Kevin and Zuzanna
January 6, 2026
Upon arrival, we were greeted rather coldly with a somewhat unwelcoming attitude, though this may have been cultural difference or surprise at seeing non-Chinese visitors. Fortunately, another staff member arrived shortly after who spoke English and actually smiled at us, which improved the situation. Our bags were then taken upstairs.
We were upgraded to a larger room for free, which was a nice gesture. The rooms are super spacious, clean, and nicely decorated with excellent storage capacity. The shower had good pressure and was spacious, which was great. One thing to note: there was something sticking out between the carpet and wooden floor at the entrance that I caught my foot on, causing it to bleed. Fortunately I'm vaccinated for tetanus, but it's something that needs fixing.
The building and corridors look fancy with high ceilings, though some parts of the lobby and second floor don't match this standard.
Service Issues: The housekeeping lady asked us irrelevant and pushy questions in a rather rough manner instead of listening to our queries. Some other staff including reception and kitchen staff were not reading our messages fully and responding too quickly, rushing instead of taking their time to actually listen to their customers. That said, many employees in the kitchen, reception, and porters are lovely and genuinely try their best to help.
The gym is genuinely great - it looks like a modern city gym of good standard. However, guests don't put equipment back in their place, leaving it messy. There are massage chairs available on the floor, which is a nice touch. The hotel also has an Olympic swimming pool, though I didn't get a chance to try it.
The included meals (all three meals a day) were of good quality and plentiful. However, I was surprised by the limited vegetarian options, especially considering this city is supposedly the tofu capital. Some guests had poor manners at the buffet, putting communal serving spoons close to their mouth and nose to sniff the food before the next person uses that same spoon.
A general observation about visiting China: what they call "aunties" (older female staff) can be unnecessarily rough and rude. Being older doesn't give anyone the right to be overconfident about their skills or treat guests poorly. This varies by province and hotel standard, but it was noticeable here.
Noise was an issue - I wish both staff and other guests would be more considerate about volume levels in the corridors. I also wish there was a quiet lounge option separate from the lobby for those wanting a peaceful space.
Major issue on departure: I requested the free drop-off service to the train station and made it very clear we needed to leave at 10:00am sharp. I received confirmation that this would be a private transfer. However, on the day, this simply wasn't true - it was a shared transfer with other guests who were very inconsiderate and arrived late. This kind of situation is extremely frustrating as it can disrupt your plans and create unnecessary stress.
Positive note: The old town is not far by taxi and is much better than Lijiang - less of a tourist zoo with a better vibe.
Overall, the spacious, clean upgraded room with good storage and shower, along with decent facilities, are appreciated. However, service consistency needs improvement, particularly around actually listening to customer requests. Additionally, the behavior of some other guests detracted from the experience.
