Banyan Tree Chongqing Beibei

Banyan Tree, located in the deep mountain hot spring area of Beibei, Chongqing, has changed ownership. Built on a mountain with natural hot springs, the scenery is beautiful, surrounded by mountains. The hot springs are very comfortable, especially in the morning when the sound of flowing water, bird calls, and rising mist are incredibly healing. Every day, incense sticks and essential oil scents are provided. The shower room has a sauna, so you can steam directly. Getting in and out relies on shuttle buses, as it's a long distance with uphill and downhill slopes, which is comfortable. The chef is good, and the restaurant's food is indeed delicious (like Michelin-starred?). You can order room service, which is excellent. It's perfect for unwinding and just relaxing. Beibei is very natural, and the air smells wonderful. The breakfast selection isn't vast but has everything you need. It's more Chinese-style and quite tasty, but the service staff aren't outstanding. We met a lovely intern who was very energetic. He told us he was lucky to choose this place for his internship because the guests are high-quality, making him happy every day. Unlike his peers who were unlucky and chose less desirable hotels, where they faced many rude and low-quality guests daily, making them miserable. He was very cheerful, always smiling as he shuttled us around. We told him we'd praise him, and we mean it! Wishing you, [Intern's Name - placeholder], all the best in your upcoming career, hoping you meet good people every day [Grin]. ⛩️ BUT❗️ The overall facilities are really outdated (like a sanatorium) – maybe it's related to the high maintenance costs in the mountains? There was even a lot of dust on the room phone. I almost stepped into a hole twice on the floor next to the terrace hot spring (it had塌陷, my foot got stuck, which was a bit scary at night). The sealing strip on the bathroom door is worn out, and the door doesn't close properly. The air conditioning at night was ridiculously hot, making the whole room 29 degrees – I woke up feeling hot (and the duvet was incredibly thick). Turning it off and opening a small crack in the window brought me from a suffocating state back to comfort. The welcome fruit platter was the worst I've ever had at a Banyan Tree... [Shy] The tissues were folded beautifully, though... Aside from water, even Coca-Cola in the mini-bar is charged. Ugh, I've never been charged for soft drinks in a five-star hotel or above before... ❗️It's not that important, after all, service can compensate for many things. BUT❗️ When we inquired about the included activities like Baduanjin and incense making, the front desk service was evasive, giving various strange reasons like it didn't fit the brand's tone, so it was canceled, blah blah blah. Then they said they'd check if a class could be arranged and get back to us. And then, nothing. It was as if the matter never existed – no follow-up, no call back. Half an hour later, the cleaning aunt knocked on the door and brought a small Banyan Tree turtle (which is usually provided as two per room upon check-in at Banyan Tree hotels; now it seemed like a subtle consolation prize? Since we had several already, we didn't pursue it further). The activities weren't essential for us to participate in; it was just a casual inquiry, so we didn't press the issue. However, the Banyan Tree's response to service inquiries was surprising (at other Banyan Tree hotels, the front desk concierge usually details all activities and nearby facilities during check-in). During check-out, they formally asked how the room was. I replied that the facilities were a bit old and the bathroom door couldn't be closed. The front desk responded, "Oh, really? We'll have someone look at it." And that was it. Nothing more, nothing less. At such a high price during Chinese New Year, the service received was completely disproportionate and provided no emotional value (except for the intern). I felt a bit ripped off. I really like the location. I really like the hot spring mountain. And it's a Banyan Tree brand that I generally adore. But it also felt like I wasn't staying at a Banyan Tree. Text and images ✅ Copyright 🚫 Unauthorized copying, reposting, or derivative works.

The facilities are outdated. The sauna and steam room were not operational and only turn on upon request. When I asked a staff member, they responded, 'How can it be kept on all the time?' The toothbrush was faulty; bristles kept falling out while brushing. When I reported this to the front desk, they casually replied, 'We'll report it to our supervisor.' The massage function of the in-room hot spring tub was broken. Upon check-in, we were never informed about butler service. We only found out when we saw other guests being chauffeured during archery. Two-thirds of the arrows were broken, and there was no staff present to teach or assist. The landscape pool was also empty. Overall, it felt like a fake Banyan Tree. The price, service, and facilities were completely mismatched. It makes me wonder if this is a vicious cycle caused by the management cutting costs due to fewer guests. The service was very amateurish, lacking any sense of professionalism or experience. I booked the Banyan Tree with high expectations but left extremely disappointed.

My expectations for this vacation were initially very high, but I ended up quite disappointed. First, we brought a small dog, only 4 catties, and I had booked a room with a small courtyard. To my surprise, the hotel charged an 800 pet cleaning fee. Second, the hotel's location is indeed remote, so dining options are limited to the hotel itself. However, dogs aren't allowed in the dining areas, so we had to drive out to find food. Third, for a hotel considered a high-end brand in Chongqing, there was no room service. I was hungry past 1 AM and had nothing to eat; there wasn't even instant noodles in the room. The staff's service was absolutely fine, but this experience has truly tarnished my impression of the hotel.