A Look at Nanjing's Luxury Hotel Market Based on My Recent Trip

These photos are just background; I haven't finished my hotel reviews yet. Here are some of my feelings and thoughts. ▪️ On this trip to Jinling, I visited three hotels: Nanjing The Lalu, Andaz Nanjing Hexi, and Zhongshan International Golf Hotel. These are all unique offerings in Nanjing's hotel market, each with its own strengths and weaknesses, but mostly leaving me feeling unfulfilled. ▪️ Nanjing's luxury hotel market is undoubtedly high-level, boasting a rich legacy from the golden age of the hotel industry. Although many new first-tier cities are now also stepping up their game, the newly opened hotels often fall short of the older ones. Many new hotels of the same brand are increasingly cutting corners. Nanjing is one of the few cities where both new and old hotels are strong contenders. ▪️ A few years ago, when I came to Nanjing, I stayed at The Luxury Collection and The Ritz-Carlton. Back then, The Luxury Collection hadn't yet been de-flagged, and their terrace room left a deep impression on me. I spent more time on the terrace than in bed during the autumn. The city gave me a sense of vibrancy and relaxation, with trees lining both sides of the roads, making the streets feel like they were in a forest. I loved it here. ▪️ In the following years, more and more new hotels opened in Nanjing, each more impressive than the last, and all very well-executed. Seeing them online, I felt a sense of admiration, even a little envy. ▪️ Until a few days ago, I revisited Nanjing in autumn again, but something felt off. It was like the air had been let out of the tires. The staff at each hotel were still professional and friendly, Zhongshan International Golf Hotel was still grand, The Lalu was still beautiful, and the food at Andaz was still delicious. Yet, there was an inexplicable sense of disappointment in many aspects. Maybe some rooms were poorly maintained, maybe some hotels couldn't even provide hot water, and some hotel facilities were even abandoned. I had another hotel on my itinerary, but the staff there were so unpleasant that even someone as adaptable as me had to give up. ▪️ This was completely different from how I felt a few years ago, and I still felt a little uneasy even after returning to Guangzhou. I've been thinking about how to write about the hotels on this Nanjing trip for the past few days, looking over the material I shot without any clue. It wasn't until tonight that I realized: I write about hotels hoping to share my experiences with everyone, but this time I didn't feel much of anything. Maybe it's just bad luck on this trip to Nanjing. ▪️ Of course, I'm just an ordinary traveler, so my views are inevitably one-sided. Everyone is welcome to share any different thoughts in the comments. I'll write the detailed hotel reviews later. The three hotels I experienced this time actually all have their merits; I just need a little more time to organize my thoughts. The weather is getting colder recently, so please remember to dress warmly. Have a happy Sunday evening!