Crowne Plaza Shennongjia by IHG

Our King Junior Suite Living Area Garden View room was roomy and nicely laid out, and with so few guests around in the low season, it felt like we had much of the hotel to ourselves. Dinner was enjoyable and fairly priced compared with places in Muyu town. The staff tried hard to make us feel welcome, and an intern in particular had a friendly manner that made dinner brighter. There were several letdowns, though. We only learned at check-in that the executive lounge was closed, and got meal vouchers instead. The pool was shut for maintenance with no compensation, and the breakfast buffet wasn't available either. We had to order from a small menu, with items often unavailable, and breakfast orders still came out wrong or missing despite checking first. Only one restaurant was open for dinner. The central heater had also been switched off to save electricity, so the stay was less comfortable. Even though we were the only guests on our floor, we weren't given an upgrade. We stayed at Crowne Plaza Shennongjia in late March, during the low season, and the closures and changes hadn't been explained in advance. The staff's effort and the pleasant room helped, but communication and consistency in service need work.