The Journey BnB

We ended up with a chaotic trip and explanations from the guesthouse that contradicted each other. Their attitude felt completely disingenuous. In March, I booked the entire Haiyang building for 7-8 days over the Double Ten holiday, plus one double room at neighboring Hua Liang. The owner said both buildings belonged to them, were next door to each other, and had parking for tour buses. We paid the deposit and agreed on the price. Then, on the evening of October 6th, the guesthouse called to say Hua Liang’s prices were too high and we’d have to stay somewhere else, at different places on two separate days. Why was price an issue after we’d paid the deposit and agreed? And why bring it up only the night before, seven months after booking, as though we had no choice? When we checked in that night, Hua Liang was having a lively barbecue. Didn’t the owner say both buildings were theirs? On October 7th, they called again and asked if we were two men. The other room they’d booked had a double bed, so they started making changes and asked if we’d said we needed two beds. I asked if that was supposed to be my problem, or if they wanted to look at the chat history. The changes to location and room type were entirely on their end. Were we just meant to accept everything? When I asked where the other room was for that night, they didn’t know the hotel name and only gave me an address, which I had to Google myself. That afternoon they called again to say they’d found two beds, but our driver would have to bring the tour bus over. Why should the drivers and tour leaders have to deal with all the problems they caused? On October 8th, our frustrated drivers and tour leaders went to Haiyang, only to set off on another unknown journey. According to the driver, there was no one to greet them at the other guesthouse, no key, and no parking. They even ended up staying at someone else’s entire guesthouse. What a trip. There are basically chat logs available, so be careful when choosing this business.

I’m only replying now to the owner’s message from a few days ago asking about my 2-star review. This was for volunteer group travel accommodation on the evening of July 1, 2023. The four-person room was cramped, with two beds against the walls and a small coffee table, about 30 cm wide, in the middle. There was nowhere to put luggage, so all four of us had to leave our bags on the floor. There was only one outlet for charging phones, about 20 cm above the floor between the entrance and bathroom partition, so just one phone could charge at a time, on the floor. After dinner, I tried to use the karaoke machine in the first-floor recreation center. It needed songs downloaded online, but the B&B WiFi was weak and kept cutting out. I couldn’t download even one song or sing one that night. Breakfast was a small sandwich and a small can of drink. This was the worst stay I’ve had at any hotel, inn, or B&B.

Each room at the guesthouse has its own style, and since we were going to the ocean park, we picked an undersea-themed one. There’s dish soap and a water dispenser, so we didn’t have to buy water and could wash the kids’ bowls whenever we needed. It’s close to well-known attractions, and parking when we got back was easy. The housekeeper was really nice, too. I’m grateful we could stay here for three days and two nights at such a good price. Thanks to the owner and the wonderful little housekeeper!

The balcony and the housekeeper’s good service were the only things I liked. Otherwise, the room was tiny, and cleanliness really needs work. An extra bed cost 500 RMB, but the pillows, blankets, and sofa bed were stained. Dust covered the curtains, and I don’t know whether the room had been cleaned before check-in. The bed was so close to the curtains, and the poor soundproofing made for an unsatisfactory night’s sleep. If other children are staying here, could they be put on a lower floor? Otherwise, the noise keeps them awake all night. The internet was incredibly slow, and parking was scarce. It’s not a good fit for weekends or holidays.