Harbin Sun Castle Resort Hotel (Ice and Snow World Branch on Central Street)

Upstairs is the Chocolate Museum, and downstairs is the riverside. My child had a great time! It's right inside Sun Island Scenic Area, which makes sightseeing very convenient. You can also take the cable car to the other side of the river and stroll around near Central Street.

The room was never quiet for a single moment. I didn't get a wink of sleep for two nights straight. When I went to the front desk in the middle of the night, the people next door were also there complaining about the noise. There was a constant machine hum and vibration in the room all night (the manager said he didn't know what the sound was, even though the cable car was closed). My friend thought it might be a large transformer supporting the cable car, so I'm wondering if I've been exposed to radiation these past two days? Also, there was a thick layer of dust everywhere in the room. When I spoke to the front desk in the middle of the night, they called the manager. The manager, not realizing he was on speakerphone, started badmouthing us. When he realized, he then promised to give us a quiet room next time, even though just a minute before, the front desk had said every room in the building had this same noise.

Super great! Especially suitable for families with young children because the first floor has play areas, and the fourth and fifth floors are also fun to explore. It's not far from the Polar Ocean World, so you can even come back for a nap after visiting. You can also take the cable car across the river for dining. The only minor drawback is the limited food options on the island. The hotel is amazing, and the front desk staff are incredibly nice too!

This is by far the worst family-friendly hotel I've ever stayed at. The room service, hotel facilities, and even the human touch were all a complete mess. First, Room Facilities: Everything in the room was broken. The showerhead was leaking, the bathroom drain was clogged, and the TV was out of order. We couldn't even turn on the TV. We called for assistance, and the staff member spent 40 minutes trying to fix it to no avail. After 40 minutes, they gave up, and we still couldn't turn it off. The bathroom drain was slow; it would clog up after just a short shower. The staff member who came to fix the TV even complained that the showerhead was leaking, but the staff seemed afraid to even acknowledge it, let alone fix the problem. Second, Service: There was absolutely no service. I arrived at the hotel with two kids, luggage, and multiple bags, and not a single staff member offered to help. It was the same when checking out; no staff were around, just salespeople for various shops. After 8 PM, the front desk was closed, there was no one on duty, and no security guards – the place was deserted. At 8:30 AM, the hotel's main entrance was still closed, and there was no one at the front desk. There was a phone in the room, but no label anywhere indicating the front desk number. To reach the front desk, I had to find their number via Baidu Maps and then get transferred. There were no user guides in the room. This place is worse than a B&B. It doesn't deserve to be called a family-friendly hotel. Third, including our room, several rooms reported strange machine noises late at night (I overheard other guests complaining to staff in the hallway the next day). It was a constant buzzing sound that made it impossible to sleep. In our room, it was a 'drip-drip-drip' sound from an unknown source. Fourth, Soundproofing: The soundproofing was terrible. I could clearly hear conversations from the next room and people talking in the hallway. Fifth, Room Size: The room was incredibly small. I've never seen such a tiny family-friendly hotel. The booking platform stated 30 square meters, but I don't think that's accurate; there wasn't even enough space to walk between the end of the bed and the wall. Value for Money: Very low. Sixth, The buffet breakfast was very basic. Only four dishes, and they weren't refilled when they ran out. The bowls weren't even properly cleaned. The coffee was instant, as shown in the picture. Seventh, The hotel is located inside the 'Sun Castle Chocolate Factory,' but there's absolutely no chocolate theme. They didn't even provide a small piece of chocolate in the room, nothing at all. [Resolution] Regarding the TV issue, when the staff came to fix it, I immediately told them to refund the cost for the non-working TV. (It's a habit for my kids to relax and watch TV in the hotel during our trips. After a full day of playing outside, I had promised them 10-15 minutes of cartoons before bed. But we returned to a non-working TV, and after 40 minutes of attempted repairs, I couldn't accept no explanation. I was with them from 10:30 PM until after 11 PM.) The staff member didn't refuse at the time, so even though the TV wasn't fixed, I didn't press the issue further. However, the next day at check-out, the front desk staff told me they could only refund 50 yuan, and it would be deducted from their salary. I just laughed in exasperation. If they had told me this was the solution, I would have preferred them to just fix the TV properly. So, the final resolution was: 50 yuan + two fridge magnets + two badges. (In comparison, at a B&B I stayed at today, I casually mentioned a bug in the room, and they immediately refunded 10% of the room rate, over 90 yuan. It's not about the money; it's about the attitude, and it highlights the different management philosophies between hotels.)

The rooms are very unique and they offer round-trip cable car service, which makes getting around very convenient. The environment is beautiful, the service is excellent, and the rooms are cleaned very well. It's a great choice for a getaway, far from the hustle and bustle, perfect for those who enjoy peace and quiet.

Overall, the room was spacious and clean. Since the second-floor restaurant was under renovation, breakfast times were arranged with the front desk during check-in and then delivered directly to the room the next day. The front desk staff were all very kind and thoughtful, helping with luggage and storing it for me. Because I booked a special offer room, it didn't include the complimentary round-trip cable car tickets. You might want to call the hotel in advance to confirm this. The cable car station is conveniently located on the second floor, making round-trip rides very easy. Alternatively, you can take Metro Line 2 to Sun Island and walk for about 15 minutes to see the castle. The island is currently optimizing its snow sculptures, and the central area is closed off, so I didn't get to explore it this time, which was a slight disappointment.

Overall, it's pretty good. The location by the river is fantastic, and the cable car is conveniently located on the second floor of the hotel. There are so many Instagrammable spots throughout the hotel. The first floor has a chocolate shop, and the lobby always smells delightfully of chocolate. The only downside is that there's no dedicated parking lot; you have to park on Linjiang Street. This is fine during the off-season, but I imagine it would be quite difficult to find a spot during peak season.

Stepping into the Harbin Sun Castle Resort Hotel felt like entering a medieval European fairy tale. Located in the heart of the Sun Island Scenic Area, this castle hotel, with its unique location and immersive theme experience, is the perfect starting point for an ice and snow journey. The hotel faces the Songhua River and is directly opposite Central Street. The most delightful surprise is that the hotel itself is the starting point for the Songhua River Cableway. You can take a cable car directly from the hotel to cross the Songhua River, enjoying a 360-degree panoramic view of the night scenery on both banks. As the world's first chocolate-themed castle hotel, you're enveloped in the aroma of cocoa from the moment you enter the lobby. The fourth floor features a chocolate art workshop where you can DIY your own chocolate souvenirs. The fifth-floor chocolate museum showcases giant chocolate sculptures, and at the COCO Castle Restaurant, you can savor M&M's-themed desserts. The daily limited-edition chocolate jar souvenir is the perfect sweet ending to your trip. Despite its prime location within the scenic area, the guest rooms are surprisingly spacious. The European-style carved furniture and vintage fireplace create an aristocratic ambiance. I highly recommend the stepped bathtub room type on the top floor. The ergonomic stepped bathtub by the window offers a perfect view of the Songhua River and the castle's nightscape while you soak.