South China Hotel

Good 👍 Really nice, very good.

The beach is clean, with fine, pleasant sand and a gentle entry into the water. Swimming is only allowed inside the buoy-marked areas between 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM. Around noon, everyone is asked to come ashore for a short rest, then after 10 minutes they can swim again. Staff keep watch and seem concerned for swimmers’ safety. It’s a four-star hotel right on the beachfront, with its own grounds and pool, and everything is kept neat and clean. The bed linen, pillows, and blankets are natural silk, so I slept like a baby. Breakfast is tasty and has just about everything, apart from seafood. That’s easy to find nearby, though, with restaurants and markets all around the hotel. The hotel guides speak Russian and are glad to help with advice. There’s lots within walking distance, including the central square, Ananas shopping center, and the Panda and U Lina restaurants just around the corner. Prices are reasonable and portions are huge. Public transport stops are close by, but taxis are very cheap. The main thing is to download Alipay and pay through the app.

Our clothes ended up on a drying rack because there wasn’t a proper wardrobe. The rooms themselves were cleaned well, but we were put in basement rooms and told it was because we hadn’t paid enough. When I booked through Booking.com, I hadn’t understood that these were the basement rooms, with a lovely view of a garbage dump, rusty pipes, and a building where staff lived and rode mopeds. The staff seemed tired of guests and weren’t keen to help. Almost nobody spoke Russian or English, so we had to use an electronic translator, and it was often hard to understand anything. Every attempt to reach an agreement with management got the same response: pay extra or don’t. See photo.

The room had a stunning view over the sea and pool, and the hotel is in a great spot near the Ananas, Leto, and Zima shopping centers, a mini market with reasonably priced fruit, and lots of cafes and shops. The food was delicious and there was a wide choice. The hotel is nice, though this bay may not suit anyone wanting a quiet break. The beach is local, and there aren’t enough sun loungers and umbrellas for everyone. A couple of things were frustrating: communication with reception was difficult, and there were no beach or pool towels. We were told to take them from our room, but there weren’t enough for the beach. On our last day, with a 10:00 PM flight, we asked to extend our stay. They offered another room at a price without breakfast. We were moved to a different wing, where the room was worse and looked out on a dirty backyard. The elevator there was terribly hot, unlike the one in the first wing. There’s also a medical center in the hotel offering various procedures. You communicate with the doctor through an interpreter.