Holiday Inn Qingdao City Centre — Hotel in Qingdao

Overall a good hotel. Clean and mostly excellent staff. Often very difficult to get a taxi as the main entrance is on a bit of a side street. I am reviewing my last 2 stays in this review as the problems I had we're similar on both stays. The last time we stayed was not during a public holiday period. We booked the club floor as we wanted to be able to use the Premier lounge for breakfast and the happy hour. On checking in we were told that the lounge wasn't open for breakfast because there weren't enough customers to warrant opening it for breakfast. So we would have to use the restaurant like everyone else. I asked how they could charge me extra for services I wouldn't be getting? Eventually I was begrudgingly given a VERY slight reduction in my room rate 'because the happy hour is still on' briefly happy hour consists of a whiskey, a rum, a gin, a red and white wine. And some very,very luke warm fried -from -frozen convenience food - onion rings, chips etc. one type of cold meat, one type of cheese. Fruit salad. Fried rice, you get the idea. Fast forward to this trip during the October 1st national holiday. We stayed in a premier floor room again, except this time it was one that had a connecting door # a family room #except it sounded as though the other family next door were in the room with us. A note on travel and ALL Chinese hotels - don't go expecting a rest. Chinese folk use the corridors all hours of the day and night to hold long heated conversations, yelling at the top of their lungs. The thought is, if we're up EVERYBODY is up. And the louder and more often you can slam your door the better, especially if your neighbours from your hometown can hear the noise 'cos they will realise you are rich because you're staying n a hotel. This of course is not the fault of the hotel management. Anyway back to the business lounge this trip. The staff are delightful that work there. The breakfast is meagre and again luke warm food. On the last day my wife and I ordered an omelette after 40 minutes of apologies and no omelette we had to check out hungry. We were told amazingly when we arrived for breakfast to expect a Very long delay for food because of the national holiday, the restaurant was busy etc etc etc. so why were we paying more for less service? - bizarre reasoning. And one last point on the happy hour this visit, food still convenience food, left standing at luke warm temperatures but this time the soft drinks/mixer drinks fridge is LOCKED so you must ask every time you want anything to drink. The staff make a huge display of unlocking the fridge for you etc. so NOT a happy hour, just a begrudging hour. No more, I think I'll try another hotel, this isn't he way to treat...

Its my first time in Qingdao. This plan has been 8 years pending until finally come true to visiting not just the city, but old good friends there. On my personal opinion, winter time is the BEST to visit Qingdao! Looking at the package offer, hotel with fligh, there is no way to think twice. Here is the breakdown of my stayed in Holiday Inn Qingdao City Centre:

Arrival (Doorman/Bellman/FO) Doorman smooth well greeted. Immediately handling luggage with care. FO, genuine and sincere from AMFO Monica. Cleared explanation and emphasize if i require anything, I can direct informed her. As my room come without breakfast, she up-selling to club room with Executive Lounge access however, i turndown it as not necessary for me. But she recommended me with good deal price for additional breakfast RMB130 instead RMB150 which fine for me. Bellman, once my room confirmed, luggage within a second after settling down in room.

Room/Housekeeping Room very spacious. Need and tidy of course clean too. One I didn't endure much is the bathroom because standing shower attached with the bathtub (not my favorite). View was OK facing the neighborhood areas. During my stayed, housekeeping taking care my room very well. Its just that one thing that I curious about, why didn't throw the empty boxes. Hmmmm..... maybe thy thought i still need it. Second or Third day my stayed, I got notice about the Management regards to cleaning main water tank that may cause noisy. That's fine I tolerate with it. But when I was take bath, the water turn orange rusty color. Might because affected cleaning result. I have no choice to let the water run few minutes before taking shower. I only to AMFO Monica next day regard to this issue. As courteous recovery, she sending fruits plater even though not arrive in my room. Upon check out after knowing no fruits coming to my room, simple souvenir passed to me with sincerely apologized.

Special Request I had wedding need to attend one night, and realize I don't have red packet. Refer to the Call Center, they tried find one for me. Turn up, the communication from Call Center, the Concierge assist me to buy from outside. This superb outstanding service! Elliot and Iris (i think) were vary patience handling my request regard the additional breakfast as i was planed to bring my friends joined me for breakfast on my last day in Qingdao. Details, sincere and honest! Loving it!

Coffee House Rachel was the star taking care Us... flawless.... Food option was great. Standard 4* breakfast. Very comfy and appetites.

Overall.... Its matter of time to become excellent. The Teams need look into consistency of details. Like the WiFi, guest comment or feed back those...

Of all the places I have been to in China Qingdao is probably my favourite and whilst initially I was apprehensive booking the Holiday Inn City Centre as it is not close to the main tourist attractions I am absolutely delighted I did. We had a room on the upper level that looked over the residential area and the houses here are more up market than in other parts of Qingdao. This is the commercial district, not retail, there are many corporate white collar businesses and Government offices in this area and the hotel is an easy walk to May 4th square and the Olympic Park where the water sports were performed in the Beijing Olympics. If you want retail there is a large Carrefour supermarket just around the corner, there are also many restaurants in this area. Whilst the hotel is not close to Beer or German Street or the Brewery or any of the other tourist areas a RMB20 taxi ride will get you there, it's so cheap. The hotel is very welcoming, the room is very nicely furnished and the bed is extremely comfortable. We stayed here four days and we decided to do a small amount of washing whilst here as there is a small clothes line in the shower area, however, the maid took it upon herself to provide a clothes dryer, a nice touch and it showed initiative. On another day a selection of fruit was supplied to us for no particular reason but the most surprising thing was on another day a whole Birthday cake supplied to my wife as it was her birthday, this was a complete surprise. This hotel obviously goes out of its way to ensure guests enjoy their stay. Whilst we didn't eat in the restaurant, we did on two occasions have meals sent to our room, the service for this was prompt and the food arrived hot and was tasty. There is also a swimming pool and exercise room in this hotel. I would thoroughly recommend this hotel to anyone wanting to stay in Qingdao, the staff are very friendly, the service is excellent and the location is relaxing. For those on a budget the airport shuttle bus stops close by at the Fuhua Hotel, this is about 100 metres from the Holiday Inn and the shuttle bus fare from the airport is just RMB20, which considering the taxi fare is RMB300 this is excellent value. Give yourself a break, you would enjoy a holiday in Qingdao and the Holiday Inn would really be "the icing and the cherry on top of the cake". I would really like to revisit Qingdao and I would most definitely stay at the Holiday Inn...