MMonaijiangThis is a very new guesthouse. Let me start with the pros:
1. Located inside the ancient city's pedestrian street, there are many places to explore and eat within walking distance. A few minutes' walk will take you to the roadside to find shared bikes or electric scooters to explore the ancient city. There are also cafes, restaurants, creative shops, vinegar shops, and bars nearby.
2. The bottled water, shampoo, and shower gel in the room are all from good brands.
3. There's a service group chat, and they respond promptly to any issues.
4. There are access control points for the inner and outer areas, ensuring privacy for guests.
5. It's very quiet at night. The view from the window is of the ancient city's undulating rooftops and courtyards.
6. The overall design is thoughtful.
Cons:
1. Cars don't go directly to the hotel; you have to walk a bit. If you have luggage, the butler needs to pick you up from the parking area, but getting in and out requires walking a considerable distance, and it's quite sunny. When we were about to leave, the staff only helped me with my luggage and took it to the car after we requested it. Given the distance, they should have proactively offered to greet and see us off, instead of just pushing our luggage around for us to carry. 1. Regarding the pick-up area, the butler could have introduced the old town or the newly built area. Frankly, this route was very sunny and took a long time to walk, making my experience very poor.
2. The bathroom fixtures and fixtures in the room were all off-brand. The shower pressure was good, but if you turned on the hand shower, the water sprayed directly onto the clothes rack opposite, instantly soaking my clothes. A design flaw.
I came to Datong to see various ancient buildings, temples, grottoes, and museums, walking tens of thousands of steps a day. I wanted to take a bath in the evening, but the bathtub faucet was just for show; the water flow was extremely weak. I waited a long time, and the water still hadn't reached my ankles, and it got cold. The designer only focused on aesthetics, neglecting the practical experience for guests. Why do hotels use high-end bathroom fixtures? Quality is crucial. They might look cheap and nice in the short term, but replacements, repairs, and customer complaints will lead to higher costs later. My sincere advice is to choose high-end bathroom fixtures if you need replacements later. Also, the bathtub didn't have a hand shower, which makes cleaning difficult. The weak water flow from the fixed faucet also prevented rinsing the entire bathtub.
1. In the shower, the water quickly reached above my ankles. After disassembling the marble drain and the waterproofing layer, I found a rubber pipe inside that wouldn't open or drain.
2. The mirror above the sink has a overhead light, making it impossible for women to apply makeup⌠The vanity light should be positioned away from the person's head. Alternatively, a small mirror could be added.
3. The refrigerator is a cheap, no-name brand. The refrigerator cabinet doesn't seem to have proper ventilation; it gets very hot when opened, and drinks placed underneath are practically room temperature, even warm. However, there's a lot of frost on the back wall. The equipment will break down quickly, causing even greater losses in operating costs.
4. The room and work area are filled with artificial flowers and potted plants, adding formaldehyde and odors to the newly renovated room. I suggest not putting any green plants in the room as they attract insects, and artificial ones are even more unnecessaryâŚ
5. The curtain cord is too short, making it very inconvenient to pull up. This is likely a supplier error.
6. The breakfast is unremarkable. Even the plate of stir-fried noodles was just cooked and served. For guesthouse catering, I suggest learning from brands like An Yu and Xi Xia. It's not that difficult, but they could strengthen the local flavor.
Chinese homestays have undergone several reshuffles, and now it's not just about aesthetics; the overall experience is crucial. Rooms need better ventilation; after one night, my eyes were very dry and my throat was sore. If you want to learn from Xie Ke's approach to homestays, you should also learn from details like bathroom fixtures and avoiding excessive use of artificial flowers. Providing guests with a small map introducing nearby attractions would also enhance their experience.
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