Holiday Inn Nanjing Aqua City by IHG

The housekeeping was a bright spot. The room was kept clean, which deserves credit. Still, compared with other Chinese hotel brands where I've had more pleasant stays, I expected more from a Holiday Inn, even knowing this was an old property. Our Executive Room was spacious and had a large bed, but that was about all I liked. The dark carpet, dated design, small TV, and dim lighting made it feel tired. There was no free-flow bottled water, unlike at other hotels we've stayed in. The hotel connects to a mall, but the mall isn't much of a draw, and the more lively areas are a 10-15 minute walk away. Anyone can use the elevator to reach any floor without a key card, which raised a security concern. The heating and AC are centrally controlled. At year-end we couldn't use the AC, so we opened the windows for air; cool air came in, along with quite a bit of traffic noise. I'll share a video showing the route from FuZiMiao MRT station to the hotel. Hope it helps someone.

The room looked lovely, and the location worked well, right by a mall. The staff didn't speak much English, but I got along fine. The cleaning lady was especially friendly and wonderful.

The location was handy for rainy days since the hotel connects to a mall, and our room and bathroom were clean. Confucius Temple People Market and QINHUAI River are nearby, about a 7-10 minute walk. Most staff couldn't speak English. There was a cigarette smell in our room, and a tray but no balcony. Does that mean guests are allowed to smoke in their rooms?

Getting food deliveries was a hassle because the hotel wouldn't bring them up, so we had to collect everything ourselves. The standing shower also had somewhat weak water pressure, though the bathroom itself was spacious. There is a heated indoor pool and a gym. This is the largest Holiday Inn I've stayed at in China. The bedroom was very roomy for two people, the bed was comfortable, and there were different pillow options and basic amenities. The location is good, with a lobby connection to a mall full of Miniso, Popmart, shops, and dining choices. Fuzimiao is within walking distance, though the metro station isn't especially close.