Country Garden Phoenix Hotel

My wife organised this Hotel and frankly, I wish she hadn't. She based her booking on price and appearances (photos). Wrong. First and foremost, it's miles from anywhere of significance, certainly if you are a tourist as opposed to a business person visiting industry in the area. Secondly, the rooms, although large, the general aesthetic being quite spectacular and the many facilities available, tend to lull one into thinking that for the price they have got into something quite special. Thing is, it only take a few minutes bore you realise this place is not what it seems. The room is large, likewise the bed. However the bed is rock hard, the TV small, the furniture old and in some case, decrepit. Very little is in good condition, just like the minibar fridge which just doesn't get cold (we booked 2 rooms and neither fridge kept anything cold). The bathroom is actually quite okay, however the general cleanliness of the place is way below par. It's as if the cleaning staff just can't be bothered. Local eateries; forget it if you are a westerner. Sure, there's a Maccas (but of course when all else fails you can find a Maccas. I even ate there once (which I never do in Australia), because the local restaurants are an absolute bust. There is a new railroad coming through the area in a few months, which is desperately needed. To get anywhere near the city you have to spend around an hour on a bus. Point; Pay more money and get something closer to town. Oh, before I go, don’t go for a front room as the traffic noise is horrendous.

The hotel room is big and comfortable, but not well-tended. The breakfast is rich and provides both European and Chinese food. The housekeeping is not four star standard. The swimming pool is not open in the winter. The hotel is very far from downtown, about 1 hour bus ride or 30 min with taxi. The public transportation is only available during the day and in the early evening.

One of the best hotels I've ever stayed in. The room was huge, well decorated, the beds were extremely comfortable, the view from my room was amazing. No wiifi (not even in the lobby) and the hotel was placed outside the city, but it was an amazing experience.