Golden Stone Hotel

We were really happy with the hotel. We arrived early and they let us store our luggage, and the staff even looked after our laptop while we went sightseeing. When we got back around 9 p.m., they offered a free upgrade from a triple room to a quadruple. They were very accommodating, though we had to communicate through Google Translate because they don’t speak much English. The room was spacious and comfortable to sleep in. Wi-Fi worked well, and they provided bottled water, tea, and coffee for free. Highly recommended.

The location is perfect, though the hotel sits in a slightly sketchy alley. Rooms have everything you need, and reception is open 24/7. The downside was housekeeping: I had to ask for cleaning and still only got it once in my four-night stay. I’m not sure whether it was meant to be daily. At that price, it didn’t feel worth it. Wi-Fi was very unstable, and there’s definitely no soundproofing between the rooms or doors.

The front office guy spoke English very well and was friendly and helpful. We’d booked a non-smoking room, but it smelled really strong. He immediately moved us and apologized. The replacement had a faint smell, but it was acceptable. It was small but enough for two, and clean. At the end of the corridor, our room was quiet, though soundproofing wasn’t great and we were lucky the other guests were quiet. The bed was comfortable by European standards, not too hard, but the double was made from two single mattresses, which was annoying in the middle. There was one large towel, a small disposable towel, and a few amenities. The AC worked well, but you can only adjust the fan speed, not the temperature, so some people might find it too cold. There was no shower curtain. The location was convenient, and free parking was just across the street.

For a budget traveler, this felt like a good deal on a luxury stay. The staff were friendly and spoke English. Breakfast was nice and varied between our two days, with typical Chinese dishes like cooked vegetables and proteins, fresh greens, rice porridge, and toast, but no real Western choices. The room was nice enough, though a few details could be better. The queen bed was actually two twins pushed together, which felt less than classy, and there was no light switch by the bed, making bedtime an adventure. The wallpaper and floors were peeling a little and could have been cleaner. Still, it was a great stay.