Guangzhou Grand View Golden Palace Apartment

I've stayed here many times as a returning customer, but this visit was baffling and really upsetting. Management, please look into it. We arrived in the morning and were grateful to be allowed an early check-in. The washing machine wasn't working, but they kindly arranged to have our laundry picked up and washed. When the clean laundry was brought to our room on the evening of 27th Oct, the staff member blocked the main door with her body and shoe. She insisted we give her a 5 star review and let her take a photo before she'd leave. It was our very first night, and we were startled by how pushy she was. Booking platforms usually ask for reviews after checkout, and we didn't appreciate this at all. We had booked a family room. The bed on the second level was comfortable, but the two others in the living room and dining area were too hard for us, even with comforters on them. Our flight home was close to 11pm, so we paid extra for late checkout until 6pm to have time to get souvenirs, pack and rest. On checkout day, I told the cleaning staff and her colleague in the hallway that we'd be leaving late. They were upset and said we were embarrassing them by making the cleaners work until late. We had paid for late checkout, it wasn't free. The cleaner could have arranged to clean the next working day. We weren't forcing anyone to work late, and it's unacceptable for staff to tell paying guests what they should or shouldn't do when they're not breaking any rules. Where did the usual excellence go? Management, please check. Potential guests should do their due diligence.

The room felt old, with worn furnishings, and the floor really needed indoor slippers. We booked a duplex for 3 people but got only 2 bath towels and 1 hand towel, with no floor mats. There were just 2 room cards as well. There was no way to contact the front desk, so I went down to ask for more towels, including one for the downstairs toilet. They said they were sorry but didn't have enough, and could provide only 1 set per guest. The staff member who brought the towels seemed extremely unhappy to be given the task. Seriously, don't book here.

I asked for a better room before checking in, but even that one was in poor shape. The place is old, dirty and badly in need of maintenance and refurbishment. The bathroom was blocked, and the powder room basin was badly leaking, with a damaged vanity. The beds were a mess too: of the 3, only one was okay. The other two were hard and uneven, and left me with back pain. It was dusty, noisy, and I could constantly hear running and footsteps from the floor. The hotel charges so much, yet doesn't seem able to renovate the rooms, perhaps because it's continuously busy. This stay was extremely disappointing and not worth the money. I'll never recommend it or stay again.

The location is good, right in the heart of Tianhe, though getting to an apartment takes time because you have to change lifts on the 23rd floor. We booked 3 rooms and every one had serious cleanliness problems: bugs on the sheets, thick dust on the headboards, tissue bits on the floor and shower curtains that were about 90% mouldy. We were there for only one night, but had to change one room because it was so bad. It must once have been a luxury block, but poor cleaning and maintenance have turned it into a dire place to stay. It was bad enough that anywhere else in the world I'd ask for compensation. The front desk staff had no manners, so don't expect much from them.