JW Marriott Hotel Harbin River North — Hotel in Harbin

We stayed at the JW Marriott, Harbin River North, January 15-19, 2020, in order to visit Ice and Snow World and the snow sculptures on Sun Island. With Titanium status, we bumped up into a very nice City View Suite which was beyond our expectations: 2 bathrooms, living room, and large bedroom. The living room had a sofa, desk, leisure and work chairs, TV, closet, wall shelf unit, luggage rack, and many cabinets and drawers for storage. It was reminiscent of the JW Marriott Marquis in Dubai, on a smaller scale. One bathroom, by the front door was toilet and sink only, but very spacious and the counter was long and equipped with a makeup mirror. The main bath had toilet, shower and tub, a smaller sink area with makeup mirror, but featured a TV within the mirror. The tub had a reading rack across it, equipped with a book stand and TV remote. The bedroom also had a TV shelving, and a closet. Controls by the bed allowed for lighting control and also control of the automatic shades and drapes. (Auto drapes were in the main bath and living area as well as the bedroom.) The suite was richly decorated in varnished wood, touches of gold, and a chandelier. There was indirect accent lighting and task lighting available in every room at the touch of a switch, allowing for easy reading in every room, or mood enhancement with low lights. Charging stations were on each side of the bed—both plug and USB...a feature we’ve come to expect but have not found uniformly. Most of the outlets are multi plug types for euro, us and Australian plug types||Our overall impression was one of opulence: lots of marble, mirrors, heavy sliding frosted glass doors, shiny wood, and thoughtful conveniences. | During Ice festival time, a hotel shuttle provides drop off service at a local mall, Tiger Park, Sun Island (snow sculptures), Ice and Snow World (the world famous ice sculptures), and Central Avenue (Zhongyang Pedestrian Street). Seating is limited and you have to book a specific time and destination. You will need to cab back and the DiDi app is a must. ||We’d read some accounts that mentioned Lounge food was sparse, but as far as we were concerned, the food provided in the Exec Lounge was sufficient in type and quantity to meet our needs. The cream puffs that were part of the afternoon tea offerings were the best I’ve had. They were filled with real whipped cream. One nice touch was a cooked to order menus of dumplings, wonton soup and a couple other selections in the evening in addition to multiple hit and cold foods. ||Breakfast was available in one of the hotel restaurants, and we chose this over eating a continental breakfast in the Lounge (Lounge breakfast must be booked a day prior). Albeit heavily skewed toward Chinese delicacies (hello, we’re in China), we both found plenty to eat. There was an omelet station, mini pancakes, cereal, salad, fruit, and various breads for the traditional Western eater. If you like Chinese food—and we do—there was a noodle bowl station, myriad cold marinated salads, dim sum, fried rice, fried noodles, sushi, countless soups, and items that looked good but that I was unfamiliar with. The staff were friendly and attentive.||The hotel has a Brewery bar/restaurant with live entertainment. ||Things that stood out. Hannibal, one of the concierge team, was always looking out for us. Reminder calls for the shuttle, taxi driver directions, etc. ||The floor maid was super attentive. This is one of the few properties that includes laundry for 2 pieces daily for this group. ||Other info:|This was our 3rd China trip in the past 12 months as tourists. |Harbin is one of the larger cities with Russian influences from years back. English is not widely spoken locally or by the hotel staff. That said their English was far super to my Chinese. Google Translate works and everyone uses that or the local version. Apple Maps were more current than Google. You need a good data package or none of this works. Facebook works with the cellular data and not in the hotel WiFi. I found this to be true in all the Marriott’s so far. Still,it is interesting to be the only westerners any where. Hotel/train/subway etc. we had a...

It was an amazing stay for my family for a 5D4N stay at the hotel during the 2019 Dec winter season. I visited Harbin for the first time with my family to experience the annual Ice and Snow Festival, I chose JW Marriott as it has never disappointed me for my past stays in this hotel brand, and I was right once again this time.

As a Platinum Elite member, my family and I were greeted upon arrival with welcome drinks and towels. The hotel staffs were all friendly and welcoming. I was upgraded to a suite room at #729. It was comfortable, spacious and clean. I enjoyed the huge TV in the living room and the bathtub with mini TV and bath salt provided. Bed and sofa were very comfortable for a good and relaxing stay. A little flaw in this room was the bathroom rain shower glass door was not installed properly, it slanted slightly giving an impression that the glass door could be detached any time. I contacted the maintenance department, it was inspected and certified to be safe (with tightening of all parts) and they said it would eventually need to be replaced.

The hotel is not located in the downtown area. You need a transport to travel to attractions and shopping mall under extreme cold weather. The nearest shopping mall, The MIXC, is approximately 5-10 min by car or 20-30 min by walking distance. Initially, I learned from TripAdvisor that there was shuttle service provided to hotel guests to Zhong Yang Street and etc. Unfortunately, it was a disappointment to learn from hotel concierge that they no longer provide this service for the time being. We relied on metered taxis to travel to attractions. Fortunately, concierge has been helping us with the taxi booking and the taxis are all reliable. I must say that the metered taxi fare in Harbin is really reasonable, only approx. CNY 20-30 to travel to downtown area like Zhong Yang Street.

Breakfast at JW Cafe was not really inviting and pleasant. The choices were limited and many food items like bakeries and fried eggs were not immediately replenished when they ran out. The food items served during breakfast were the same for every morning, no surprises for hotel guests. The same at the executive lounge, food has to be pre-ordered a day in advance! I could not even find a champagne for my enjoyment. Nevertheless, the view from executive lounge during day time was magnificent, overlooking the frozen Songhua River...

Elevating Comfort with a Harbin City Vista at JW Marriott, Harbin North River

My recent stay at JW Marriott, Harbin North River, in the Deluxe Suite City View, was truly exceptional, with an average nightly rate of IDR 5,032,075. Positioned conveniently for the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival, while my suite didn't boast a river view, it offered a picturesque cityscape of snowy Harbin.

Deluxe Suite City View: The suite was remarkably spacious, complemented by delightful Aromatherapy Associates bath amenities. The bathroom, equipped with a heated floor, provided a perfect vantage point for a relaxing bathing experience with stunning views of the snowy city.

Facilities and Winter Woes: The hotel's facilities, though not brand new, were well-maintained. It was disheartening not to have access to the pool due to the absence of a hair cap. Unlike my other winter stays, JW Marriott, Harbin North River, did not offer complimentary hair cap rentals, limiting my swimming experience. The gym, while well-equipped, felt a bit dated.

Warm Service in a Frigid Atmosphere: The service, though challenged by a language barrier, exuded warmth. In moments of communication difficulty, body language bridged the gap effectively.

Central Riverside Location: The hotel's prime location in the well-built and riverside area allowed for leisurely strolls amidst the frigid nights, offering a unique snow experience en route to the city center or a nearby grocery shop.

Executive Club Delight: The Executive Club presented a delightful array of foods and beverages, with the lounge staff providing exceptional service. Each visit to the club was a cherished experience.

Conclusion: My stay at JW Marriott, Harbin North River, in the Deluxe Suite City View, was a blend of comfort and winter charm. Despite the pool limitations and language nuances, the spacious suite, city views, and the Executive Club's offerings made it a memorable experience. I look forward to returning to JW Marriott, Harbin North River, to relish its hospitality...