InterContinental Chongqing Raffles City by IHG

The buffet was good. We stayed at Intercontinental for both business and leisure, and the location was perfect, close to shopping, the train station, and sightseeing. Our room was spacious and comfortable, with a great view of the city skyline. The lobby, reception, and in-room service were fantastic. Staff could suggest places to go and offer help. There was a bit of an English barrier, but we were able to overcome it.

The location was perfect, and we enjoyed the restaurants, bars, and delicious cocktails. The skywalk was an amazing experience, too. We stayed four nights at the InterContinental Raffles in Chongqing, and the rooms were beautiful, comfortable, and very well designed. Breakfast was incredible, with lots of variety. A few minor issues came up. Nothing major, but they felt surprising for a hotel of this level. The managers dealt with them quickly and efficiently, so we were satisfied with how everything was handled and don’t hold it against the hotel. The one small downside was that staff didn’t speak enough English. At a high-end hotel, we feel that should be a basic expectation. Otherwise, we had a wonderful stay.

The building and river views are beautiful, but the service was extremely disappointing. At check-in, a staff member told me to sit and wait while he came back for me. I waited over 20 minutes, then had to return to the desk myself. Later, my partner and I spent over 2000 RMB at the hotel’s live music bar and had a very nice evening. After it closed, we went to another hotel bar for one last drink. A staff member, later identified as May, told us there was a 1000 RMB minimum spend to sit there, even though the bar was almost completely empty. When I asked reception about it, they changed the story and said the rule applied only outside and that my partner and I had “misunderstood”. The same staff member said she had explained everything to me in English, but that simply wasn’t true. She spoke only to my partner in Chinese and only said hello to me when we entered. After 30 minutes of discussion, the only solution offered was to ask if I wanted to go back for a drink, by then the evening was already ruined. The next morning, the hotel’s “apology” was a small bottle of the same body lotion used in the bathroom. For a hotel under the InterContinental brand, this level of service was extremely disappointing. It’s a beautiful building, but unfortunately I can’t recommend it to international travelers.

I want to thank Ms.Candice and Ms. Mandy for making my New Year’s Eve stay with my friend such a wonderful experience. The other staff, whose names I can’t remember, were also very supportive. Everyone in the club lounge was kind and gave me useful information about local questions. The room had a lovely view, and I could have celebrated New Year’s Eve there, though the cloudy weather meant I couldn’t see the view this time. I’ve stayed at almost 20 IC properties, and I love the club lounge service here. Intercontinental will be a top priority for me. I’d recommend IC Chongqing to all members, especially ambassador, even when it’s not a special occasion. The hotel is very convenient even without a car, and it’s an easy walk to the department store on L5. I really appreciate all the effort that made the evening memorable.