Crowne Plaza Hefei Rongqiao

The location near Hefei's lovely Xiaoyaojin park (Xiaoyaojin Park) is a plus, and the rooms were clean and well equipped. Wi-Fi was reliable, staff were friendly, and breakfast had a generous spread. The nearest metro stop is unfortunately quite far away. The big problem was the heat. The hotel had switched off air conditioning throughout the building in October. October in Hefei usually doesn't call for AC, but there was a two-week heatwave during our three-week stay. Our first room was 30°C (86°F) at 6pm and only a little cooler overnight. They need to turn the AC back on during a heatwave, or guests will complain. The manager did make a good effort to move us to a cooler, north-facing room, and stayed patient when we turned down the first alternative because it clearly smelled of cigarette smoke. We settled for a room that was cooler but still warm, since we were only staying three nights. I'd come back, but only in winter.

The staff were friendly, and there were plenty of other places to eat within walking distance. I stayed for a couple of days in May 2017 and enjoyed it. The hotel and location were both very nice, the food was good, and the complimentary breakfast was awesome.

The room was clean, spacious, and had all the amenities, including a pool and gym. The lobby was nice, staff polite, and shops on the ground floor were handy. Breakfast is served in a huge hall that can seat around 300 people. It's a comfortable choice for business or tourists, though the staff need to improve their English. Prices vary a lot, but when the rate is right, Crown plaza is always my first choice.

The city felt dirty, the room was noisy because it was close to the railway, and the heating wasn't sufficient. I had no reason to choose it, since it was booked through a travel agent.