Trip.com Group Country Retreats (Zhang Jiajie Manson Joint Resort）

I stayed at this hotel and it was very nice. The staff were friendly and kind, the room service was excellent, and the hotel's location was great. I recommend the employee Xiaohu she was very helpful

This was one of the most disappointing hotel stays we have had in China, especially considering the price and the way this property is marketed. The problems started with the airport pickup. We had to contact the hotel on WeChat because the driver who was supposed to be waiting for us appeared to be asleep in the car. The vehicle itself was excellent and the drive was scenic, but unfortunately that was one of the few positive parts of the experience. Our first impression on arrival was already poor: the windows of the so-called reception area were visibly dirty. Inside, there was an extremely strong mothball-like smell. Even more surprisingly, this same room was used for reception, breakfast, lunch and dinner. We immediately knew that eating there would be unpleasant. All staff appeared to wear the same outfit, so it was impossible to understand who worked at reception, housekeeping, restaurant service or guest relations. The whole operation felt disorganised. Before arrival, we had specifically requested a non-smoking room, or at least one that had been properly treated if smoking had previously taken place. The moment the door opened, the room smelled like a smoking lounge. We immediately said we could not stay there and asked for another room or we would leave. After a long discussion, they eventually gave us another room. This was certainly not an upgrade — it was smaller and in worse condition. Staff offered to clean it, but the cleaning was superficial and there was visible mould along the edges of the walls. The room was also shockingly poorly equipped for a property presented as 5-star. There was no television, no speaker or sound system for music, no safe, and the lighting was so poor that the room felt almost permanently dark. The minibar contained six drinks. After checking the ingredient lists, we found that each contained several additives that we personally would not expect in a property presenting itself as a wellness retreat centred around “food as medicine.” The contrast between the marketing and the reality was almost laughable. The atmosphere around the hotel was also very far from luxury. The sofas at the entrance to our villa were occupied by housekeeping staff who were actually sleeping on them, while in the evening staff members were sitting together at a table by the swimming pool rather than being visibly attentive to guests. The complimentary afternoon tea was frankly terrible: two types of what appeared to be frozen cake cut into small pieces, one pot of tea and a few peanuts. We live in London and are very familiar with afternoon tea — this was nowhere near what we would expect from a luxury property. The complimentary transport to the park entrance should not influence your booking decision either. A Didi costs around RMB 20, so this benefit has very little real value compared with the price of the room. Breakfast was another disappointment. The same strong smell made the dining area unpleasant, and the food consisted of a small selection of basic hot dishes, eggs and noodles. The quality was very poor. After the first breakfast, we told the staff that we would not be eating there again during our stay. Their only response was “OK.” Nobody asked why, nobody tried to understand the problem and nobody offered to improve the situation. There are many accommodation options in Wulingyuan and Zhangjiajie that cost a fraction of the price. We have stayed elsewhere in both areas in considerably better conditions. Beautiful surroundings cannot compensate for cigarette smell, mould, dirty windows, a badly equipped and extremely dark room, poor food, disorganised service and a complete lack of 5-star standards. For a property marketing itself as a wellness retreat and “food as medicine” experience, much of what we encountered felt more like a marketing slogan than a genuine philosophy. For the price charged, we strongly recommend looking elsewhere.