Le Méridien Zhongshan

The staff were helpful and friendly, and the location made it easy to explore the area. My room was comfortable, clean, and had what I needed for a short stay. It’s not an extravagant hotel, but the price was good value. I had a pleasant stay and would consider coming back if I’m in the area.

Getting into town for the attractions isn’t especially convenient, depending on what you need, but the cross-border buses from Hong Kong stop right outside, which is very handy. The hotel itself is modern, with a stunning foyer, a great room, and friendly staff. Breakfast and the high-end Chinese cuisine restaurants were good.

From the outside it looks good, but my stay was awful. I checked in at 23:30 hoping to sleep, but the front desk staff didn’t seem particularly professional or polite, so don’t expect the Le Meridien standard. The soundproofing was terrible, and I could hear people next door and upstairs until 1:15am. I asked for a quieter room. After a 15-minute wait, a man with a gangster-like look brought a key, even though the walk from Reception to my room should take no more than three minutes. The new room smelled strongly of smoke, so I had to ask to move again. It was the same guy, and his stare and manner of speaking felt as unpleasant as his appearance. Maybe he was unhappy about bringing me the key, but by the time I reached the next room it was 1:40am. Should I have been happy about that? It was such a bad experience that I won’t choose this hotel again. Have Marriot or the Le Meridien group really checked the staff standards and room layout? Also, if you’re staying as a couple or with another person, the toilet is separated only by a fence, so someone using it at night will definitely disturb the other person.

It’s modern and nice, though a few amenities and service standards are lacking. I think that may be because it’s new and hasn’t had much turnover yet. I’d stay again.