Feilaifeng Hotel

The staff who are still there are friendly and go out of their way to make guests comfortable, and the gym is open, though for fewer hours. I’ll return, since the Sofitel Wanda could get back to its former glory. Its location is convenient, in a quiet part of Ningbo and near plenty of shops and malls. The hotel took a hit during Covid and survived by cutting services: restaurants, spas, and some other amenities are reduced or unavailable, and the breakfast buffet has fewer choices. There are also fewer English-speaking staff, which makes sense after three years with almost no English-speaking visitors.

The massage was excellent, and the therapist was talented. Late in the session, she used Google Translate to ask, “Would you like to be massaged anywhere else?” I said my head, the one with the ears. :-) Someone at the front desk had also been very helpful when I asked about the air conditioning, offering to send someone and giving me a massage discount. But when I returned that night, the room was still just as warm, making sleep difficult. I called down and was told nothing could be done because the main system controlled the temperature. I thought that was nonsense, but with only two nights left I decided not to pursue it. The rooms feel worn out: tired decor, old carpets, and bubbling wallpaper, even though the bed itself was comfortable and well appointed. Breakfast was a disappointment too. After the wonderful hotel I’d stayed at in Xi’an, Sofitel’s buffet felt poor in both selection and quality. I used it because it was included, and the decor, with scattered river rocks and what looked like white crystal powder, was creepy and unappetizing. I’ve stayed at many impressive hotels across China. This one must have been grand in its day, but it feels past its prime now. My stay was average, and I wouldn’t return because of the worn room, disappointing breakfast, and heat.

The staff are so well managed and helpful that they make up for the little imperfections an older hotel develops. Overall, it’s a good place to stay, and I wouldn’t hesitate to return to Sofitel Wanda Ningbo.

It’s shocking that the staff at Sofitel Ningbo lost or misplaced my brother Mr Ravi F Saldanha’s passport at the hotel. He was meant to check out yesterday morning and fly home to Mumbai that evening. The hotel didn’t show any courtesy or help, so he had to leave and rely on a friend while running around to arrange a replacement passport and visa. His family is worried and waiting for him to return. He was supposed to be at his four-year-old daughter’s birthday today. No one in hotel management has stepped forward to help during this difficult time. How can a hotel be so careless? I want it to compensate him for his entire stay, expenses, and the time he lost in Shanghai, until he gets home.