Crowne Plaza Guangzhou City Centre — Hotel in Guangzhou City

I made my booking via IHG.com and got a very good deal on Advance Purchase Rate. When I send an email regarding my request for a 2 double beds, since I was travelling with my wife and 2 kids. I received an auto reply stating that I will get a response in 24 hours. 1 week passed but received no reply. So, I had called the hotel directly since I need their assistance to amend the duration of my booking. When I asked why my email was not responded, I was told that "they were too busy". Just a small thing but enough to irritate me a little bit. no worries. Th staff honored my request, anyways and assisted me to amending my booking.

During my Stay: It was my first time to staying at this hotel.I heard so many good this and reviews about this hotel, this is why I choice this over other IHG hotels in Guangzhou. when we arrived the hotel, I had this mixed feelings of satisfaction and dissatisfaction. The hotel's lobby is quite huge. There's a bar that looks really cozy. during my check-in, I was attended by a young Caucasian receptionist. Nothing special about the check-in but it was good experience because they looked really professional. I was also given 4 welcome drinks without asking her. (I was expecting only 2 drinks); plus points for this hotel.

Room: I stayed at room 3307. The room was pretty spacious, but I had this "old school" feeling when looking at the window. I feel that the window glass is quite small for a 5-star hotel. nothing we can do though since this is the hotel's design. BATHROOM IS AMAZING! The bathroom is nearly half of the room size. But the bathroom door really need to be changed since it was just a big transparent glass. No really good when travelling with kids. But I still love the bathroom.

Restaurant: We arrived the hotel at noon, so we decided to eat our LUNCH the the Chinese Restaurant located at the 4th floor. I am not sure if this is hotel managed or not, but the service was really poor. We were asked to sit where the floor was littered with rice and noodles dropped by the previous customers. The quality of food was fine. DINNER. I called the room service and asked for a Western-style restaurant. I was told it was located at the 5th floor. It was their buffet restaurant. I did not see anything western dish. Maybe an ice cream if you want to consider it as a western dish. The theme of the dinner buffet was Asian. They were so many choices of Asian dishes. There were Malaysian, Singapore, Japanese, Indian, Thai, Korean and many other famous Asian dishes. It was good but, it was pricey. It was over RMB300 per pax. A child over 1.2m will need to pay the full price. I think the management should change how to determine a child price. The staff in the restaurant were less attentive too. The buffet counters were mostly empty. The wanted to eat the sushi but the Japanese section had no one to assist me. Lack of man power? maybe.

My review is just about sharing my experience. Would I recommend the hotel?...

The Crowne Plaza Guangzhou City Center was one of the first hotels that I have stayed at in China. It used to be my place to go in Guangzhou, but the place has changed a lot in recent years. From a reasonably busy business hotel, it seems to somehow have turned into a bustling bazaar filled with flight crew from third world countries. My last stay was the tipping point, where I have decided that I will be staying elsewhere in future:

The rooms are OK, I don't have any issue with them. Sleep quality is fine, I didn't notice any noise outside of my room either. I love the breakfast, which is very diverse, even by Crowne Plaza standards. One major complaint I have is that the quality of the in-room TVs is very poor. The old Philips flat screens have run for so many hours that they now lack any sort of color saturation and you are basically looking at a black and white image, but with much less detail. It completely takes the fun out of trying to watch a movie on HBO at the end of the day.

I am an IHG Platinum member and try to stick to their properties as a result, but the Crowne Plaza Guangzhou City Center failed to recognize my status in any meaningful way. Instead of being upgraded to the next room type, which would have included access to the lounge on the top floor, I was put on the "Crowne Club Floor". This did include some kind of happy hour in the reception area, which is extremely noisy and always full of people, so not the kind of environment I would like to enjoy my happy hour at. As a result, I did not make use of the happy hour during my last stay.

Finally, this hotel is notorious for making mistakes during billing. Despite specifically requesting the correct currency be used during check-out, probably for the third time in two and a half years, my credit card was charged in the wrong currency. This causes a markup by the hotel's bank of 4.5% (and I'm sure the hotel earns a cut from this). When calling the hotel after receiving my credit card bill, they informed me that they had staff in training who made the mistake and that it is too late to cancel the charge. They were also unwilling to offer any form of compensation, other than a dishonest "sorry". Therefore I was forced to go through my credit card issuer and reject the charge.

Because these billing issues keep on happening, and because of the complete ignorance and appalling attitude towards solving the issue on the phone, I have decided to turn away from IHG and stay at other hotels when traveling...

I recently had the pleasure of staying at Crowne Plaza Guangzhou during my business trip, and I must say that my experience was nothing short of exceptional. From the moment I arrived to the time of my departure, the hotel staff went above and beyond to ensure my comfort and satisfaction.

First and foremost, the location of the hotel is fantastic. Situated in the heart of Guangzhou, it offers convenient access to major attractions, shopping centers, and business districts. The proximity to public transportation made it incredibly easy for me to navigate the city.

Upon entering the hotel, I was immediately struck by the elegant and contemporary design of the lobby. The check-in process was swift, and the staff greeted me with warm smiles and genuine hospitality. It was evident that they genuinely cared about providing a memorable stay.

The room I stayed in was spacious, well-appointed, and exuded a sense of luxury. The bed was incredibly comfortable, ensuring a restful night's sleep after a long day of meetings. The amenities provided were of high quality, and the attention to detail was evident throughout. I particularly appreciated the thoughtfully designed workspace, which was perfect for my business needs.

The dining options at Crowne Plaza Guangzhou were outstanding. The breakfast buffet offered a wide range of delicious dishes, catering to various dietary preferences. The restaurants on-site served delectable cuisine, and the service was prompt and attentive. I highly recommend trying the local specialties at the hotel's Chinese restaurant.

The hotel facilities were top-notch. The fitness center was well-equipped with modern machines and offered a variety of exercise options. After a workout, I indulged in a relaxing session at the spa, where the skilled therapists provided a rejuvenating experience.

What truly sets Crowne Plaza Guangzhou apart is the exceptional service provided by the staff. From housekeeping to concierge, everyone I encountered was friendly, professional, and eager to assist. They anticipated my needs and went above and beyond to ensure my stay was seamless.

Overall, my experience at Crowne Plaza Guangzhou was outstanding. The hotel's prime location, elegant design, comfortable rooms, delectable dining options, and impeccable service exceeded my expectations. I highly recommend this hotel to both business and leisure travelers looking for a memorable and luxurious stay in Guangzhou. I look forward to returning...