DONGBAI LANES HOTEL

Our last-minute New Year's Eve trip led us to Fuzhou, the City of Fortune. As a family of three with a 4-year-old, our hotel requirements were: 1) mid-to-high end, 2) spacious rooms, and 3) an excellent location. After much searching, we chose Dongbai Fangxiang, and we were incredibly satisfied upon check-in; the hotel perfectly met all our needs. The hotel's location is superb. Sanfang Qixiang is right downstairs, and you can see the 'Heart Tree' from the hotel restaurant. There are three shopping malls at the intersection, completely satisfying both my child's and my desire for shopping and dining. Public transport is convenient. Although we didn't use the subway, our chartered car driver mentioned that the subway station downstairs offers easy access to all major attractions, and it's even free during holidays. Room: We booked a street-view suite, which had a living room with a sofa, two very well-equipped bathrooms, and a spacious shower. There were also two sinks. Breakfast: Frankly, the variety wasn't extensive, but all the essentials were there, and the options changed daily. We stayed for five days in total. Laohua (a local noodle soup) was available every day, and while Guobian (a local pancake-like dish) wasn't daily, we had it twice during our stay. A short-haired staff member in the breakfast restaurant was very enthusiastic. Since almost every guest asked how to prepare Laohua, she patiently explained it repeatedly. If you're a young person visiting, I recommend staying in Yantai Street instead.

Our room was on the top floor, offering a fantastic, expansive view overlooking Sanfang Qixiang. The room itself was spotless and well-maintained. The breakfast had a great variety and tasted delicious. The staff were all very warm and attentive. Highly recommend staying here! I totally forgot to take pictures of the room though!

To be honest, this hotel feels a bit extravagant for the Fuzhou Sanfang Qixiang area. You can't cancel within 30 minutes of booking, and it's the most expensive among the nearby hotels. Frankly, for a 5-diamond hotel, the value for money isn't great. 1. No hot air from the AC, only two small bottles of complimentary mineral water, and the large bottle on the table costs extra. There's no mini-fridge. 2. Noise issue. The bathroom soundproofing is terrible; you can clearly hear water running when guests upstairs shower or wash up. 3. The breakfast taste was very ordinary. Although there was a good variety, nothing really stood out as delicious. The condiments were insufficient, and the 'laohua' (noodle dish) was completely tasteless, so we only had a few bites.

The location is fantastic, right next to Sanfang Qixiang. You'll need a taxi to get to Yantai Mountain and Shangxiahang, but it's very easy to hail a cab from the hotel. The room was clean and tidy, the service was excellent, and the bedding was comfortable. The twin beds can be pushed together, which worked perfectly for a family of three.

This hotel completely exceeded my expectations! From the name, I thought it would be an old-fashioned place, but after checking in, I found everything to be fantastic – from the rooms to the breakfast and the front desk service. The room was new and very clean, and they even upgraded us to a family suite with two rooms and two large beds. The only minor drawback was being on the 17th floor, directly below the 18th-floor restaurant, which was a bit noisy in the evening, but it quieted down before 10 PM. The breakfast had a great selection, including local specialties like 'Laohua' (Hainanese rice noodle soup), and the restaurant offers a panoramic view of Sanfang Qixiang. The hotel is literally steps away from Sanfang Qixiang, and there are plenty of great eateries nearby, like Zhu Fugui. It's incredibly convenient for travelers!

Everything was great except for the breakfast. The hotel is conveniently located next to the subway in the city center, backed by a large commercial complex, and right next to Sanfang Qixiang. The hotel's decor, room types, and facilities are all up to par. The only downside was that the breakfast felt more like something you'd find at a budget hotel. However, it's still a good deal considering it's cheaper than other five-star hotels in the same area!