Located on a busy street in Guangzhou’s LIwan district, surrounded
by foreign trade markets (mostly textiles) is a unique lodging choice that will
whip you away from “Planet China” and into its own universe. The Planet Hotel is an ambitious attempt to
bring an element of surprise, western concepts of hospitality and one-of-kind décor
to an otherwise bland and uninspiring hotel experience in this part of the
city.
I visited this hotel during an admittedly sleepy time of the
year, the heat of the Chinese New Year, so my experience was different in that the
hotel occupancy was low and the surrounding markets and businesses were closed
for the week. Still, it did not distract
from my experience.
Building:
Location: The
location is in a part of the city that is heavy with foreign trade and not necessarily
near any tourist attractions. A short
walk south into the vibrant Liwan district or a few blocks to the metro will
get you where you need to go. Unless you’re
in the area for business, you’ll be out of your way to stay here.
Facilities: The building
is not a new construction and consists of a mid-rise, 2 wing design. The hotel does not offer any kind of
recreational facilities such as a gym, spa, or swimming pool. But there was a coffee shop/wine bar adjacent
to the main lobby that (because of the holiday week I stayed) was empty and not
in use. The well-stocked gift and snack shop
was a welcome site when waiting for the elevator. I only got to experience the restaurant on
the top floor for the morning breakfast.
Amenities: Everything
is branded in this hotel.
EVERYTHING! You can’t look at the
towels, toilet paper holder, or even the waste basket without it reminding you that
you’re staying at “The Planet Hotel”. The
room and bathroom amenities were abundant for this caliber hotel.
Décor: This is the
real star of the show. Some people might
be put off by the pseudo-“cheesy” elements throughout but the property knows
what it is and ultimately made for a fun atmosphere. You never knew what splash of bright color or
alien statue would await behind each corner.
During my visit, the carpets in the rooms and in the hallways were so
thick that you actually felt like you were bouncing, or floating in a low
gravity space station. The white walls and
fixtures felt like they’re right out of the Apple design studios and the
distant hum of the Air Conditioners added to the utter worldly
environment.
Service
Staff: The front desk
staff were excellent and welcoming when I first entered. It was a little humid outside and I was
offered some sweet tea and a hot towel at check-in. The process was efficient and the front desk
agents were well trained to accommodate a foreign guest. In the restaurant, which is rather small for
a hotel this size, the staff and especially the manager on duty were very
diligent in escorting guests in and out and providing service and space to
enjoy the breakfast. They in particular,
should be commended for executing this delicate dance with guests and available
dining space each morning.
Food: The abundant buffet
style breakfast food catered to both Chinese and western tastes and the egg bar
gave my requests quickly and to my liking.
Cleanliness: The rooms
and hallways did not smell like cigarette smoke, a comment of note when dealing
with Chinese hotels as it’s quite rare. In
fact, there was a pleasant smell throughout the hotel, much like a “new carpet”
smell. The bathrooms, rooms, and common
areas were all free of clutter and dust; a noticeably attentive housekeeping
staff taking care of everything.
Experience
Comfort: The beds
were extremely comfortable. The soft touch
bed sidings and super soft mattress made getting out of bed in the morning a
fight with my will power. However, the interesting
mid-century inspired space chair in the room looked cool, but was a chore to
hang out in for more than a few minutes.
The standard rooms are small and could be considered crowded for more than
2 people.
Uniqueness: This is definitely
a unique experience hotel for this market.
Rooms facing the road will offer the only real view of the outside
world. The room I was in had a disappointing
view of the boarded-up windows of the office building next door. The attempt at what it’s trying to do is
worthy, but things like the space capsule showers with changing lights and loud
music have a less than stellar execution.
The crazy alien characters and ultra-modern artwork of the lobby more
than make up for those shortcomings. You
won’t find another hotel stay like this in Guangzhou.
Value: Definitely a good
value for the money considering the lack of other inspiring competition, the
bountiful breakfast buffet, and the unique concept. The prices are pretty much in line as the
other options in this category, and although lacking some facilities that have
become standard throughout the industry, the uncommon décor and amenities more
than make up for it.
Rojo Rating:
Location: 5
Facilities: 4
Amenities: 7
Décor: 8
Staff: 8
Food: 6
Cleanliness: 7
Comfort: 7
Uniqueness: 8
Value: 8
Total: 68/100
A year after my visit, I’m still telling my friends about
this place and that is the mark of a good hotel. It doesn’t have to be the most opulent or most
comfortable to be a success. For true
hotel fanatics like myself, this beats the typical hotel “box with a bed”
experience at a price that doesn’t over promise what is actually being delivered. I applaud The Planet Hotel for stepping into the Guangzhou Hotel market
with such a bold attempt. The company has ambitions to expand their brand
and I’m looking forward to future offerings from this lodging group.