Joyze Hotel Xiamen, Curio Collection by Hilton

The hotel is a Hilton sub-brand and feels luxurious and comfortable. The outdoor infinity pool is very nice, and breakfast was great. It's just five minutes from the sea, and a ten-minute walk gets you to a great food street with local options as well as places like starbuck and KFC. The room has a washlet and a tub.

From the moment my car pulled up, everything was wonderful. Sylvia and the team went out of their way to help, and since I was a bit of a “panda” in Xiamen, Sylvia shared her WeChat and answered my questions. I came for the marathon, and the Joyze Hotel arranged an early breakfast for runners and a coach to the start. When we got back, there were flowers, tea, and a warm welcome. It was beyond what I expected.

I really liked how peaceful the hotel felt, and getting around was easy. It’s only about 200-300 meters from an entrance to Zeng Cuo An village, with lots of little shops and places to eat, and the beach is roughly 200 meters away. The staff were attentive, and housekeeping responded quickly whenever we asked for something. They even brought a hot flask of Chinese dessert to our room each night, which felt very homey. Tony at the concierge was a great help. He arranged a private tour and gave us useful tips on places to visit, getting around, and things to do in Xiamen. Our room was spacious-feeling thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows and the sunlight, and it had some clever features like automatic curtains and a Japanese-style electronic toilet. The outdoor pool is on the small side, and you need a swimming cap to use it. Service was great throughout our stay.

It’s a 5-10 minute walk to the beach and about 20 minutes to Zeng-cuo-an（Zengcuo'an）. The room had a strange smell, a bit like oil paint, that took all night to clear, and there was smoke in the hallway despite it being marked non-smoking. Service calls could take longer than expected, and sometimes nobody showed up. The hotel seemed poorly managed.