Score
-
Level
Unfortunately, our stay at this hotel was extremely disappointing and fell well below expectations, especially given the brand and price.
On arrival, the doorman was friendly and helpful, escorting us to the elevator and directing us to reception on the 8th floor. Sadly, this was where the hospitality ended. The reception staff were cold, unhelpful, and clearly unfamiliar with standard check-in procedures for foreign guests.
Our passports were temporarily held by the Public Security Bureau due to a job change, and we were issued official PSB receipts, which are legally valid temporary identification documents. These are commonly accepted by hotels in Beijing and elsewhere in China — we had no issues using them during recent stays in both Beijing and Harbin. Despite this, staff were confused, delayed our check-in by over 20 minutes close to 11pm, and refused to let us go to our room while they “figured it out,” offering no explanation and very poor communication throughout.
We were questioned unnecessarily about visa expiry and whether we needed to leave China, which was both irrelevant and uncomfortable. Eventually, we were handed room keys without being told our room number, floor, or given any directions.
Later that night, around 11pm, we requested to change rooms due to loud shouting children next door. The walls in this hotel are extremely thin, making it impossible to rest when neighbouring rooms are noisy. We were told we were being “upgraded,” however the room we were moved to was completely unacceptable: drawings and markings on the walls, visible dirt and stains in the bathtub, a cold room, and heavy traffic noise from outside. This was absolutely not an upgrade. As a result, close to midnight, we were forced to move back to our original room, meaning packing and unpacking twice late at night after an already exhausting day, resulting in very poor sleep.
After the stay, I contacted the hotel manager, Chris, to raise these issues. Unfortunately, the response consisted mainly of half-hearted excuses incorrectly claiming our documentation was not valid (which it was), while our request for appropriate compensation for the significant inconvenience was ignored. This lack of accountability was deeply disappointing.
In addition, I feel it is important to warn future guests about what appeared to be taxi scams operating directly outside the hotel. While attempting to book a Didi to Nanshan Ski Resort, multiple drivers accepted the ride and then refused to take us unless we agreed to a “return trip” for a flat fee of 800 RMB, despite the Didi fare being approximately 200 RMB each way. Each time a new driver arrived, they already seemed aware of the previous conversation and quoted the same price. There was also a man waiting outside the hotel for much of the day who appeared to be coordinating with these drivers and targeting foreign guests. This was extremely uncomfortable and concerning.
While breakfast was offered as compensation, it does not come close to addressing the delays, room issues, noise, poor service, and overall disruption we experienced.
Overall, this hotel suffers from poor staff training, serious soundproofing issues, questionable cleanliness standards, and a lack of responsibility when problems arise. Combined with the concerning taxi situation outside, I would not recommend staying here unless significant improvements are made.
Service: -
Price: -
Sanitary: -
Facilities: -
Place: -
Comfort: -
