Lavande Hotel (Shantou Chenghai Customs Xiushuiyuan)

The location worked well for my business trip, with business areas nearby and fairly easy access to Jieyang (Chaoshan) Airport and the Chaoshan high-speed train station. Allow extra time, though, since traffic in the morning and evening can cause delays. WiFi was free and fairly fast, and the air conditioning was comfortable. I didn’t try the restaurant, so I can’t comment on it. The room itself was very ordinary and felt like a dungeon. My corner room was rhomboid rather than rectangular, and its window was tiny, under 90 cm or 3 feet wide, which made the room feel trapping. The other rooms looked better. Maybe my assistant booked a cheaper option, so be careful about that price trap. A bedside lamp was broken, and maintenance needs attention. There were some nice touches on arrival: a warm welcome, a smile, and a hot towel. The decor was good quality, with touch switches and a minibar stocked with drinks and beer. Based on my experience at Chinese hotels, I put the complimentary water bottles in to chill. Later, when I wanted ice or cold water for whisky, they refused, so the cold water from the minibar came in handy.

Pretty good, though there isn’t much variety at breakfast.