Normally, I'd just give a default good rating, but this time I really need to leave a detailed review. I was originally booked into the Yihe Hotel Grand Theater branch, but due to inconvenient parking and other reasons, I canceled that booking and opted for this hotel, which claims to be Linyi's No. 1 luxury hotel.
First, the good points: The location is excellent, right next to the Deng huo Lanshan - Xinlangya scenic area. Across the street are the Linyi TV Tower and Phoenix Square, offering fantastic night views.
Now, for the rest, in chronological order:
1. We arrived at the hotel around 8:10 PM after visiting Langya Ancient City. There was no one to guide us to parking, so we had to ask a staff member for directions. The underground parking garage entrance/exit ramp had a lot of cars parked on it, making it difficult to get in and out without jockeying for space. There were plenty of empty spots inside, but some had very low clearances; a slightly taller SUV might scrape the roof.
2. My wife took the kids to check in first. There were two service counters, but whether it was an issue with the previous guests or a service problem, the wait was quite long.
3. Despite Ctrip deducting the room fee, it was apparently just a deposit to secure the room. Upon arrival, we had to pay an additional 1000 RMB (including a security deposit). The room rate was 780 RMB, but the walk-in price for Accor members that day was 650 RMB.
4. The room decor felt outdated. The moment I swiped the card for the door lock, I knew what was coming. Opening the door felt like stepping back into a 90s TV show.
5. It was quite cold when we entered. I thought the AC was on, but even after turning it off, it was still chilly. I then realized the window wasn't closed, and we had to call room service to close it.
6. The lighting was dim. The main light was large but had the brightness of an incandescent bulb, and its intensity couldn't be adjusted.
7. The front desk mentioned the minibar was free, but upon opening it, there was only one can of Coke and one can of Sprite.
8. The bottled water was Pure Joy brand. My son said he couldn't open it, and I thought he was being fussy, but it took me nearly scrubbing the skin off my hands to finally open it.
9. The disposable toiletries included only two toothbrushes, one comb, and two sachets of toothpaste. Why sachets? Because they were tiny, tear-open toothpaste packets. I've stayed in so many hotels, even homestays in unfinished communities, and I've never seen such paltry disposable amenities.
10. The TV must have been from the last century. My son wanted to watch cartoons, but when we turned it on, we could only watch cable TV, and the screen didn't even display a full picture.
11. The toilet not being smart is understandable, but I doubt even rural guesthouses use such old-fashioned models anymore.
12. The sink drain stopper only opened a tiny slit, making the water drain incredibly slowly. Filling the sink with hot water was also agonizingly slow.
13. We encountered extreme weather during our stay, and some of our clothes got wet. I wanted to hang them to dry, but can you believe there were no clothes hangers? I only realized then that there was nowhere to hang clothes, and no bathrobes either (even if I don't use them, they should still be provided, right?).
14. The carpet looked like it hadn't been cleaned since the hotel opened; it was dark and dirty.
15. When checking out, they gave us a souvenir and a comic book, which was a nice touch.
We were traveling with our child and wanted to stay in a nice hotel, but this experience really set a new low. It was a real slap in the face. I can only console myself by thinking the view outside was good, and maybe that's what we paid for.
Original TextTranslation provided by Google
