Crowne Plaza Zhongshan Wing On City — Hotel in Zhongshan

First at all, even I don’t use always IHG hotels, I’m a Spire Member of the chain and this means, at least, that I know something about hotels and what hospitality standards are. You will not find any complaining review from my side because I always try to see the good side of everything.

On May 30 I attended a Fair in Zhongshan and I booked a room at Wing on City Crowne Plaza. There is another Crowne Plaza in Zhongshan but I already staid on it a year ago and I was really disappointed because it was dirty and without restaurant options (the breakfast was a buffet in round tables for 8/10 people with the dirties tablecloths I had ever seen in a 4-star hotel).

The book at Wing on City Crowne Plaza was for a premier room because I wanted to have access at the lounge where was supposed I can hold several meetings.On the website can be read “Upgrade to a club lvl rm and enjoy free bkfst and evening cocktails in the exclusive club lounge”

Just arriving I got a nice welcome and was noticed that I have been upgraded. First surprise, the lounge does not open till 13:30 and no other place to have a meeting than the lobby bar. This also means that the breakfast is also in the Plaza Bar (not in the lounge as should be when you book a Club Room). The first morning I was warned that my breakfast was not included; after a short discussion and a call to the “manager” I receive, as a gift, a breakfast for that morning (after breakfast I had to go to the front desk to make everything clear and receive the first “sorry”).

At the Plaza Bar I enjoyed the excellent service of the Restaurant Manager and her team (one good thing at least!, she and the lady that was cleaning my room were the only kind and professional people I found there). To put on the other side of the balance, one night I had dinner at the hotel’s Chinese Restaurant and I felt all the time as if I was disturbing them: no kindness, no smile, only rude manners… (even the last dish was served when we already cancelled it when asking for the bill, one hour after ordered).

But was in the last day when they exhibited the disdain they can provide to who is paying their salary. When I made the check out and pay with the credit card, they charged to me on the foreign currency (from where my card is issued) instead of RMB. Without notice me. And asking me to sign a paper showing that “I have chosen to pay in the other currency”. Everybody knows that this is 5% more expensive because the local bank applies a 5% worst rate than your bank should apply (if it is not also a thieve). This means that they put the hand on my pocked and give and unbelievable 5% tip to his bank. I told them why they did this and I only got the classical “sorry” meaning “you will pay for my mistake” (if you experience this, do not accept to cancel the operation because the bank applies even a worst rate for this cancellation and you will pay twice his tip).

Because the car was blocked in a bridge for an accident, my picking was being delayed and, as the lounge was open at that time I went to seat there and have a coffee. The delay for picking was really long and the “happy hour” started and, with it, a new demonstration about their kindness come to me as a remember that “you cannot take anything of the happy hour because you already checked out”. I felt astonished (I asked them to repeat it twice). The “sorry” I got when they take off my money and gift to the bank was just an empty word; no sorry; just I have to pay for their mistakes without any kind of attention from their side.

My car finally picked up me and I could escape from that place. They will not see me anymore.

If you are going to Zhongshan don’t think that you can have any value for your money booking a room at these Crowne Plaza hotels. No any chain’s expected standards there; just the brand printed everywhere. No any respect for your loyalty to IHG. You will get just a fake “sorry” when they deliver bad service to you. You have been warned: go there if you like risk...

I have stayed at Wing On City Crowne Plaza several times since my last|review ( A Home Away From Home). ||So this lengthy review is for the years I missed to write one !!!!||Every time, the staff and management have gone above and beyond to make|everyone welcome and feel at home. The Hotel is always clean, very well|maintained and every little detail is checked. ||The breakfast buffet is plentiful with international cuisine in mind. Many healthy choices as well as other wonderful goodies. ||The restaurant on the second floor is amazing and "High Tech". ( There is a little robot delivering food which I found it to be cute). ||While there, I enjoyed the atrium with live subtle music. (A great way to unwind while sipping on a beverage)||The hotel also has a concept I have never seen before, "Healthfication"|and Sportfication !!!!! Intentionally spelled that way !!!! ||Wherein companies send their employees to WOCP for checkup at the Zhongshan|Hospital (one of the best in China) for annual checkup ! ||And other for companies who want to have a "company sponsored" golf tournament or just an outing. ||The last day of our stay there was an event at the hotel. Although there were hundreds in attendance, it was so professionally and efficiently handled, we did not|feel crowded. ||Kudos to management and staff. Specially, Sunny, Andy...

I had stayed in this hotel several times. Quality of hotel rooms was acceptable. However, quality and variety of food in restaurants were far from satisfactory. Its buffet breakfast was not to the standard that would be expected for this grade of hotel. Its Chinese restaurant was excellent at the very beginning but I observed that its standard was going down as time went by. The club lounge services was also far from adequate as compared with other Crowne Plaza (CP) hotels. Besides, hotel staff did not understand the priviledges of platinum member correctly and appropriately. Complimentary room upgrade policy was also a mess and no two staff could tell exactly the same things (the situation did not improve even though I called them last week). I also noted that, when replying to guests' comments. Rennie failed to address the guests' real concern but just "copy and paste" a standard reply instead. This is not what a CP hotel should perform. I hope that my message can be brought to the attention of the top management of CP Zhongshan for making substantial and comprehensive improvements in all areas so that the hotel's quality can tally with the hotel's star rating. I shall stay in this hotel next time in Zhongshan only because there is no other IHG hotels...