KKarena TI appreciated the convenient location and service, but the misleading tour arrangements, unexpected extra charges, and poor coordination made my overall stay frustrating and disappointing.
Location: The hotel is in the southern part of the Old Town, which has fewer crowds than other areas. It’s quieter, still beautiful, and easily accessible.
Service: The hotel offers one complimentary train/airport pickup if arranged in advance (for 3 night stay). The staff helped carry my luggage from the South Gate (cars can’t enter the Old Town) and provided welcome fruit upon request. Breakfast was as described, though the noodles were undercooked. The staff were responsive and helped me book tickets, including a trip to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain—but this is where things went wrong.
Initially, the hotel staff quoted me a reasonable price that matched my research and said the schedule was flexible, I could spend as much time as I like. When I went to book, they suddenly told me I needed to pay about 200 RMB more because I was a foreigner—something I knew wasn’t true from my experience in other cities. They also said lunch was mandatory. I was short on time and wanted convenience, so I accepted the extra charges.
Although I was told that jackets, oxygen bottles, and water would be provided, the driver took me and other Chinese tourists to a store to buy additional oxygen and energy drinks at four times the normal price. There I was told the “free” oxygen bottle was too small—information the hotel hadn’t mentioned. I bought one just in case but never needed it.
I booked a sunrise tour with a 5 a.m. pickup, but we didn’t actually see sunrise at the mountain—partly due to weather, partly because the schedule wasn’t designed for it. The driver took me to Blue Moon Lake first, then the cable car, and the Impression of Lijiang show last. He kept saying I was short on time, so I needed to buy an additional ticket for battery car to get around and rushed through Blue Moon Lake without knowing how long the walk should take, only to end up waiting an hour at the cable car.
After the show, we were taken to lunch, which had no menu—just a very basic hot pot shared with random strangers seated at the same table. The driver texted me to hurry up because other passengers were waiting and even told me that they didn’t pay for lunch because they knew it wasn’t good. That upset me even more. Overall, I felt rushed, overcharged, and misled, and the whole experience made the trip far less enjoyable.
Amenities: The amenities were as described, but there was no daily housekeeping or towel replacement.
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