Hotele z: Pools w Fujian, China

This place makes me wish there was an option for six stars. I study Asian art for a living, and I travelled to Jianyang to visit the home of Jian ware, classic tea bowls of the Song dynasty (960 to 1279 CE), distinguished by their black and brown glazes. Over the last few decades, firing Jian ware in the Song tradition has been revived in the area. I chose Nanping Colourful Village Homestay because it was in Jianyang, affordable, and accepted international guests. What I found was a luxury resort with all the warmth and personal attention of a homestay. I asked the front desk about an excavated Song kiln site in a nearby village, and the receptionist brought me the manager, who arranged for someone to take me the next day. My driver was Ms. Huang, an employee of the resort whose job involves buying and selling contemporary pieces. She knew everything about Jian ware! The kiln site isn’t run as a tourist site, so I was only able to view it because Ms. Huang arranged for it to be opened for me. I had told them I was vegetarian, so for lunch they took me to lunch at a vegetarian buffet. Then we visited the town’s Jian ware museum, where they have exhibits on the history of tea and Jian ware, historical pieces, and the work of contemporary Jianyang potters. To my delight, Mr. Gao, the potter-in-residence at the resort, uses a Song-style wood-fired dragon kiln, built right on the grounds! His pieces that range from beautiful but quite affordable to exquisite and appropriately expensive. They include both iridescent silvery oil spot and orange-to-black hare’s fur pieces. I am still thrilled that I was able to purchase wood-fired pieces on my limited budget. For dinner, the resort’s restaurant prepared vegetarian versions of Fujian cuisine for me. The food was all delicious, featuring classic Fujianese mountain ingredients like local bamboo and mushrooms. Then we visited Mr. Gao’s dragon kiln, and later his studio, where he experiments with different local clays and glaze recipes. The rich colours and iridescence of Jian ware are the result of the iron-rich local material fired at high temperature, and the results are as unpredictable as they are beautiful. The next day, they drove me to Mr. Chen’s family tea plantation in the mountains, where they grow famous northern Fujian teas. These fine teas were all wonderful, smooth and rich with a touch of smoke, and sometimes fruity in flavour. We strolled through mountainsides of tea bushes and visited groves of centuries-old tea trees. This is a perfect place for an immersive experience in China that is also very comfortable and convenient. I often find tourist experiences in China claustrophobic due to the press of people, but the resort was spacious and airy, and they took me to places where there was no one else but us and the occasional local going about their business. Everyone was very patient with my limited Chinese language skills. They were also happy to work with translator apps on our phones, so if you don’t speak any Chinese, you will be fine. This would be a great place to come as a family. There are gardens and rides for kids right next to the resort. You can learn how to whip Song-style tea and carve your name into the base of your own Jian ware cup. Not far away is a historical theme park with a collection of real architecture from the Ming (1368 to 1644 CE) and Qing (1636 to 1912 CE) dynasties. The employees wear period dress and there are performances and activities. Nearby there are hiking trails, historical sites, and lovely villages to visit. It’s also very close to Wuyi Mountain National Park, so it would be a perfect place to stay if the mountains are your destination. If you ask, they could arrange for you to visit famous sites or take you to breathtaking places that only locals know, whatever you want. They can also arrange transport to and from the train station or airport.

This is a duplicate of my review for dates from 6 to 8 June 2026, as I extended my stay for one night. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at this hotel and would happily stay here again. The location is excellent. It's right next to the metro, directly across the road from China City Mall, and within easy walking distance of Zhongshan Road Pedestrian Street, the waterfront and the ferry wharf. It made exploring Xiamen incredibly easy. The staff were consistently helpful and efficient. They obtained information about the Xiamen-Kinmen ferry, which was greatly appreciated. The breakfast restaurant staff deserve special mention as they were always friendly, welcoming and genuinely seemed pleased to see their guests each morning. The room itself was lovely. The bed was extremely comfortable, the bathroom was excellent and while I didn't use the bath, the shower was very good. The hotel also has a nice swimming pool, gym and lounge area, all of which added to the overall experience. Breakfast was good, with plenty of choices, both Asian and Western, and a pleasant atmosphere. I only intended to stay a short time, but enjoyed both the hotel and Xiamen enough that I extended my stay by an extra night. From my room I had good views, including Zheng Chenggong's statue on Gulangyu Island and Xiamen's Twin Towers in the distance. This hotel certainly helped make my stay in Xiamen an enjoyable one. I left with very positive memories and would gladly stay here again.

The most unbearable thing about this hotel for me was the temperature. From the moment I stepped into the lobby, it felt stuffy and hot. When we checked in at the front desk, I even asked the staff about the hotel's temperature setting, and she said it was set at a constant 26 degrees Celsius. Sure enough, when we got to the room, the thermostat displayed 26 degrees. Even after lowering the temperature, there was no change at all. It was unbearable trying to sleep at night, so I called down. They sent an engineer who fiddled with the thermostat, bringing the display down to around 23 degrees, but honestly, it didn't feel much cooler; it still felt hot. Especially with the thick duvet, I couldn't get any sleep, so I had to call again and ask for a fan. The next day, I visited a client in the office building right next to the hotel. The moment I entered the office lobby, it immediately felt cool and comfortable. Just a single door separated us, and the difference in temperature settings between the hotel and the office building was noticeable. My client's office also felt comfortably cool. So, with it being summer now, having the hotel set at a constant 26 degrees is really unacceptable. If I hadn't had something important to do the next day and needed to check out properly, I honestly would have checked out and left right then and there.

This is a really nice hotel, located right on a food street with tons of dining options and a lively atmosphere. They have a few parking spots, but you need to inform the front desk when you're heading out. A nice perk is that guests get free tickets to the adjacent swimming pool – just remember to bring your swimming cap! The lounge area on the first floor is a thoughtful touch, offering complimentary coffee, tea, and ice. The rooms are quite spacious, featuring a huge TV and comfortable bedding, ensuring a good night's sleep. The bathroom has a separate wet and dry area, though the water pressure for showering was a bit low, possibly due to peak usage. Breakfast was decent, but they didn't offer any made-to-order items. It seems the hotel has a partnership with an electric scooter rental shop, but I didn't quite figure out the details or inquire further. The hotel's proximity to various attractions is great; you can easily walk, bike, or take a taxi. Definitely recommended!

Grand Honor Hotel is definitely the best hotel in Shishi, but it’s not quite the same level as a luxury hotel in a bigger city. Generally the hotel is clean, but it’s the little things that I noticed, ie when I checked in, there were some sweet wrappers next to the bowl of sweets that weren’t cleared away. That said, the sense of space is evident in the hotel lobby, lifts, corridors and most importantly, the hotel rooms. Rooms are very spacious and well-designed, although the closet area can definitely do with brighter lights. Most amenities are provided but what put me off is that many items that would have been free in other hotels at this price-range aren’t free at Grand Honor. There is a Chinese tea set on the table and usually the loose leaf tea is provided for free but it cost ¥15 per packet. Honestly it’s not a lot of money for us, but on the flip side, surely the hotel can provide a bag of tea leaves for their guests. There are the standard free single-use packet tea in the drawer so at least there’s that. In-room slippers are not to be taken out; they’d charge you if you do - and that’s fine, but the slippers are actually really uncomfortable to wear. The small plate of fruits (banana, plum and mandarin) given at 5pm every day is a nice touch. The hotel breakfast is probably the highlight. Set on the 22nd floor with panoramic views of the city, breakfast is very enjoyable. The food quality is pretty good, but a real surprise here is the sheer diversity of food. The bread selection alone has 5-6 choices (pastries, brioche, baguette, square toast, etc), the cooked food section is almost endless (and there’s cooked Chinese vegetables! 👏🏾) and then there’s the fruit selection at the end too. My only gripe is that the coffee machine is a bit slow, and there’s only one machine so there can be a wait for coffee. Location of the hotel is a little odd; good restaurants and the main mall is about 15 mins’ walk away. There aren’t many good shops to wander around nearby. Generally, this is a solid hotel for this price point. Excellent service with very fast food delivery (using the ubiquitous delivery robots) and friendly front desk staff.

The room was small but exquisitely designed. The outdoor hot spring area and pools were incredibly photogenic! The water jets also created a fantastic 'wave' effect. My only suggestion is that the outdoor lights at night need to stay on for several times longer than they currently do; that definitely needs adjusting! The hotel restaurant's food was also excellent. I hope they continue to maintain their high standards. It's a hot spring hotel worth recommending!

This is a very good hotel. It is right next to the shopping mall, so restaurants and coffee shops are everywhere. We really appreciated the friendly front desk staff getting us an upgraded room. It is spacious, cleaned, comfortable, and fully stocked with everything we need. We love their long and cleaned pool. It’s perfect for lap swimmers. Definitely we will recommend this hotel to our friends and family.

The hotel environment is impeccable, with spacious public areas and beautiful birdsong and flowers. Perched on a hill, I was woken up every morning around 5 or 6 by the chirping of various birds. It's about a 15-minute walk to Xiamen University and Putuo Temple, though it's uphill and a bit tiring, but taxis are quite convenient. The room was also very large, with a bedroom offering a distant view of the rooftops of Xiamen University. All in-room facilities were well-equipped. While I wouldn't delve too deeply into the cleanliness details, it was acceptable, but the sound of water running from the rooms above or next door was particularly noisy. The service was excellent, with prompt responses to all requests! Overall, I was satisfied, with one exception: the breakfast was too basic. It felt like it cost less than five yuan to make, truly the most perfunctory breakfast I've ever had in decades of staying at hotels. We ended up ordering takeout for the kids for both days, so I don't think it's worth booking a rate that includes breakfast. I'd like to offer a suggestion to the hotel: with such a great location and environment, it should strive for perfection by putting more thought into improving the breakfast. For tourists, a hearty breakfast is truly important. If a buffet isn't feasible due to cost-cutting, at least the set menu could be more varied, instead of just offering a bowl of congee and one or two pre-made buns every day, which is quite unappetizing.

The room was absolutely stunning! The moment I opened the door, I knew the ocean view was worth every penny. You can definitely get some amazing photos right from your room. It's clear the owner has a great eye for design. The amenities in the room were also very comprehensive – even a Dyson hairdryer and facial tissues in the bathroom, which shows real attention to detail. We drove here, and parking was super convenient and free. The butler's service attitude was excellent too. And breakfast was quite tasty. I'll definitely book this place again next time I'm in Pingtan!

Highly recommend! The facilities are excellent and very clean. The air conditioning works great, and the service is attentive. Overall, it was a very good experience.