A quick trip into the
heart of the Guangzhou yielded an interesting hospitality discovery. It wasn’t the fanciest, the biggest, the most
luxurious, but it definitely had enough quirks up its sleeve to make for an interesting
experience that didn’t break the bank.
Dare I say, this is the best value hotel in the heart of the Beijing Rd.
pedestrian street.
Building:
Location: The
location for the purpose of this hotel, is quite good. It’s far enough off the main drag to be a
little more private, yet just outside the elevator door, turn right and head to
the end of the block and you’ve got a never-ending sea of Chinese street food
and world class restaurants. One knock
is that this hotel is not in a dedicated building but rather occupies a few
floors of a multipurpose commercial property.
Therefore, as was the fact when I was there, the constant coming and
going of businesses and their tenant improvement construction can possibly keep
you from enjoying quiet mornings in your room. 
Facilities: The building
itself is quite new and the hotel benefits from the modern construction. With the main lobby on the 6th
floor, you can access it by a dedicated elevator from the outside of the
building on the ground level. That’s
quite convenient given how the hotel is situated in the building itself. The lobby is adequately big with large
windows flanking both sides to let both the morning and afternoon light flood
the area. There’s a small bar, restaurant
area, a laundry area and a closet sized gym that frankly didn’t look very
appealing as a workout space because it was just too darn small. All of this occupies what you could consider “the
great room” of the hotel.
Amenities: Room amenities
were on par with that of a full service 4-star hotel. And although this hotel advertises as a 4
star, it is far from that. At best, it
would be a 3 star simply because the lack of facilities and staff on hand. Remember, never trust the advertised star
systems in China as they rarely follow any kind of established international
standard. Still, that doesn’t mean it’s lacking in the creature comforts. Digital scales, electronic curtains, large
Xiaomi TV on a swivel bracket, free minibar (yes, free!), and comfortable robes
and slippers that don’t make it into many 5-star brands in the area give the
guest a cozy feeling.
Décor: It’s
modern, but not minimalist. There are
little touches here and there such as transformer toys and teddy bears that adorn
the shelves of the lobby (along side the items front the room itself they are
selling). The bar area is not clean of
clutter and the liquor is displayed in play view right down the bar from the check-in
counter. This, and in the rooms itself because space
is limited, represent multi functional areas that are indeed more about function
that style. Still, the different lounge
chair options, long dining table and “diner style” booths offer plenty of
choice and cater to whichever style the guest prefers.
Service
Staff: Greeted immediately
on entering and offered a warm cup of tea as they walked me through all the
apps and paperwork needed during the COVID19 times, we were off to a good
start. The manager on duty had excellent
language skills and walked me through each step with grace and ease. Later, I she took a little time allowed me to
interview her a bit about the recent launch of this new brand in the city and
the concepts of hospitality they are executing.
Impressive knowledge of the modern travelers discerning tastes and value
consciousness. Even the housekeepers in
the hallways respected my DND (not always a thing in China) and greeted me with
a warm hello when passing by. Not a
large staff, but pleasant!
Food: Breakfast
buffet was an additional 30rmb. That’s
not too bad a price for all-you-can eat.
And the hours are generous (7am-noon).
Both mornings after sleeping in a bit, I went up to the 6th floor
to partake in the spread, but the offerings, although many, were in small bowls
and seemed to be sitting out for hours (as the occupancy was low, the turnover
of the buffet must have been low too). There
was a small window with a cook offering eggs and dim-sum. To be honest, as much as I wanted to try it, I
found it to be less than appetizing and I was more amped to sample the local
cuisine down the block which is world famous.
Experience
Comfort: I would
classify this area as extremely subjective.
I mean that in a kind way as I know everyone has different tastes. Given that this is my blog and my review, I will
say the beds were not my flavor. Although
topped with a memory foam, it was thin and the overall result was a firm mattress
that I just couldn’t find comfort in. I did
not sleep well. Even with four pillows,
each with a different feeling and purpose, I simply couldn’t find my niche. The rooms are small and cozy which is fine if
you’re flying solo. If you’re sharing
the room with someone, you’d better be comfortable sharing the more intimate
moments of human bodily functions or you’ll be extremely uncomfortable.
Uniqueness: It wasn’t
that unique, and the small décor accents were great but are becoming quite
common in the small, boutique hotel scene.
The true uniqueness of this property comes from the amount you’re given,
the location it’s given, and the extremely affordable price you get it all for.
Value: During these
COVID-19 times, prices everywhere are heavily discounted from what you would
normally pay. This being a weekend in
the heart of Guangzhou, it was still a steal.
At less than $35 (all in), I got a decent, clean, modern room with all
the conveniences of being close to the action.
The value proposition here is high.
Rojo Rating:
Location: 7
Facilities: 5
Amenities: 6
Décor: 6
Staff: 7
Food: 3
Cleanliness: 7
Comfort: 4
Uniqueness: 4
Value: 8
Total: 57/100
Remember, a hotel stay doesn’t have to be the most comfortable,
most affordable, or more convenient to be considered a success. Indeed, there were some flaws to this
property but I admit most of them were a result of my own personal preferences
not being met. But that doesn’t mean
they won’t meet your expectations and needs.
In all, I would say because of the bang for the buck ratio this brand-new
property offers, it was definitely a success and worth a look if you’re looking
for a cheap alternative to the larger hotels in the area.