金中环酒店公寓 — Hotel in Shenzhen

If you've never been to Shenzhen before, this is the hotel you must stay at for convenience sake! Eventually you'll know your way around this vast city. But, for first-timers this hotel is a must-stay location.||||The hotel's elevators connect with the underground eating pavilion and shopping mall that surround two subway stations. This means you can't get lost! I've timed my travel time from my room to the subway platform; three minutes! I take the elevator straight down to the subway level, exit amongst the various food-court style restaurants and am on the subway platform in three minutes.||||It never feels like you exit the hotel. It is so thoroughly integrated into the surrounding substructure, you effortlessly travel from your room to hundreds of restaurants and stores to different subways lines.||||Now, all of this would be moot if the hotel sucked. It doesn't. It isn't the fanciest of hotels, but it is clean, well decorated and comfortable.||||In addition, there is a fantastic Dim Sum restaurant (remember; that's breakfast in southern China, not dinner!) that locals line up 200-people deep. That should tell you how good the Dim Sum is. The food court changes frequently but the mainstays are Chinese fast food (several are fairly healthy) as well as McDonald's. Once you feel like traveling further along the underground hallways, you'll find a vast collection of stores, sitting areas and restaurants. They're all good; from Indian food to pizza, they're all excellent. You'll think the price is reasonable but in truth the prices are tourist prices. Movie theaters and bars are also walking distance from this hotel. And every taxi cab driver knows how to get here! So easy!||||I've stayed here 3-4 times. I have 3-4 different hotels I choose, depending on which factories I'm visiting. I avoid the Western Name Brand Hotels because they are grossly overpriced. Most Westerners stay at a place like the Marriot or Hyatt because they're afraid to venture past what is familiar to them. They're loss; they overpay and never experience the real China.||||One trick; all hotel rates with Chinese (nonWestern) hotels have negotiable prices and a second rate-sheet for local travelers. I pay about $50.00 a night to stay at this hotel (in 2015 dollars). There are other comprobable hotels in the area for $25.00 a night. And these hotels compare in luxury and quality to a $200 a night hotel with the word "Hyatt" on front.||||A good example is the Sheraton next door. It's 300% more expensive but the rooms are the same quality. If you say "But they have an amazing buffet!" then cross the street, eat at their buffet and return to the Golden Central with more money in your pocket while sleeping in an equally nice hotel room.||||If you're a first-time China traveler, then stay in a reasonably affordable place like a Crowne Plaza for $80 a night but then quickly switch to an inexpensive (but equally nice) hotel like this one.||||Why? Because with the money you save you can wine and dine your Chinese vendors in the nicest restaurants in town. That gets you far, far more value. And the Chinese rooms are often much nicer than the Western name brand hotels.||||Whenever I see a Westerner eating in some crappy McDonalds but staying at the Marco Polo I feel sorry for them; they have the equation so wrong. Even if the hotel staff doesn't speak any English, it is easy to check into a local hotel. You go to Google Translate and type "1 room for 5 nights, please. I want to see the room before I pay. Thank you."||||WIth that, someone will show you the room in advance and you can decide if you want it. You can wander around the streets of China with that simple translated piece of paper and effortlessly check rooms before you pay.||||So, why are you so afraid to venture beyond the Marco Polo, Crowne Plaza or Holiday Inn?||||For even better deals, you'll need to venture into hotels that do not know how to list on TripAdvisor. Thats where the real deal can be found and you'll stay in a very nice hotel for about $25.00 a night.||||In my opinion, suckers pay $250 a night for a hotel. In 10 days that means they spent 2 grand that I saved or spent on something of...

AVOID AT ALL COSTS!||The location is indeed premium, but that's where the positive things end. Starting with the actual rooms, they are so cramped up that an obese person couldn't turn. Then, the closets can fit 3 shirts on hangers, that's it. So all your clothes must stay in your luggage at all times, on the floor, is a room too small and badly planned for you to live in. ||The hote staff does not speak english, nor does anyone around the hotel. Then it's the cleanliness, or the lack of it thereoff. It's not like I saw rats and roaches, but the surfaces in general were dirty.||If however you are uninspired to pick this hotel, do not get breakfast. The buffet is incredibly poor it's absurd. 98% of the world toasters are made in China yet this hotel has some old piece of work that takes 10 minutes to toast your bread. The worst part of the buffet? The plates were dirty, the silverware was dirty as well and the ambiance was that that of eating on the sidewalk.||Also, the good location cones at a price, 24/7 honking on the streets. Chinese people will honk at anything, all the time, non-stop, so you will hear it constantly if you open the window.||The hotel will not exchange currency and you are in for a shock if you don't bring RMB.||AVOID AT...

This was my 2nd stay at this hotel because of its location & friend's recommendation. Because I didn't pre booked my room, I have no choice but to take a business suite because I was told that was the only room upon check in. So I quickly reserved a cheaper room for my 2nd nite I was assure no problem.||||I went to change room the next morning but was told all cheaper was fully booked for the day. I was taken by surprise but the staff who assured me was on duty so I pointed at him & said "he assured me the cheaper room for today". A gentleman who stood behind the staff overheard my comments told the staff to give me a cheaper room had they assured me. Thanks to the gentleman who's either a front desk manager or supervisor I got my room & saved RMB200 for the 2nd nite.||||This hotel's location is superb with MRT station underneath. There are many good malls surrounding it too. The only downside is the security of its lift. Anyone can access the lift pass midnight & room card authorization is not needed to access ur hotel floor that's why I don't feel safe. I hope the hotel can look into this because I intend to come back to this...