Hotele z: Pools w Shanxi, China

On my trip to Datong, I booked a stay at the Howard Johnson Jindi Plaza Datong, located right by the ancient city, through Trip.com. It's rated 5 stars online, and it truly lives up to the hype! As soon as I checked in, I was upgraded for free to a deluxe business suite. It was my first time seeing a suite with a dining table big enough to host over 10 friends and family. After one night, I switched back to my originally booked business king room. The king room was also incredibly comfortable, measuring a spacious 62 square meters. Opening the curtains revealed views of Datong's streets. If you walk to the end of the corridor, you can even see a panoramic view of the ancient city of Datong. What truly stands out is the fantastic Chinese restaurant at this 5-star hotel. I stayed in Datong for three days, and除了one lunch I had in Hunyuan Ancient City, all my other five lunches and dinners were enjoyed at the hotel's Chinese restaurant. Here, a bowl of Shanxi's specialty knife-cut noodles is only 6 RMB, and a bowl of cold noodles, even tastier than those in Hunyuan, is just 3 RMB. You can order half portions of shumai, and during the first dog days of summer, they even had dumplings. I tried the braised deer tendon with scallions, something I'd never had before, and it was superb, as were the husband and wife lung slices and jellyfish salad – perfect with drinks. Dining here is delicious and affordable. If you top up 200 RMB, you even get a complimentary plate of Shanxi's signature 'guoyourou' (fried pork in sauce). A huge shout-out also goes to the restaurant staff. They are warm, thoughtful, and genuinely care for guests, even advising against ordering too much, ensuring just the right amount! In summary, I give a 5-star rating to both the hotel and the F&B department. The last photo is of the hotel's breakfast, which was also excellent. The hotel has two breakfast restaurants, so even with many guests, it never feels crowded!

1. **Impeccable Service:** The two staff members at the Executive Lounge were incredibly attentive and thoughtful throughout our stay. They were always anticipating guests' needs, proactively refilling drinks and tidying tables with a gentle yet professional demeanor. The doorman at the entrance was also very welcoming, immediately offering to help with luggage upon arrival. Their detailed and genuine service made us feel warm and welcomed from the moment we stepped in. 2. **Outstanding Room Amenities:** The hotel's facilities are very new, and the room was spotlessly clean and odor-free. The bedding was soft and skin-friendly, allowing for immediate relaxation and a peaceful night's sleep. We were also delighted to receive fresh welcome fruit upon check-in, a lovely touch that highlights their attention to detail. 3. **Overall Summary:** From the doorman to the Executive Lounge and the room amenities, the service in every aspect was top-notch. The environment was comfortable and quiet. This will definitely be our first choice for accommodation when traveling, and we'll certainly choose this hotel again next time!

An old five-star hotel with very high cost performance. In particular, the front office service is very good, and the lobby manager Wang Jue is attentive.

The room felt absolutely fantastic! We booked a family suite, and it was incredibly spacious. Besides the usual lotion, shampoo, shower gel, and conditioner, they also provided kids' slippers, and separate dry and wet slippers. The bed was very comfortable, and the room was quiet. Breakfast was good too, and we even got to try the local noodles. Although the outdoor hot spring only had two small pools, it still created a great resort atmosphere, especially with the kids running around. When we checked out, the staff even gave us a thoughtful parting gift. It was a delightful day.

I read a lot of reviews beforehand, which mostly mentioned terrible room conditions and unhelpful front desk staff. This prepared me for the worst, but when we arrived in the early hours of the morning, the staff member at the front desk was incredibly kind and friendly. We're a family of four, and they proactively upgraded our room. We had originally booked a Cloud Elegant Twin Room with two 1.35m beds, but they upgraded us to a Cloud Family Room with two 1.5m beds – what a pleasant surprise! We're so grateful. The room size is already quite generous, and both the indoor and outdoor environments are very quiet. The interior decor, even down to the corners, isn't as bad as some reviews suggested. As for the issue of yellow water, I didn't experience it during my two-night stay. The breakfast area is very nice, with a wide variety of dishes, including Shanxi specialties, and the food tastes good.

This week, I stayed at three five-star hotels in Shanxi – in Wutaishan, Datong, and Taiyuan. The Marriott in Wutaishan was by far the best experience. The breakfast and dinner buffets offered a wide variety of choices and had very long operating hours. The facilities were brand new and of a high standard, and the surrounding environment was pleasant. The only area for improvement is the service. Compared to hotels in Zhejiang, the staff here felt quite cold (perhaps it's a local custom, as it was even colder in Datong and Taiyuan).

The breakfast here is probably the best I've ever had! So many options and really hearty dishes, no wonder everyone who visits Shanxi needs a nap afterwards 💤. Service was good, though they weren't very flexible with upgrades this time. Also, the projection in the movie room wasn't working properly… The welcome fruit was just okay, didn't really fancy it. The first Starbucks coffee on the first day of my stay was a nice touch though – perfect for an early morning pick-me-up.

Traveling with my family to Taiyuan, I chose to stay at the Taiyuan Marriott Hotel, and the entire experience exceeded our expectations – we were extremely satisfied. The check-in process was smooth, and the staff were gentle and polite. We encountered a minor issue during our stay, but the hotel responded very quickly and resolved the problem efficiently and appropriately. Their attitude towards problem-solving and their professionalism were truly impressive! The room was clean and tidy, and the bedding was comfortable, allowing my mother to rest very well. The facilities were well-maintained, and the overall environment was quiet and elegant. The location is convenient for getting around, making it easy to visit attractions like Jinci Temple, the Provincial Museum, and Zhonglou Street. The hotel's breakfast buffet offered a wide variety of options, including a full spread of local Shanxi specialties, as well as both northern and southern Chinese flavors. There were Chinese congees and dim sum, Western pastries, fresh fruits, and hot and cold beverages – truly everything you could imagine. There were light and soft grain porridges and steamed items suitable for elders, as well as desserts and drinks that kids would love. The live noodle station allowed us to customize toppings and seasonings as we liked, and the flavors were authentic. We enjoyed a satisfying breakfast every day. Beyond its excellent facilities, the Marriott also boasts a service team that takes initiative and genuinely cares for its guests, which is even more commendable. This made our entire trip feel complete!

Let me talk about the pros. The breakfast was quite plentiful and tasty, 68 yuan per person. Our child, being 15, paid an extra 40 yuan. We booked three rooms together. The rooms were decent for a five-star hotel, and the lobby was beautiful. Now for areas for improvement. Aside from the good security guard at the entrance, the service could be better. Since it's a hot spring hotel, the hot spring itself is important, but it was rather mediocre. Of the 12 pools, some were 58 degrees Celsius, some 48 degrees, and only a few were usable and small. Also, because so many people were crammed into a few pools, they became quite dirty. All three families stayed for an hour before leaving. There were too many access control points. For a hotel in such a remote area, I don't understand why there were so many access control points and card swiping systems; it was very inconvenient. I didn't intend to give a low score because the front desk gave us a complimentary breakfast, which was a concession.

The door is the starting point of running the marathon. This is very happy. The breakfast is good. It is very rich. If you have the opportunity to participate in the competition, you will go. It is still very cold that day and the hotel is very warm.