Intercontinental Guangzhou Exhibition Center — Hotel in Guangzhou City

Guangzhou, Guangdong Province—a city that speaks through its details. Its stories are told through flavors, sounds, textures, and sights. As the cultural capital of Southern China, Guangzhou seamlessly blends historic tradition with modern innovation, from the scenic Baiyun Mountains and Pearl River to its dynamic culinary scene and growing urban economy.||The Setting: Pazhou Island and the InterContinental Experience||Pazhou, the eastern island district of Guangzhou, is a hub for international trade and innovation, home to corporate headquarters, exhibition centers, and the historic Huangpu Port. Nestled on the island’s edge, overlooking the iconic Canton Tower, stands the InterContinental Guangzhou Exhibition Center, sharing its modern tower with the Poly Development headquarters. Designed with business travelers in mind, especially those attending the Canton Fair, the hotel offers more than just convenience—it delivers thoughtful hospitality.||My Return Visit: A Stay With Purpose||Having visited before, I returned on June 23–24 to experience the hotel again amid a changing hospitality landscape. As part of my IHG Diamond Ambassador membership, I booked a one-night stay for just under ¥900 (~$125 USD) in a Classic Room, which was graciously upgraded to a 1 King Premium Tower Bath View Room.||A day before my arrival, I was personally contacted by Martha Roberts, possibly the only Argentine front office manager in IHG China—a familiar face who ensured every detail of my stay was arranged. Upon arrival, I was greeted not only by Martha but also by the General Manager, Bruno Bohl, who has brought seasoned leadership and a personal touch to the property. To my surprise, he even gifted me a plate of lychees he picked with his family—a gesture that set the tone for a deeply personal and memorable stay.||The Room: 1 King Premium Tower Bath View||Located in a corner of the building, Room 2917 offered sweeping 270-degree views of the Pearl River and Canton Tower. The 60 sqm room featured floor-to-ceiling windows, minimalist wood and marble interiors, a walk-in closet, and a tranquil bathtub with views that capture the spirit of the riverfront. The bathroom was well-equipped, with a shift from the usual Byredo products to local Calmac amenities—a refreshing touch.||Club InterContinental: Lounge Above the Clouds||Thanks to my IHG Milestone Rewards, I enjoyed access to Club InterContinental on the 39th floor—a refined lounge with panoramic views, elegant furnishings, and a calm atmosphere. Led by Claire He, the lounge team delivered exceptional service across breakfast, afternoon tea, and happy hour. It’s also a great setting for private meetings or simply soaking in the city skyline.||Dining: A Culinary Highlight||The hotel boasts three main dining options:||CHAR Restaurant – A Michelin-guide steakhouse with a dramatic minimalist design. Highlights include the USDA Prime Ribeye and open kitchen concept. CHAR also has a sister location at Hotel Indigo Shanghai, famed by “Max the Meat Guy.”||Canal Luna – A celebration of Cantonese tradition, offering refined local dishes crafted by a master chef. Ideal for those seeking authentic regional cuisine.||Café Aqua – The all-day buffet offers everything from fresh seafood and international fare to Cantonese specialties. A vibrant and inclusive dining space for hotel guests and locals alike.||I took advantage of the 618 Sale, similar to Double 11, with excellent value F&B packages:||Café Aqua Semi-Buffet Lunch (¥168/$24): Featuring main dishes like curry chicken and steak, with a side buffet of seafood, sushi, and salads—prepared by the veteran Winson Wang.||Canal Luna Dim Sum Set (¥138/$20): A traditional Cantonese dim sum menu including shrimp dumplings, wonton noodles, and mango sago. A complimentary dessert voucher made it even sweeter.||Breakfast at Café Aqua: A broad selection from Western classics and dim sum to Lanzhou noodles, fresh juices, and even milkshakes and ice cream. I enjoyed breakfast with Bruno and was warmly attended by Winson and F&B Director Victoria Li. For a quieter option, the Club Lounge provides à la carte selections with stunning morning views.||Facilities: An Exceptional Pool Experience||The swimming pool is among the best in any Guangdong hotel—spacious, clean, and well-equipped with thoughtful extras like a high-speed dryer, sauna, and top-tier locker rooms.||Final Thoughts: Service Defines the Stay||This was my 7th visit, and it ended on a high note—a group photo with the team I’ve come to know and appreciate: Bruno, Martha, Claire, Winson, and Victoria. One absence stood out—Catty Chen, the new Director of Rooms, who had long been a key figure during my early visits and helped establish the relationships that keep me coming back.||To me, the essence of a great hotel lies not only in its architecture or amenities, but in the genuine service and passion of its team. The warmth, attentiveness, and heart shown here are what make this property exceptional.||Verdict:||Without a doubt, this is the best IHG property in Guangdong Province, and personally, my favorite among all IHG hotels. If you’re visiting Guangzhou—whether for business or leisure—this hotel is worth every yuan. Treat the staff with kindness, and you’ll experience hospitality...

We arrived here for a long weekend and had the good fortune to meet the General Manager, Adam Haywood. He took us up to the Club InterContinental to check in. This interaction with Mr. Haywood set the tone for what was to be a very enjoyable stay. We were met there by the Claire He, the Club InterContinental Manager who was absolutely amazing. Nothing was too much trouble for her and she was very, very welcoming. We were quickly checked in and Claire had helped us book a table at the Canal Luna Restaurant.||We had booked a Junior Suite and found it spacious and well appointed. The lounge area was large and comfortable – suitable for relaxing or even holding work related meetings. The lounge had its own toilet and all the usual facilities for making tea and coffee, plus a mini bar. Throughout the suite there were ample wall sockets, some of which came with USB A sockets too. The bedroom was spacious and comfortable and the whole suite made the most of the wonderful views of the Pearl River with the provision of seating by the floor to ceiling windows. The bathroom had a lovely hot tub where one could relax and admire the view as well. All in all, the suite provided every comfort and if something was needed, such as a change of pillow, it was only a phone call away. The walk-in closet provided ample space and this would be welcomed by the business traveller who needed space for formal and informal attire. During our stay we were very well looked after by the staff on our floor, particularly by Yaoha who serviced our room.||Lunch at the Canal Luna Chinese Restaurant was kicked off with one of the best selections of teas I have come across and the meal was classic Chinese Dim Sum and at just under HK$400 for 2 persons was pretty much as expected for such a prestigious hotel. The atmosphere was very pleasant and the staff were all very attentive and helpful. ||The Club Intercontinental provided the usual afternoon tea selection and evening cocktails. The lounge itself is beautifully situated with a view of the stunning Pearl River which is breath-taking by night. There was a good range of wines, beers, spirits, and mixers/soft drinks and a very nice selection of hot and cold dishes, catering for every taste. Manager Claire set a very high standard and it was obvious that her staff were also very happy to go the extra mile to make guests feel at home – I cannot praise all staff members at the Club highly enough as they were all very, very helpful and cheerful.||We had the option of breakfasting either downstairs or in the Club. The restaurant on the 1/F had a wide variety of dishes catering for all tastes. The only problem here was that the choice was so wide, it would be impossible to sample it all, even during a longer stay. At the Club the choice was smaller but still catered well for most tastes and in addition to a buffet, freshly made to order dishes were also available.||The hotel is very well situated for trade fair visitors but is also well connected by public transport for general visitors as well. The only problem we had was getting a taxi early on a very wet Sunday morning and this was easily solved by the Concierge who booked us a ride through Didi (Chinese Uber style app).||We had a really relaxing stay thanks to Claire He and her staff and the overall impression was that one was a highly esteemed guest in her home. Adam Haywood is to be congratulated for running such a welcoming and well-appointed hotel. I would not hesitate to highly recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Guangzhou or the surrounding area and I will certainly try to...

Terrible communication experience

Since becoming a member of IHG rewards, I've stayed at several dozen InterContinental hotels and have always had positive experiences. However, my recent stay at InterContinental Guangzhou Exhibition Center has left me seriously questioning whether IHG is effectively managing its properties.

One day before check-in, the hotel staff called to inform me that the room type I had booked was not suitable for an upgrade, as the upgraded rooms would be smaller and have worse views. Perplexed, I responded with, "Alright, I understand." The staff member then asked about my arrival time, to which I replied, "1 PM." Once they confirmed the time, we ended the conversation.

Upon arriving at the hotel the next day at 1 PM, I noticed only two check-in counters open at the front desk. I asked a nearby concierge if there was a priority check-in lane for ambassadors, to which they curtly replied, "Just queue up here."

After waiting in line for nearly 20 minutes, just as it was about to be my turn to check in, another staff approached me and asked, "Are you an InterContinental Ambassador? We have a priority check-in for ambassadors." At this point, I was already quite frustrated, as this meant the past 20 minutes had been completely wasted. Thus, I declined the offer from the staff member.

During the check-in process, I presented my booking email and confirmation ID to the front desk staff. However, the staff did not recognize my ambassador membership. After informing me of my room type (as previously mentioned, no upgrade), I was shocked to find out that there was absolutely no compensation provided for the ambassador not receiving an upgrade. According to IC Ambassador terms, I should have received a restaurant credit or 10k rewards points. But I received nothing – no access to the executive lounge, not even an extra breakfast (despite the terms specifying ONE complimentary full breakfast, and I was staying with a friend, so there was no additional breakfast provided in the absence of an upgrade).

Later, the front desk staff informed me, "Your room hasn't been cleaned yet. It might take another hour or two." I retorted, "But you called me yesterday to ask about my arrival time and confirmed it. I've been waiting in line here for over 20 minutes, and now you're telling me the room isn't ready?" Oddly enough, after hearing my response, the front desk staff quickly checked me in, handed me room cards, and as soon as I entered the room, I found no evidence of it being "unclean." In other words, the staff's claim that the room was "unclean" was a complete fabrication.

As I was staying with a friend, it wasn't convenient to address the various issues with the staff directly during check-in. Compared to these terrible check-in communication experiences, issues like "missing luggage rack" and "ineffective room cooling" (setting the air conditioning to 18°C, but the room still being 28°C after four hours) seemed like minor concerns.

In my view, this hotel's management was blatantly disregarding IHG IC Ambassador terms. Upon reflection, it makes sense – being located next to the exhibition center, they seemingly had no worries about a shortage of guests, allowing them to be so brazen when treating guests. I believe that a hotel owner with such disregard for rules would have better prospects if it were to break away from the InterContinental...