Xiongchu Hotel

I have stayed in this hotel around seven times in as many years on trips to Wuhan. The location is suitable due to access to the Universities and the frequency of taxis when required. I have always found the staff helpful, albeit English can be an issue (however some staff speak excellent English). The hotel is a "business hotel" and offers services on its four and fifth floor to guests and members of the community who can afford it. Mercifully those with such tastes access a lift away from Reception and off the main concourse of the hotel and the main bedrooms are on higher floors of the hotel. The dining area on the ground floor is spacious and there is free Budweiser (Anhauser Busch have a brewery in Wuhan) on draft if you want a quiet, free, beer or two. I enjoy the buffet which caters for all tastes. If you want an omelette or something Western the chef will cook it in front of you, otherwise some of the Chinese food (which is chilli rich in this part of China) can be more challenging for the less experienced Chinese traveller. I have always found the rooms comfortable and well equipped although some are starting to show signs of wear and tear. The front of the hotel looks over an undeveloped area part of which has been given over to allotment type growing (very common in Wuhan and throughout China), although crossing a six lane carriage way is at best daunting. Wuhan is a bustling, busy, sadly rather polluted city but I always enjoy my visits and people are friendly and hospitable. The Provincial Museum is fascinating as is the Yellow Crane Tower. The entrepreneurial garage culture with everything from flowers to car valeting is a a vision of the modern China - I'm looking forward to my next visit and stay at this hotel.

I stayed here for 4 nights on business. It is about an hour by taxi from the airport, but close to our business partners, which is why we use it. This was my second stay here. The rooms are a reasonable size, and are clean and quite well equipped, and the beds are nice and soft by Chinese standards. The bathroom is excellent, with a good shower. Food: Breakfast is ok, with something for western tastes (cereals, toast, fruit, coffee), as well as a good variety of local options. For lunch and dinner there is a buffet (we never ate from this) and a reasonable choice from the menu (I didn't try the frog hotpot, sticking to the tamer pizza). Be aware that quite a lot of food in this part of China is very spicy (chilli). I would stay here again, this is a good reliable hotel.

I have stayed at this hotel many times for business trips. And the breakfast at this hotel is above-average for Chinese standards. However... 1) the receptionists were completely untrained to show proper respect to the customers. People were cutting in line all the time and they didn't seem to be bothered at all. 2) I asked the front desk people to book me a taxi 2 hours ahead of the planned trip. However, I was simply told that the taxi drivers didn't like to wait for guests and that it's better for me to go outside to hail a taxi myself. 3) When asked for a room change, the 2 available receptionists simply said all the rooms were taken after pretending to browse around with their mouses (in less than 5 seconds)...when asked again with a little pressure from me given the extent of the noise and smokes from some of the most obnoxious, corrupt old chinese smokers/gamblers from the 4 rooms next to mine...they caved in...and offered me a room change. 4)The bathroom facilities were sub-par. The flush in the toilet wasn't functioning properly and there were stains next to the toilet seat. The Water-overflow problem in the shower happened almost all the time. 5) The hotel offered "special discreet services" to corrupt guests...this is not uncommon in this city/country. 6) one side of the hotel was completely opened to traffic and it's hard going to sleep even from the 16th floor. You must wear ear-plugs