–380 (฿1,300–1,900) for a Standard Room and a typical range of ฿1,300–2,200 depending on season, this is the most affordable airport hotel in the PVG group by a clear margin. For frequent business travellers who stay in airport hotels a dozen times a year, or groups booking multiple rooms, the saving adds up meaningfully. For leisure travellers on a tight budget doing a once-a-year trip, it is simply the option that does not hurt the wallet on a night you just need to sleep.
There are two genuine complaints that come up in guest reviews. First, the surrounding neighbourhood offers nothing — no restaurants to walk to, no convenience stores, no street life. If you forget to grab dinner before arriving, you are relying on the hotel restaurant or delivery apps. Second, the shuttle timing requires attention. If you miss a departure and the next one makes you tight for check-in, the stress is real. Both of these are knowable limitations — if you account for them when planning, they stop being problems.
The honest summary: Ramada Encore Pudong Airport is a budget airport hotel that genuinely delivers on its promise. Renovated rooms, a reliable free shuttle, a 9.0 score from 6,615 reviews — it earns that rating. The distance from the terminals is the trade-off, and it is a reasonable one at this price. If your priority is not paying more than you have to for a pre-flight bed, this is the right call.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Lowest price of any PVG airport hotel — excellent value for money
- ✓ Rooms renovated 2023: clean, comfortable beds, decent soundproofing
- ✓ Free shuttle to PVG every 30 min — well-organised, runs on time
- ✓ Staff helpful with coordinating shuttle timing around flight schedules
- ! 7–9 km from terminals — need to allow 15–20 min shuttle ride and plan carefully
- ! No restaurants or shops within walking distance of the hotel
- ✓ Most-reviewed PVG airport hotel (6,615 reviews) — chosen repeatedly for good reason
- ✓ Post-renovation rooms clearly exceed expectations at this price point
- ✓ Wyndham brand reliability — predictable standard, no unpleasant surprises
- ✓ Fast check-in/check-out, front desk proactive about shuttle coordination
- ! Not as close to PVG as Holiday Inn or Ramada Plaza — shuttle timing matters here
- ! Fewer facilities than 4-star airport hotels in the same cluster (no pool)
- 💡If your flight departs very early and you cannot afford any timing risk — 7–9 km means you must plan the shuttle carefully; missing a departure could cause real stress. Alternative: Holiday Inn Shanghai Pudong Airport (0.78 km) or Ramada Plaza (1.3 km) are much closer.
- 💡If you want a pool, multiple restaurants, or a business centre — this hotel keeps facilities lean to keep prices low. Alternative: Ramada Plaza by Wyndham (¥450, 1.3 km) has an indoor pool and full dining options.
- 💡If you want to explore Shanghai city during your stay — the airport zone has nothing walkable nearby; you would need the Maglev from PVG to the city centre (~40 min). Alternative: consider hotels in Puxi (Nanjing Road / Bund area) from our Shanghai city list.