Chongqing Minshan Yuanlin Grand Hotel Longhu Tianjie Daping Metro Station

This hotel still shows the name 'Grand Hotel' but times have moved on. At one point in my one-night stand there were no lights in the room. The bed was hard (maybe preferred by some, but I favour a little softness in the bed). The wardrobe is very small and shallow, squeezed in by the door -- difficult to hang clothes. The room was rather small and the decor is very old.

The hotel is across the city from Jiangbei International Airport, on a side street. For non-Chinese speakers, have with you on a piece of paper the name and address of the hotel in Chinese script and also its phone number which you can show the taxi driver. Otherwise verbal communication in English could be a real problem. Tip for non-Chinese speakers: invest $15 or so on a Mandarin Chinese Phrase Book & Dictionary and carry it with you at all time. It will come very handy. Pros: The check-in was efficient and the rate was reasonable for my room on the 10th floor. The receptionist was helpful in making arrangements to wake me on my last day at 3 am, book a taxi to pick me up at 3:45 am and give a written instruction in Chinese to show to the taxi driver as to where I wanted to go (airport). Cons: Cigarette smell not just in the room (I had to leave the window open all the time) but also in the hall way and often in the lobby and elevator. No in-room safety deposit box and no in-room refrigerator. No internet service. However, there is an internet cafe nearby. Directions to the internet cafe (5 minute walk): walk to the other side of the nearby main street using the overhead pedestrian bridge, turn right and walk to the first side street. Make a left on the side street. Follow it to the T junction, the internet cafe is right there at the junction. Buffet breakfast was included, however the choice of halal food is limited. I would give the hotel a 3 star rating if not for the smoking smell. BTW, I was in Chongqing in the third week of September when it rained 3 days out of 4. A rain wear would have been handy.

A wonderful hotel located in a convenient location. It's about a 10 min walk to the subway and shopping centres. The renovations inside the rooms are superb (similar to 4.5 stars). The concierge and reception service is professional. I have travelled to more than 130 cities and this is definitely one of the best bang for the buck. I would have thought this hotel room would cost more than $150 USD per night but we only paid $35 for it.