Hilton Garden Inn Foshan Lishui

The area was quiet, which is why we picked this hotel near the Guangzhou border based on the reviews. It’s fairly industrial, though, with few restaurants in walking distance. A DIDI to a nearby mall with more places to eat was easy and cost about 6 RMB. The night view of the river was lovely, with lights reflecting on the water. Our room was spacious after a pleasant upgrade to a river view. The Wi-Fi was reliable and the shower had strong water pressure. Check-in went smoothly, though having the front desk on the third floor felt unusual at first. The gym is on that floor as well, and guests can use the washing and drying machines for free. Breakfast was acceptable, but the choices were limited. It looked like the hotel might be short-staffed: one chef handled both the noodle and egg stations, so there was sometimes a wait. The room stayed too warm despite changing the air conditioning settings, and the weather was hot during our visit. We called the front desk and they brought us a fan, which cooled the room to around 21C. Ask for one if you run into the same problem, it helped. It’s a comfortable option for a quieter stay away from the busiest parts of the city, though nearby dining is limited and the A/C was an issue.

Everything was brand new when we stayed, as the hotel had just opened. I loved the room design and the way the atmosphere is part of each space’s decor. The service was excellent, and everyone spoke English and made things easy. It’s a high-tech place, with smart bathrooms, automatic curtains and lights, and tables with wireless charging. A very special hotel, 100/100!

Lovely place, and the food was delicious.