Jianguo Hotel Beijing

In fact, giving one star is because there is no option for ‘zero.’ Honestly, this 8-days’ stay was disappointing. The cherished memories of over a decade are now gone. It truly saddens and disappoints me. Hardware: Dilapidation is the theme. Over a decade ago, when I stayed at the Jianguo Hotel, it had an ancient charm with warm room decor. Across from my room, there was an old lady in the residential building who would daily perform the art of dumpling making at her window. Now, the hotel’s lobby, floors, hallways, and rooms lack any Chinese cultural touch or cozy ambiance, resembling the appearance of a low-end budget hotel in China. Outside the window, there’s a dilapidated building, and in the distance, the only view is the Grand Hotel Beijing, giving the impression that it’s saying, ‘If you don’t have money, this is the only hotel you can afford.’ The room facilities are outdated; elevator doors close rapidly, and a slight delay risks being caught. The hallway is filled with the smell of smoke (reportedly due to guests secretly smoking in their rooms). The room lacks sufficient power outlets, and astonishingly, there’s no power outlet near the bedside. Service: Honestly, it’s not very good. Even though housekeeping doesn’t proactively change the bed linens, when requested, they fold the dry towels and put them back (I discovered this secret when a towel with my son’s nosebleed was neatly folded and reused). After enduring over ten hours of flying from Australia and getting off the car, the ‘doorman’ pretended not to see us, walked away, and when we entered the hotel lobby with our exhausted bodies, there was no one to welcome us until we were almost at the front desk. A decade ago, there used to be a separate check-in area for ‘executive rooms’ (unless I’m mistaken), but that’s no longer the case. The hotel lacks room service and doesn’t even have a proper restaurant. In the buffet restaurant, getting utensils is a huge challenge. The breakfast restaurant staff is extremely rude, and when the chef asked me what I wanted, he frowned and glared. Breakfast: The breakfast is monotonous, and the food is very hard. Extremely unappetizing. My first acquaintance with the Jianguo Hotel was around 1985 or 1987 when my uncle visited from Canada to see my dad. During that time, Jianguo Hotel was upscale, atmospheric, and had excellent service. My first stay at Jianguo Hotel was in 2011, and back then, it still counted as a decent hotel. Unfortunately, the experience of staying at Jianguo Hotel in 2023 was too regrettable; I won’t stay here again.