Home Inn Xiamen Dongdu Cruise Center Xiagu Wharf

This has been the worst IHG stay I've had anywhere so far. The hotel feels old, and the staff came across as indifferent. Before arriving, I emailed twice about having some amenities placed in the room and got no answer. At check-in I requested two extra bottles of water, only to be told they would cost extra. Then the front desk said our Visa was not applicable. I asked how we could have cleared immigration if that were true; after some back and forth, a more senior employee corrected the first person, but nobody apologized. When I later asked for help getting a taxi to the airport, I was told to find one on the street myself. A thoroughly awful experience.

The room was unbearably hot because the air conditioning wasn't working. Food at the restaurant was decent, but took far too long to prepare and arrive.

The breakfast is well worth recommending. Good facilities matter, but good service matters too, and Xiao Zhong at reception showed that the hotel has trained its staff well through the way they responded to guests.

The breakfast was the main plus. The choices were limited, mostly fresh vegetables, boiled or fried eggs, and noodles or rice noodles cooked to order. The coffee was weak, though the breakfast staff were very friendly. There's also a pleasant hiking trail nearby, and the ferry terminal for Gulangyu Island is close. Our room had been upgraded, but it was still quite small and not clean enough. There were water marks and grime in the bathroom. The front desk wasn't helpful, and we had to ask several times for water and ice. Housekeeping staff, on the other hand, were friendly.