Crowne Plaza Wing On City Zhongshan

The hotel still has potential, and I hope things improve by my next visit. The room needed maintenance: water was leaking from the shower ceiling, which was inconvenient. Breakfast was okay, but it has declined since previous years. The variety and quality that used to make it stand out weren’t there this time. I hope management takes care of the maintenance problems and brings the breakfast back to its former standard.

The free breakfast was quite good, with both East and West options. The rooms have all the amenities I needed, including a hot shower with good pressure and a full-sized tub. The King Koil bed was extra comfortable. The AC controls were a little awkward, and it took a while to get the settings where I wanted them. WiFi is free, but, like in many hotels in China, you can’t get full access to the worldwide internet. I couldn’t find a switch for the bathroom exhaust, so I guess it’s automatic. The overall design, from outside and the lobby to the facilities and rooms, was pleasing to me. Even though the hotel has been around since 2011, it still has the appeal of being on the higher end of the IHG chain found around the world. Finding a room is easy, since each floor extends in either direction from the elevators, with an open central space running through all floors.

Breakfast was a highlight, with a solid mix of Chinese and Western choices like croissants, soft cheese, and good coffee. The outdoor pool was great and usually empty, and the price felt fair. The hotel is a little out of town, but only about 10 minutes away and handy for Zhan Garden and the arboretum. Recommended.

The overbooking on my check-in evening nearly left me without a room even though I’d paid in full. They eventually sorted it out, but it was a bad start. The staff were reasonably friendly. The hotel’s in a quiet spot, with a mall and lanes of local restaurants just around the corner. Rooms are fairly spacious and the bathroom is big, though corridor noise comes through clearly, especially near the elevators.