Hotel Dengan Gym di Fujian, China

Facilities: The showerhead has a very weak water pressure. Cleanliness: The tables are generally dusty, and the blankets and pillows are not very clean. Environment: Average. There's no elevator, so you have to climb stairs, which is tiring to carry luggage up. Service: Average. Not very enthusiastic.

This place makes me wish there was an option for six stars. I study Asian art for a living, and I travelled to Jianyang to visit the home of Jian ware, classic tea bowls of the Song dynasty (960 to 1279 CE), distinguished by their black and brown glazes. Over the last few decades, firing Jian ware in the Song tradition has been revived in the area. I chose Nanping Colourful Village Homestay because it was in Jianyang, affordable, and accepted international guests. What I found was a luxury resort with all the warmth and personal attention of a homestay. I asked the front desk about an excavated Song kiln site in a nearby village, and the receptionist brought me the manager, who arranged for someone to take me the next day. My driver was Ms. Huang, an employee of the resort whose job involves buying and selling contemporary pieces. She knew everything about Jian ware! The kiln site isn’t run as a tourist site, so I was only able to view it because Ms. Huang arranged for it to be opened for me. I had told them I was vegetarian, so for lunch they took me to lunch at a vegetarian buffet. Then we visited the town’s Jian ware museum, where they have exhibits on the history of tea and Jian ware, historical pieces, and the work of contemporary Jianyang potters. To my delight, Mr. Gao, the potter-in-residence at the resort, uses a Song-style wood-fired dragon kiln, built right on the grounds! His pieces that range from beautiful but quite affordable to exquisite and appropriately expensive. They include both iridescent silvery oil spot and orange-to-black hare’s fur pieces. I am still thrilled that I was able to purchase wood-fired pieces on my limited budget. For dinner, the resort’s restaurant prepared vegetarian versions of Fujian cuisine for me. The food was all delicious, featuring classic Fujianese mountain ingredients like local bamboo and mushrooms. Then we visited Mr. Gao’s dragon kiln, and later his studio, where he experiments with different local clays and glaze recipes. The rich colours and iridescence of Jian ware are the result of the iron-rich local material fired at high temperature, and the results are as unpredictable as they are beautiful. The next day, they drove me to Mr. Chen’s family tea plantation in the mountains, where they grow famous northern Fujian teas. These fine teas were all wonderful, smooth and rich with a touch of smoke, and sometimes fruity in flavour. We strolled through mountainsides of tea bushes and visited groves of centuries-old tea trees. This is a perfect place for an immersive experience in China that is also very comfortable and convenient. I often find tourist experiences in China claustrophobic due to the press of people, but the resort was spacious and airy, and they took me to places where there was no one else but us and the occasional local going about their business. Everyone was very patient with my limited Chinese language skills. They were also happy to work with translator apps on our phones, so if you don’t speak any Chinese, you will be fine. This would be a great place to come as a family. There are gardens and rides for kids right next to the resort. You can learn how to whip Song-style tea and carve your name into the base of your own Jian ware cup. Not far away is a historical theme park with a collection of real architecture from the Ming (1368 to 1644 CE) and Qing (1636 to 1912 CE) dynasties. The employees wear period dress and there are performances and activities. Nearby there are hiking trails, historical sites, and lovely villages to visit. It’s also very close to Wuyi Mountain National Park, so it would be a perfect place to stay if the mountains are your destination. If you ask, they could arrange for you to visit famous sites or take you to breathtaking places that only locals know, whatever you want. They can also arrange transport to and from the train station or airport.

Five-star review! The room was clean and tidy, the bed was super comfortable, and the soundproofing was excellent. The staff were warm, attentive, and efficient. The breakfast had a great variety and tasted good. The location was convenient, and the facilities were complete. Overall, the experience was fantastic, making for a very comfortable stay. Definitely worth coming back!

The room had a large bed and a small bed, which was enough for our family of five (2 adults and 3 children). The environment was elegant and the soundproofing was good. There was also a mini-fridge in the room, perfect for storing fruits and drinks. The kids loved the pool downstairs. The only downside was the TV; it wasn't connected to the internet, so we couldn't choose what we wanted to watch. The hotel's location is excellent, with many attractions nearby, making it convenient for shopping and dining!

Staying at the Hilton Fuzhou Sanfang was an extremely satisfying experience. The Sky Lobby on the 40th floor has a sophisticated ambiance, and the check-in process was smooth, with staff who were gentle and attentive. I stayed in a river-view room, which was spacious and well-maintained. The floor-to-ceiling windows offered panoramic views of the Min River; as dusk fell and the city lights came on, the nighttime atmosphere was absolutely captivating. The bedding was just right, neither too soft nor too firm, ensuring a very peaceful sleep. The bathroom was equipped with both a bathtub and a shower, and the toiletries were of high quality. The breakfast on the 39th floor offered a wide variety of choices, catering to both Western and Chinese tastes, including local Fuzhou specialties. The high-altitude dining experience was excellent. The heated infinity pool on the 41st floor provided breathtaking views, and the gym was well-equipped, making for a very comfortable place to relax. The hotel's location is superb, with comprehensive commercial facilities nearby, making travel very convenient. Whether for business or leisure, this is a highly recommended hotel in Fuzhou!

The stay was good overall. The room was clean and comfortable, and the staff were helpful. A few small things could be improved, but it was still a pleasant experience

The staff were very kind. The room I originally booked faced a wall of noisy air conditioning units, so the hotel staff upgraded my room, which I really appreciated! As for the downsides, this building houses a basketball court and a bar. Before 8:30 PM, you could hear the thumping of basketballs in the room, and after midnight, the music from the bar was very loud. Both day and night were affected. I assume this is a fundamental issue that can't be changed. There are parking spaces at the entrance, but they are incredibly small. When full, it's hard to even open the car door, and my car door handle even got a chip of paint knocked off by a neighboring car opening their door. Breakfast was decent. I wouldn't really recommend it!

The room's mattress was very comfortable, the toilet was smart, and there was a smart 'Xiao Du' assistant. The room overall had a great design aesthetic, and getting around was very convenient with a subway station right nearby. There are also many dining options within 500 meters of the hotel. For this price, staying at such a hotel is excellent.

This isn't my first time staying here, and I really love it; the experience is consistently great. The breakfast selection changes a bit daily, always featuring authentic Southern Fujian specialties. There's a wide variety and the food tastes excellent. The room is also very dorm-like, quiet, and the bed is fantastic, leading to naturally high-quality sleep. The only minor downside is that the pool isn't very big, but the water quality is excellent. Also, our butler, Merry, took great care of us. For example, she'd ask what we wanted refilled in the minibar and prepared turn-down service nightly before we came back (which included a pre-sleep dessert, a floor mat next to the bed, and indoor slippers).

Pros: 1. The location is excellent, very close to the scenic area. It's super convenient for dining and shopping. There's also a Sanfu and a 7-Eleven downstairs, and Cotti Coffee from the first floor can be delivered directly to your room. 2. The front desk staff's service attitude was great; they pretty much fulfilled every request and even agreed to upgrade our room type. Although it was a less desirable 'end room,' it was acceptable. When we needed disposable chopsticks, cups, etc., they brought them up without hesitation, and extra blankets were provided free of charge. 3. The room's overall cleanliness was good. The bedding was clean, with no stains or hair. The showerhead in the bathroom also had no water marks or limescale. Thumbs up! Cons: 1. The hotel seems to have been open for quite a while; the linens are pretty old, which made me a bit hesitant to use them. There were large oil stains on the table surface; I tried to wipe them off, but they wouldn't budge, which was a bit off-putting. I hope they can add a tablecloth to cover it. 2. Please remember to disinfect the sink in the restroom; it had a strong odor. 3. The message board needs to be cleaned; there were pencil shavings as soon as I opened it. 4. Disposable items like the toothbrush were quite poor. The toothpaste and toothbrush were surprisingly separate, and the toothbrush was very uncomfortable to use—too big and too hard. 5. The pillows were average, and there were no special sleep pillows or buckwheat pillows available.