Regency Hotel（（Shantou Railway Station））

The location is pretty good, close to the high-speed rail station, which is convenient. There's a beef hotpot restaurant nearby, which is also handy. The hotel environment is a bit old-fashioned, and the service is just average, with room for improvement.

Overall, it was a good experience. They have a gym and a pool. My only minor gripe is that the weighing scale in the gym was really old and didn't even work. There's no point keeping it if it's just going to bring down the quality of the facilities.

I initially thought it would be an old hotel, but it far exceeded my expectations. It had the grandeur you'd only find in a classic five-star hotel— understated luxury, clean, and tidy. All the furniture, while vintage, clearly showed their original high quality. Outside, whether in the elevator or hallway, a quick swipe revealed not a speck of dust. It's as if to say that no matter how modern, luxurious, or boutique today's automated renovations get, traditional five-star hotels with an 'old money' style are truly the most tasteful, impressive, and timeless.

The hotel parking was convenient, and the service attitude was excellent. However, many details were subpar, and the hotel facilities were very outdated. When I checked in, the room assigned to me already had someone else's luggage. Fortunately, the front desk promptly upgraded my room for free, which was a very good service. The room had a strong musty smell, and the carpet was very dirty with several large stains. What was even more unacceptable was finding a boiled piece of dried orange peel inside the kettle – that was truly disgusting, and the hygiene is seriously questionable! The room had virtually no soundproofing. During the May Day holiday, there were many children, and I could hear conversations from the next room clearly. I would not recommend this hotel for light sleepers.

The location is good and quite convenient. However, the facilities are a bit old, and the room itself was just okay. The service professionalism was also average (they messed up my room nights). They severely overcharged during the holiday, so the value for money was pretty mediocre.

Plans change unexpectedly. My trip to Jieyang was switched to Shantou, and I booked the Shantou Imperial Hotel on Trip.com just half a day in advance. This isn't my first time staying here; it's a well-established five-star hotel, close to the high-speed rail station and not too far from popular food spots. After booking, I quickly contacted Linna, the butler I'd added on WeChat previously, to arrange a pickup from the high-speed rail. She responded promptly, asking for my train number, arrival time, and the number of people (very reliable!). She told me to just keep an eye out for her call upon arrival. To my surprise and delight, she also arranged a free room upgrade. Plans truly do change. While waiting at Puning high-speed rail station, I was informed that my train would be delayed by about 40 minutes. I contacted Linna immediately to avoid having the hotel car wait unnecessarily, but she informed me that the hotel's pick-up vehicle had already departed. She instructed me to look for a staff member in a red uniform upon arrival. I actually felt a bit bad about the delay. Once the train arrived at Shantou Station, as I exited the gate, I saw a sharp-looking young man in a red uniform standing at the exit, looking directly at our train's exit. We made eye contact instantly. He politely asked for my surname and confirmed some basic check-in information, then enthusiastically helped us with our luggage and guided us to the parking lot to get in the car (it felt quite fancy having a dedicated escort! 😜). During this time, he even called the driver to move to a more convenient pick-up spot to minimize our walking distance. After a few twists and turns, we finally arrived at the hotel. We quickly checked in, dropped off our luggage in the room, and began our culinary adventure. Given that it's an older five-star hotel, I must admit the facilities are a bit dated. The room also had some older fixtures and a faint smell of smoke. While the air conditioning seemed to help, an air purifier would have been even more effective in improving the room's scent. On a positive note, the water pressure in the room was excellent, making for a very comfortable and refreshing shower. The next day, when I contacted Linna to arrange a ride to the high-speed rail station, she was very proactive in communicating and coordinating with hotel management, even though our departure time was quite early (outside the hotel's normal shuttle hours). In the end, she ensured we arrived at the high-speed rail station safely and on time. To sum it up, while the hotel's hardware might not be the absolute best, the attentive and thoughtful service from the staff truly surprised and impressed me. This kind of warm service makes every guest feel genuinely cared for. For future stays in Shantou, I'll most likely choose the Imperial Hotel again. Such excellent service undoubtedly makes every guest feel comfortable and at ease.

Summary: An older hotel, what you see in the photos is what you get. The service attitude is good, but not flexible enough. Location: Very close to Shantou Station, just 3 minutes away, but the surrounding area is residential with nothing much to explore. The hotel offers free pick-up service from the station, with a bellboy meeting you at the exit, which is great as it avoids the hassle of getting a taxi for such a short distance. Service: All staff members were very friendly. The front desk offered a snack box upon check-in, and the bellboy and housekeeping staff were all very nice. The only letdown was the birthday gift: On the first day of my stay, I was told they could provide a birthday cake, but it could only be delivered on the afternoon of the second day. Since I wanted to check out early at 11 AM, I asked if I could swap it for one breakfast instead, but they disagreed. In the end, I didn't receive any gift. Facilities: 1. It's advertised as a heated pool, but it's actually just an outdoor pool that's very cold and has no heating equipment. It definitely can't be called heated! 2. The room felt a bit stuffy. To open a window, you need to sign an agreement, and a staff member comes to open it for you. The window was difficult to open, even for two young people. 3. The TV remote control wasn't working well, but it improved after it was replaced.

To be honest, I had some reservations when booking this veteran hotel, mainly worried about outdated facilities. However, my stay completely exceeded expectations. The service was excellent, and while the overall decor reflects that typical Guangdong five-star style from the last century, everything was well-maintained. It had a charming, retro Cantonese vibe. The service staff were also very attentive. There's a Walmart across the street, and the nearby Maoji Beef Hotpot offers fantastic value for money. The dim sum at the third-floor tea restaurant is incredibly authentic. The only real downside is that it's a bit far from Xiaogongyuan (Small Park), but getting to Longyannan Road is very convenient. I genuinely recommend this hotel.