Howard Johnson Plaza Jindi

At Howard Johnson Jinlun Plaza Datong, I experienced the warmth and kindness of the Datong people. The room facilities and size were excellent 😀, and it's very close to the ancient city. It's also convenient to get to the train station and the grottoes, and taxis in Datong are very affordable. The breakfast was rich and included lamb offal soup. The service was warm and attentive, leaving me with wonderful memories. The hotel dinner was both affordable and delicious, absolutely comparable to popular 'influencer' restaurants.

Room upgrade: I got a spacious 62-square-meter room. It was very clean, and the staff were incredibly attentive and thoughtful. I especially loved the warm pear drink they offered – it was wonderful. The breakfast spread was exceptionally rich with a huge variety of options. I really enjoyed it. Highly recommend!

The family room was spacious and large enough for our family of three. The room was clean and tidy, and the service was warm and attentive. For breakfast, there were freshly made specialty snacks like knife-cut noodles, along with both Chinese and Western options.

I accidentally left my clothes at the restaurant, and when I called the hotel, they were very responsible and helped me find them and sent them back to me. I'm really grateful for that. The room itself was also very spacious, and I was satisfied with everything. I didn't take photos of the room, so I've attached a few from my trip instead. I was quite happy with my Datong trip too.

I stayed for 3 days and was very satisfied! On the first night, I checked in around 10 PM. I had booked a twin room by mistake, but after speaking with the front desk, they changed it to a business king room. There was already fruit in the room. The breakfast buffet the next morning, although crowded, had a rich variety of fresh dishes, which I was very pleased with. For dinner on the second night, I chose the hotel's Chinese restaurant on the 11th floor. They had a set meal for 2-3 people for only 98 RMB, which was incredibly good value for money. For two consecutive nights, I received late-night snacks and thoughtful cards. My stay was excellent, and it left me with a very positive impression of Datong.

This hotel is quite old, probably 15-20 years, so the decor and furnishings are a bit dated. Housekeeping will send fruit to your room after check-in. You can scan a QR code in the room to order food, which is then delivered by staff. The prices are reasonable, and the food tastes great. The swimming pool staff provide good service, but the pool water itself had a lot of particles and debris, which was quite off-putting. Around 10 PM, the front desk called to suggest I check out around 8 AM the next day, stating there was a meeting and the delegates would be arriving early. In decades of staying at hotels, this is the first time I've encountered such blatant favoritism. It made me think of a promotional slogan for this city, which is known as 'Datong' (meaning 'Great Harmony'): 'Ancient Capital of China, Truly 'Dis'similar!' (a play on words implying a lack of harmony or fairness).

This trip was with my family, and since my sisters are older, we chose a hotel close to the ancient city. Although the hotel facilities are a bit dated, it was very clean, well-equipped, and the room was incredibly spacious, making for a very comfortable stay. After a day of sightseeing, returning to the room to find a handwritten note and pear juice from the housekeeping lady felt very warm. This trip also happened to be my birthday, and the hotel surprised me with a beautiful cake 🎂, which was so thoughtful. The trip ended perfectly, and the hotel service was truly excellent.

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!

The room facilities were complete and comfortable, and it was very spacious. The twin beds were also 1.35m x 2m, and the soundproofing was excellent. Breakfast was good, and the hotel's Chinese restaurant offered reasonable prices and was quite nice 👍