The Ritz-Carlton, Guangzhou

My recent stay was very disappointing, largely due to discriminatory treatment by the hotel. At breakfast, the restaurant's front desk informed me that for safety reasons, guests were not allowed to wear room slippers into the dining area. I respected this rule and immediately went back upstairs to change after being told. However, as I was leaving the restaurant, I saw two women at the restaurant's front desk taking off the yellow plastic slippers provided by the restaurant and putting on their room slippers. Furthermore, there was a large bag of new, packaged yellow plastic slippers clearly visible at the front desk. I subsequently raised this issue with the hotel, and a male manager explained that these two women had been staying at the hotel for several days and came down late for breakfast, which was why they were provided with yellow slippers. This explanation and handling of the situation clearly demonstrates differential treatment. 1. **Discriminatory Treatment**: Should all guests, whether staying for a long or short period, not follow the same rules? Is it acceptable to apply a double standard based solely on the length of stay? 2. **Lack of Respect for Guests**: Upon check-in, I was neither informed in advance that 'room slippers are not allowed in the restaurant' nor were there any written notices. I actively cooperated with the rule, yet the hotel failed to enforce it fairly, which I find disrespectful to guests. 3. **Manager's Attitude**: When I inquired about the situation, the manager's phone response lacked politeness, further negatively impacting my stay. On a positive note, the service attitude of the young lady at the front desk was excellent! She was very polite, and the hotel offers direct views of the Canton Tower.

The hotel boasts an excellent location, close to Canton Tower and 'Xiao Man Yao' (the nickname for Canton Tower), and within walking distance of the Guangdong Museum, Library, K11, and the Embassies. The overall environment is elegant, and the staff are friendly and provide warm service, especially Claire and Joanna. The concierge also helps with luggage and opens car doors, offering thoughtful and attentive service. The hotel facilities are also great; the rooms are larger than other hotels, making for a very pleasant stay. I'll definitely choose this hotel again next time I visit Guangzhou.

The hotel's location is excellent, within walking distance to the Pearl River, and right downstairs from the Guangdong Museum and Guangzhou Library. The front desk staff were very helpful and accommodating. The room was spacious and comfortable. Although the facilities are a bit old, they are very well-maintained, and the hygiene is good. The executive lounge offers five meals a day, which was very satisfying, and you can dine while enjoying views of the Canton Tower. Breakfast is a full buffet with a wide variety of delicious options.

It's rare for me to leave a bad review, but this one is aimed squarely at the unreliability of the Trip.com app. I was in Guangzhou for a business trip and wanted to check out some high-end hotel designs. I searched online for luxury hotels in Guangzhou, and annoyingly, this one came up quite high in the rankings. I have no idea how such misleading rankings are generated, so it just goes to show you can't always trust what you read online; it's better to verify information through multiple channels. For example, if I had just called the front desk to ask if it was renovated in 2021, I probably wouldn't have booked it. I saw on the Trip.com app that it was renovated in 2021, so I believed it and booked a twin room for 1690. When I actually got to the hotel, I found it was quite old. It was too late in the evening to find another, better hotel. I spoke to a staff member who mentioned it had been open for 17 years (I couldn't verify this, it was just verbal). They really shouldn't put incorrect renovation dates on the app. For many people, a key criterion when booking a hotel is that it's been built or renovated within the last three to four years, as this usually reflects current design trends. They might try to explain that it was *partially* renovated in 2021, so they're playing a word game very cleverly. I won't comment on the price, as location and season can vary, but for an old-fashioned decor like this, the price is a bit high. This Ritz-Carlton is significantly different in detail from other properties of the same brand that have opened in the last four or five years. It's not that it's bad, it's just that the design standards from back then are quite dated. If you genuinely enjoy this so-called 'old money' style, then I guess it's fine for you. Objectively speaking, the cleanliness was good; I inspected the entire place, and it was spotless, and the service was also decent.

Booked a twin room, it was a bit damp. The hotel proactively upgraded us to a Canton Tower view room and also offered a late check-out. The tower view was absolutely stunning, definitely a thumbs-up for the hotel's service. The lobby was a bit noisy with loud music, and the room facilities were a bit old; the ventilation system needs improvement.

The room was clean and tidy, with snacks and fruit available. You could even see the Canton Tower from the window, which really brightened my mood during the stay.