East Coast Hotel Guangzhou

There’s plenty of choice at the breakfast buffet in the restaurant next door, and I liked the pork and chive dumpling the chef can fry up if you ask. Across the road are some good dinner spots, including a grill place with live music. The nearby bridge is lit prettily until midnight, and an evening walk by the river is relaxing, with people jogging and dancing salsa. The rooms are very large and clean, though they often have a lingering cigarette smell. Only some staff speak English, and their English is so-so. On one visit their card machine was broken, and I needed 800 RMB for the room deposit; they wouldn’t budge, which nearly caused a problem. Street noise comes through quite a bit. Road works went on all night once, and I barely slept. The room WiFi was weak until I brought it up and they boosted the signal; it’s always strong in the lobby. Despite those grumbles, I’d stay again for business, though privately I’d look for somewhere cheaper.