Hotels met Pools in Fujian, China

This place makes me wish there was an option for six stars. I study Asian art for a living, and I travelled to Jianyang to visit the home of Jian ware, classic tea bowls of the Song dynasty (960 to 1279 CE), distinguished by their black and brown glazes. Over the last few decades, firing Jian ware in the Song tradition has been revived in the area. I chose Nanping Colourful Village Homestay because it was in Jianyang, affordable, and accepted international guests. What I found was a luxury resort with all the warmth and personal attention of a homestay. I asked the front desk about an excavated Song kiln site in a nearby village, and the receptionist brought me the manager, who arranged for someone to take me the next day. My driver was Ms. Huang, an employee of the resort whose job involves buying and selling contemporary pieces. She knew everything about Jian ware! The kiln site isn’t run as a tourist site, so I was only able to view it because Ms. Huang arranged for it to be opened for me. I had told them I was vegetarian, so for lunch they took me to lunch at a vegetarian buffet. Then we visited the town’s Jian ware museum, where they have exhibits on the history of tea and Jian ware, historical pieces, and the work of contemporary Jianyang potters. To my delight, Mr. Gao, the potter-in-residence at the resort, uses a Song-style wood-fired dragon kiln, built right on the grounds! His pieces that range from beautiful but quite affordable to exquisite and appropriately expensive. They include both iridescent silvery oil spot and orange-to-black hare’s fur pieces. I am still thrilled that I was able to purchase wood-fired pieces on my limited budget. For dinner, the resort’s restaurant prepared vegetarian versions of Fujian cuisine for me. The food was all delicious, featuring classic Fujianese mountain ingredients like local bamboo and mushrooms. Then we visited Mr. Gao’s dragon kiln, and later his studio, where he experiments with different local clays and glaze recipes. The rich colours and iridescence of Jian ware are the result of the iron-rich local material fired at high temperature, and the results are as unpredictable as they are beautiful. The next day, they drove me to Mr. Chen’s family tea plantation in the mountains, where they grow famous northern Fujian teas. These fine teas were all wonderful, smooth and rich with a touch of smoke, and sometimes fruity in flavour. We strolled through mountainsides of tea bushes and visited groves of centuries-old tea trees. This is a perfect place for an immersive experience in China that is also very comfortable and convenient. I often find tourist experiences in China claustrophobic due to the press of people, but the resort was spacious and airy, and they took me to places where there was no one else but us and the occasional local going about their business. Everyone was very patient with my limited Chinese language skills. They were also happy to work with translator apps on our phones, so if you don’t speak any Chinese, you will be fine. This would be a great place to come as a family. There are gardens and rides for kids right next to the resort. You can learn how to whip Song-style tea and carve your name into the base of your own Jian ware cup. Not far away is a historical theme park with a collection of real architecture from the Ming (1368 to 1644 CE) and Qing (1636 to 1912 CE) dynasties. The employees wear period dress and there are performances and activities. Nearby there are hiking trails, historical sites, and lovely villages to visit. It’s also very close to Wuyi Mountain National Park, so it would be a perfect place to stay if the mountains are your destination. If you ask, they could arrange for you to visit famous sites or take you to breathtaking places that only locals know, whatever you want. They can also arrange transport to and from the train station or airport.

The room had a large bed and a small bed, which was enough for our family of five (2 adults and 3 children). The environment was elegant and the soundproofing was good. There was also a mini-fridge in the room, perfect for storing fruits and drinks. The kids loved the pool downstairs. The only downside was the TV; it wasn't connected to the internet, so we couldn't choose what we wanted to watch. The hotel's location is excellent, with many attractions nearby, making it convenient for shopping and dining!

Staying at the Hilton Fuzhou Sanfang was an extremely satisfying experience. The Sky Lobby on the 40th floor has a sophisticated ambiance, and the check-in process was smooth, with staff who were gentle and attentive. I stayed in a river-view room, which was spacious and well-maintained. The floor-to-ceiling windows offered panoramic views of the Min River; as dusk fell and the city lights came on, the nighttime atmosphere was absolutely captivating. The bedding was just right, neither too soft nor too firm, ensuring a very peaceful sleep. The bathroom was equipped with both a bathtub and a shower, and the toiletries were of high quality. The breakfast on the 39th floor offered a wide variety of choices, catering to both Western and Chinese tastes, including local Fuzhou specialties. The high-altitude dining experience was excellent. The heated infinity pool on the 41st floor provided breathtaking views, and the gym was well-equipped, making for a very comfortable place to relax. The hotel's location is superb, with comprehensive commercial facilities nearby, making travel very convenient. Whether for business or leisure, this is a highly recommended hotel in Fuzhou!

The staff were very kind. The room I originally booked faced a wall of noisy air conditioning units, so the hotel staff upgraded my room, which I really appreciated! As for the downsides, this building houses a basketball court and a bar. Before 8:30 PM, you could hear the thumping of basketballs in the room, and after midnight, the music from the bar was very loud. Both day and night were affected. I assume this is a fundamental issue that can't be changed. There are parking spaces at the entrance, but they are incredibly small. When full, it's hard to even open the car door, and my car door handle even got a chip of paint knocked off by a neighboring car opening their door. Breakfast was decent. I wouldn't really recommend it!

This isn't my first time staying here, and I really love it; the experience is consistently great. The breakfast selection changes a bit daily, always featuring authentic Southern Fujian specialties. There's a wide variety and the food tastes excellent. The room is also very dorm-like, quiet, and the bed is fantastic, leading to naturally high-quality sleep. The only minor downside is that the pool isn't very big, but the water quality is excellent. Also, our butler, Merry, took great care of us. For example, she'd ask what we wanted refilled in the minibar and prepared turn-down service nightly before we came back (which included a pre-sleep dessert, a floor mat next to the bed, and indoor slippers).

Loved this hotel super close to the beach and incredibly dog friendly. One of the reviews talked about a long uphill walk from the parking to the hotel so we were really worried, but decided to book after all because we really liked the room and the closeness to a quiet beach for my dog. On the day of check in I was contacted by the hotel to confirm that I was checking in, traveling with a dog and needed parking. I was sent a location for the parking to navigate to, which was quite easy. When I struggled with finding a parking spot, the staff came out to help me find one and assist with bringing the suitcases to the hotel, which was a very short 5 minute walk we didn’t have to worry about at all. The staff then waited for us to settle in and showed us the way to the beach. We were impressed by his English and helpful attitude. The room was beautiful with amazing views and the access to the beach was amazing and easy to find.

This hotel is simply perfect! The room was huge, and the cleaning staff tidied up every day. Every evening, they'd bring sweet soups like tremella or red bean, along with fruit, right to our room. The restaurant on the 22nd floor was also great; we could leisurely enjoy breakfast there before heading out. There's a gym and a pool on the 6th floor. Speaking of which, I almost gave a bad review. When I chose this hotel, it was specifically because of their swimming pool. However, when I got there, I found out that during the Chinese New Year period, the pool hours were only from 10:30 AM to 6:00 PM. This is exactly when we were out and about! How could anyone use the pool then? I was so annoyed. But, considering their excellent service, I let it go and still gave a full five stars. I also want to give a special shout-out to ”Huihui” at the front desk. We accidentally left something in the hotel fridge and only realized it after we'd checked out. Huihui very enthusiastically helped us find it and even mailed it to us. We're so grateful! All in all, this is a hotel with complete facilities, thoughtful service, and a warm, lovely atmosphere. It's the kind of cozy place that made us look forward to coming back to rest every day after a tiring day of sightseeing.

Initially, I thought it was just an average hotel, nothing spectacular. However, the service truly stood out and made me feel right at home. Check-in was fast and efficient. When they heard we were tourists, they proactively offered recommendations for nearby attractions. After completing the check-in process, the front desk manager personally escorted us to the guest room elevators, which made us feel incredibly welcome. Upon entering the room, there was a plate of welcome fruit on the table. Taking a bite, it was sweet to the taste and warmed my heart. When I requested a few extra bottles of water, a robot promptly delivered them. Throughout the hallways, lobby, and restaurant, the staff consistently greeted us with smiles. Before check-out, Ms. He at the front desk kindly asked if our stay was satisfactory and offered us several bottles of mineral water, suggesting we take them for our journey due to the hot weather. You could truly feel their genuine care. From check-in to check-out, I consistently experienced the warmth of the staff. Although I hadn't heard of this hotel before, after staying here, I genuinely felt that staying at a Junlan Hotel gives you a wonderful sense of home!

This is a very good hotel. It is right next to the shopping mall, so restaurants and coffee shops are everywhere. We really appreciated the friendly front desk staff getting us an upgraded room. It is spacious, cleaned, comfortable, and fully stocked with everything we need. We love their long and cleaned pool. It’s perfect for lap swimmers. Definitely we will recommend this hotel to our friends and family.

I checked into your hotel on September 6th, and as a five-star international brand under the Hyatt group, I was deeply disappointed with my stay. Throughout my visit, the issues exposed in your hotel's service standards and attention to detail were significantly below what I expect from the 'Andaz' brand. Firstly, the concierge service was severely lacking, and the parking experience was abysmal. When I arrived at the hotel by car, the concierge staff at the entrance were indifferent and seemingly inexperienced. When I inquired about parking, the first concierge was dismissive, merely instructing me to 'turn right out the gate,' which was unclear and led to me failing to find the car park. Upon returning and asking another concierge, I was told that the surface parking was full and that I needed to drive around the MixC complex to enter the underground garage from the back. However, the signage within the MixC underground car park was extremely confusing, with many通道 blocked. I spent nearly 40 minutes navigating the car park, asking multiple people for directions and even driving against traffic several times, before finally locating the hotel's parking area. For a five-star hotel, such an inconvenient parking process is unfathomable. The normal standard operation should include clear valet parking options, or at the very least, detailed parking instructions with maps and visuals. Your current arrangement not only fails to provide convenience but also caused significant distress and potential traffic safety hazards for guests. Secondly, the welcome fruit in the room was of poor quality and had spoiled. After checking in and entering my room, I ate an apple provided by the hotel. After one bite (thankfully I didn't swallow it), I discovered it was rotten. While welcome fruit may seem like a small gesture, it is a basic service that reflects the hotel's care and attention to guests. The presence of 'rotten fruit' severely violates basic food safety requirements and greatly damages the guest's first impression of the hotel. Thirdly, the concierge staff exhibited 'favoritism' or snobbish behavior. When I went out in the evening, I noticed that the ground-level concierge staff at the entrance seemed to be selectively screening guest vehicles, choosing who to offer the scarce surface parking spots to. This behavior of differential treatment based on vehicle class or guest appearance, even if sometimes heard of in some high-end luxury establishments overseas, is extremely inappropriate and smacks of commercialism for a brand positioned like Andaz. This conduct not only undermines the principle of fair service but also made waiting guests feel offended. In summary, the three issues mentioned above – from chaotic traffic flow planning and a lack of basic quality control to inadequate staff training – all point to clear operational and management flaws in your hotel. I chose Andaz for its unique taste and reliable service as a high-end brand under Hyatt, but this experience clearly fell short.