Aloft Guangzhou Tianhe

Both nights, people smoked in the corridor and the smell came into my room, despite the Accor website describing the property as non-smoking. I asked to move, but staff weren't helpful and couldn't speak English. Check-in was frustrating too, with several employees at the front desk ignoring customers. As a Gold Accor member, I received neither a welcome drink nor a room upgrade. A disappointing stay.

After a long flight, I waited 15 minutes at reception only to be told the hotel was full. My booking showed as confirmed in the app and had a credit card guarantee, but they said I should have received an email asking me to confirm the reservation. I've been a platinum customer for a decade, and this was the worst experience of my life. I've now been here nearly an hour asking to speak with a manager, while the reception staff just laugh. I asked them to move me to the nearby Sofitel, but they didn't even check whether it had rooms. Shame on Accor. It looks like they'll leave me standing at reception all night.

The staff were friendly and helpful, and I slept well. From my top-floor room I had an impressive view of the stadium. The location in the CBD is great too, with most major tourist spots reachable on foot or by Didi. Thank you.

We arrived late with three rooms booked, but the hotel couldn't find our reservation. The staff also couldn't speak English. Their proposed compensation was a two-star hotel. I emailed the manager, whose only solution was a free room next time and, as a special offer, a complimentary Latex pillow. That's a joke, isn't it?