5-Star Hotels in Shanxi, China

My wife and I stayed at the JW Marriott for one night for the Taiyuan Marathon. We chose an executive king room. **Cleanliness:** The hotel was exceptionally clean, spotless. The room was also very tidy and clean. Full marks! 💯 **Environment:** The hotel felt relatively new. The public areas, restaurant, executive lounge, gym, and lobby all had a very elegant ambiance, standing out as excellent among similar hotels. 👍 **Service:** We encountered a minor issue upon check-in, but it was perfectly resolved with the assistance of the Director of Rooms. The staff were incredibly friendly. Because my wife had to leave early for the marathon and would miss breakfast, the executive lounge staff kindly prepared bread, honey, and bananas for her, which we really appreciated. 🙏 The variety of food for afternoon tea and happy hour was superior to most hotels of similar quality, and the taste was excellent, especially the desserts – sweet but not cloying, very delicious. The executive lounge staff were also very welcoming and accommodating, promptly clearing dishes. The service was top-notch. Breakfast offered many local Taiyuan specialties like knife-cut noodles, 'cat ear' pasta, and lamb offal soup, and the service was attentive. Full marks! 💯 **Facilities:** This is my only complaint. The room designer made some questionable choices in many areas. The shower and toilet are both enclosed with transparent glass, which can cause many inconveniences. For example, if two people are staying, and one is showering or using the toilet, you can't order room service, call for luggage, or have hotel staff enter the room, otherwise they'll get a direct 'view.' The bathtub is too small, at most 1.2m x 1.2m; a person can't even sit comfortably in it. What's the point of such a small tub? Additionally, there's no gap at the bottom of the shower door. If you put a bath mat there, it gets pushed aside every time the door opens, making it useless. Also: The gym is outsourced. The service is good, but there's a serious lack of strength training equipment. If 3-4 people want to train at the same time, you'll have to wait in line. **Summary:** This is a hotel with very enthusiastic service and an excellent environment. However, due to the designer's **choices, there are noticeable flaws in the hardware facilities, but these don't significantly impact the stay. It's still a highly recommended hotel.

The room was spotless, and the hotel's courtyard was perfect for photos. It was my first time sleeping on a 'kang' (heated bed), and it felt like one bed could easily fit 7 or 8 people! My daughter devoured all the snacks in the complimentary fruit platter before we even fully checked in. Breakfast was also a pleasant surprise – very refined and beautifully presented. Overall, it was a fantastic stay.

On my trip to Datong, I booked a stay at the Howard Johnson Jindi Plaza Datong, located right by the ancient city, through Trip.com. It's rated 5 stars online, and it truly lives up to the hype! As soon as I checked in, I was upgraded for free to a deluxe business suite. It was my first time seeing a suite with a dining table big enough to host over 10 friends and family. After one night, I switched back to my originally booked business king room. The king room was also incredibly comfortable, measuring a spacious 62 square meters. Opening the curtains revealed views of Datong's streets. If you walk to the end of the corridor, you can even see a panoramic view of the ancient city of Datong. What truly stands out is the fantastic Chinese restaurant at this 5-star hotel. I stayed in Datong for three days, and除了one lunch I had in Hunyuan Ancient City, all my other five lunches and dinners were enjoyed at the hotel's Chinese restaurant. Here, a bowl of Shanxi's specialty knife-cut noodles is only 6 RMB, and a bowl of cold noodles, even tastier than those in Hunyuan, is just 3 RMB. You can order half portions of shumai, and during the first dog days of summer, they even had dumplings. I tried the braised deer tendon with scallions, something I'd never had before, and it was superb, as were the husband and wife lung slices and jellyfish salad – perfect with drinks. Dining here is delicious and affordable. If you top up 200 RMB, you even get a complimentary plate of Shanxi's signature 'guoyourou' (fried pork in sauce). A huge shout-out also goes to the restaurant staff. They are warm, thoughtful, and genuinely care for guests, even advising against ordering too much, ensuring just the right amount! In summary, I give a 5-star rating to both the hotel and the F&B department. The last photo is of the hotel's breakfast, which was also excellent. The hotel has two breakfast restaurants, so even with many guests, it never feels crowded!

I stayed for 4 days. There was almost no service. I arrived at the hotel at 4 PM, and although they helped me arrange a higher floor, I waited for almost an hour, and the room they arranged was still not ready. They then switched me to another room on the same floor. The lobby was very hot, and all the temporary resting spots were directly in the sun. When I got upstairs, I was a bit dumbfounded to find my room directly facing the elevator. Oh well, I checked in. The check-in experience wasn't great. Disposable toiletries weren't replenished promptly; besides toilet paper, you literally only got them once. For a 4-day stay (2 days booked via a group deal, 2 days via other platforms), the bedside power outlet didn't work. I had to unplug the table lamp to charge my phone, and that outlet was just awful. The floor-to-ceiling window blinds were very dirty, covered in dust. For the same pre-sale price, Shangri-La offers much better value for money. Kempinski seemed forced into pre-selling, almost as if they don't want future guests. There are just too many options in Taiyuan for this price point.

I had seen some negative reviews beforehand, but my experience there was actually quite pleasant. I stayed for three nights. 1. The front desk service was excellent. I had requested a high-floor room in advance, and they accommodated it. They also briefly explained the facilities. 2. Housekeeping was done daily. One day, I mentioned I didn't need it, but when I left the room, I ran into the cleaner who even asked if I didn't want the trash taken out! (Such dedication!) 3. When going to the pool, you need to change into slippers. The staff there would place them neatly on the ground for you, not just throw them down. The entrance to the pool is separate for men and women. The cleaners along the women's pathway always greeted me warmly. I must say, the cleaners in the women's changing room pathway were very dedicated; they were constantly attentive to my needs. Their service was better than many dedicated bathhouses. 4. It's best to go for breakfast early. The freshly pan-fried steak was good, and the variety of other items was also rich. It would be a waste not to eat them. 5. Six bottles of water were replenished in the room every day. I didn't have to buy any bottled water during my entire stay.

If you're coming to Taiyuan, you absolutely have to stay at this Intercity hotel! It was by far the most unexpectedly amazing experience I've had with Huazhu H Rewards. The location is fantastic – the subway is right downstairs, making it convenient to get anywhere. The Guo Jin Center, with tons of food options, is just across the street. I really loved the decor; it's a German style, and the room was incredibly spacious. You can tell they put a lot of thought into the laundry room and gym, unlike many hotels that just throw in a washing machine and a few dumbbells and call it a day. The room service offerings were incredibly extensive, and breakfast was beyond expectations. And the best part? It was only a little over 400 RMB! The value for money is absolutely off the charts, so much so that I'd even come back to Taiyuan just to stay at this hotel again.

An old five-star hotel with very high cost performance. In particular, the front office service is very good, and the lobby manager Wang Jue is attentive.

1. The hotel boasts an excellent location, and parking is incredibly convenient with plenty of available spaces. 2. Having stayed in hundreds, if not thousands, of hotels, I can confidently say that the cleanliness here is exceptionally rare. The sheets and floors were completely free of hair, the sink had no stains, and the toilet not only lacked any unpleasant odors but even had a subtle, pleasant aroma. The housekeeping is truly outstanding. They even thoughtfully provided hand cream on the bathroom vanity. 3. On the day of check-in, because I booked late, all the family rooms and suites were fully booked, leaving only twin rooms with 1.2-meter beds. These beds are a bit narrow. It would be even better if the hotel could replace the 1.2-meter twin beds with 1.35-meter or even 1.5-meter twin beds. 4. The hotel only offers a laundry service charged per item, with no self-service washing machines. For guests traveling for extended periods, a self-service washing machine is an essential must-have. It would be great if the hotel could add self-service laundry facilities.

The Xinghuacun Hotel boasts an excellent location right in the heart of Pingyao Ancient City, directly across from the county government office. A right turn out of the hotel brings you to the bustling South Street, where all the major attractions are located. The rooms are incredibly spacious and feature double sinks. They're also super cool; we didn't even need to use the AC at night, making for a very comfortable sleep. The abalone millet porridge at breakfast was delicious, and the pour-over latte coffee was just as good as what you'd find in a coffee shop. The mini-fridge was stocked with various complimentary beverages, and all the bottled water was Baishui Mountain brand. What surprised us most was the complimentary fruit delivered every afternoon, and a thoughtful farewell gift upon check-out. The service truly was superb! 👍 Highly recommended!

Location: The location is excellent, right in Datong Ancient City. The hotel is directly across from Huayan Temple and Huayan Temple Square. It's also very close to many famous Datong restaurants like Zini 369, Longjuxiang, Beiwei Jiayan, and Xijindao, all within walking distance, which is incredibly convenient. Service: It's understandable that hotel prices increase during peak tourist season, but the service should also keep up. Before check-in, a hotel staff member called to ask about any special requests. I mentioned I had a child and needed children's amenities prepared in advance. However, upon arriving at the room, I found none were provided. I called the front desk to request them, but waited a very long time without anything being delivered. My family eventually stopped a cleaner in the hallway to get them. On the second day of our stay, the bathroom wasn't even cleaned – the trash was still in the bin, and the tissues hadn't been replaced. There was no staff outside to assist with luggage. On a positive note, my child lost a tooth and got some blood on the duvet, and the cleaning staff promptly replaced it, which was great. Breakfast: The restaurant isn't large, and there weren't many diners, which made for a comfortable experience. They offered freshly cooked items like lamb offal soup and knife-cut noodles. The variety of dishes wasn't extensive, but it was decent. Overall, there's still room for improvement regarding the details.