macj86

I'm going to be staying at this property in August. Anyone here tried this one?

I've stayed at the Grand Hyatt which appears to be pretty close in location (and price).

SkiAdcock

Someone just did an update. I think it's the same property, but not sure.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/18874492-post13.html

Cheers.

macj86

The Tianhe property is a new hotel nearest the zhujiang new town metro stop. The other review (and excellent one by one of the most brilliant reviewers here. ) is for the older property in a different part of town.

fmkgb

Staying here now and I am very happy with everything except the Internet speed is very slow.

Property is very tastefully designed for a Chinese hotel--somewhat Japanese in style. Central location with metro lines 1 and 3 across the street. Cab from east train station 20 RMB. As plat I am able to choose breakfast in restaurant (huge buffet) or in EL with good selection including made to order omelets and waffles. EL offers happy hour with beer, wine, alcohol, and a very good food spread both hot and cold and salad bar, certainly enought for a light dinner. EL has 3 computers, good printer and a shredder (very thoughtful). Open 7 days. Only 1 copy Int'l NYTimes, WSJ and USA today delivered daily to lounge for sharing. A few China Dailys. If you ask they will deliver CD to your room in morning but not other papers. Health club is stunning. Large pool, well equipped gym, sauna in changing rooms. Spa on separate floor.

Staff very well trained. Front desk clerk who checked me in remembered my name and addressed me as such several days later.

Exec rooms well designed with have tea making facility and pod coffee machine. Sheets changed almost every day without our requesting it.

So we are very happy here and just extended our stay. Only problem is the very poor wifi and the computers and printer in lounge do not work properly.

UPDATE: Problem with checkout. Check your bill carefully. Even if you ask to pay in RMB they will charge you in US dollars. Neither stay did THEY ask if I wanted to pay in dollars or RMB. Just charged me in dollars. My first stay I specifically asked to pay in RMB but they charged in dollars, they didn't change it correctly, I was rushed and didn't check clerk carefully enough and I ended up paying in US Dollars. My second stay I had to have the (same) clerk redo the bill 3 times before I was satisfied that he actually did charge me in RMB.... The Great Chinese Credit Card Scam... Why does this seem to only happen at Marriotts??? I never have this problem at other chains in China.

SkiAdcock

Thanks for the update! Much appreciated!

Cheers.

elephentravels

any updates on this property

MW147

I have stayed at this property several times, always at Canton Fair time. It's a very nice property in a great location. It's next door to the Grandview Mall, and a 5-7 minute walk from the very upscale Taikoo Hui mall.

Rooms are large and very comfortable. The lounge is also comfortable, and the breakfast is good.

There are only 2 restaurants. The coffee shop is standard Marriott fare. They have a buffet dinner that tends to get crowded with locals. The Chinese restaurant is good Cantonese cuisine.

All in all I am very pleased with this hotel, and will be back in October.

elephentravels

how's breakfast? lounge food for happy hour?

Sheraton and Westin looks nearby also. Is Marriott a better option?

littlevoices

Just as a quick observation, since I stayed here last night as a Marriott Platinum, and recognising the lack of comments / reviews. I was in the hotel for less than 8 hours, so it wasn't a comprehensive experience. However, platinum benefits were very good:

• Upgraded to a large suite, with 2 bathrooms, large living area, and free toy provided on the desk as a memento (I hope it was free :P)
• Had breakfast in the lounge (and was offered the hotel buffet as well), has an egg chef, good selection that is typical of a Marriott in China (i.e. way better than Europe) including bacon/sausage/potatoes as well as dim sum and cold cuts, nice views of the nearby stadium. It was empty at 7am.
• Staff level of English was good, even with the night staff
• The hotel floors were set up nicely with mini rock garden areas at least every ten floors
• (Note I was given a whole list of platinum benefits in the lounge, and they were very keen to give me a late check-out, all of which I couldn't use. There was definitely a happy hour, but unsure how extensive (I suspect fairly reasonable based on the food serving area size in the lounge)

Only thing to be aware of is that the hotel is near the metro exit D3, however that isn't mentioned as a location at the station itself (which is unusual), and as I was exiting late at night I was a bit unsure if I was going in the right direction. There is an even closer enterance, but through a mall that isn't open late at night or in the early morning.

I'm coming back in a few weeks for a longer visit to the city, may be tempted to stay again, though per another thread the Ritz Carlton seems pretty cheap in comparison.

SkiAdcock

Thanks for the update. Much appreciated.

Cheers.

SkiAdcock

A FT friend of mine is at the property right now. Received this from him.

"Lounge: choice of 2 reds, 2 whites and a sparkling along with hard stuff during 1730-2130 with food from 1730-1930. They offered several hot items inc stewed chicken w yellow rice the second night (first night we arrived after midnight so lounge closed, and more interested in sleep) with third night grilled lamb chops (and actually better then restaurant bought earlier here) and tonight baked steak, but very tough.

The inclement weather continued today - 4th day in a row - so just stayed close to the hotel and enjoyed the 29C jacuzzi again although they require all pool users to wear a swimming cap although nothing listed in their website (so found a couple in the Mall connected to the hotel)."

daloosh

Thanks for the update, looking at hotels in this area now. Per a post from four years ago, I would say that the Western chains have all clearly offered to charge in either RMB or USD on checkout, of course USD always being a worse exchange rate. Got caught once forgetting that a particular credit card charged a foreign transaction fee, fixed that after making that mistake.

ftrichard

There's little to choose from between the Marriott and the Sheraton (and, I suspect, the Westin though I've not stayed there) in Guangzhou.

Both have good lounges with a nice spread of food and booze. Similar prices, location and other facilities.

However, I found the suite at the Marriott to be a very odd layout (two long, thin, parallel rooms) and full of random non-matching car-boot-sale furniture. The Sheraton suite, on the other hand, was exactly the kind of suite you'd expect in a decent Sheraton and for this reason I'd go back there rather than the Marriott. Of course, for about 20% more you can stay at the W and it's a cut above all three of these hotels, has a lounge with high-quality canapes and booze in the evening, breakfast in the main buffet and I'm two out of three for their really great suite upgrades.

SkiAdcock

Just received a comprehensive review by my friend who's been there for 5 days. With his permission I'm posting it here.

"Impressions of Marriott Guangzhou Tianhe

Pros
-Still a Cat 3
-Upgrade to suite not a problem (without SNAs)
-Breakfast in restaurant and/or lounge
-Happy hour from 1730-2130 with 2 reds, 2 whites, sparkling and hard stuff
-Exec lounge food from 1730-1930 - last night was very good lamb chops. Tonight was baked meat and Pho.... the local food is VERY spicy and I did not see much rice eaten to cut the heat, otherwise wouldn't be eating in lounge
-suites get 1 item per day ironed
- oversized bathtub w spa jets
-One shopping mall attached to hotel with 3 others within a few minutes walk
- lounge offers fresh fruit, some bakery items and coffee/tea/soft drinks inbetween breakfast and happy hour
- bathroom marble floor is heated
- if you walk into room being serviced they'll ask for your key card to verify it's your room
-housekeeping staff on call 24/7
- 29C jacuzzi in pool area, but make sure you have a swimming hat (not listed in website as required)

Downside
- breakfast sausage didn't look like they were cooked (no grill marks)
- food in restaurant looked OK but unfortunately had no taste
- VERY slow Internet and of course many sites blocked
- tried Man Ho, their Chinese Restaurant - disappointed (would not recommend)
-too many children in the lounge. They have 2 large rooms but no common sense to put families in one and non families in the other but they have one 4 chaired table in back of the computer center with a wall on 2 sides to cut down on most of the noise
-bathroom only has glass doors
-the description of this suite states 2 bathrooms. After 5 days I still can’t find #2
-nails used to tack down the rug stopping at the bathroom have exposed heads so wear shoes or walk over otherwise your feet will get punctured
-don't expect any of the locals to let you off the lift before they push their way on, especially at transfer places like lobby
- toilet paper is doled out as if it were gold - half roll at a time with plenty of spare space on top of tank and in recess behind but never a spare roll to be found
- lounge staff helpful (can I get you another coffee, etc.) on only 1 of 5 afternoons

Sidenote -
I bought a meet and greet (about $25 vrs taxi of say $15-18) as arriving at midnight and didn’t want to get into a taxi que which worked out OK except driver took us to nearby Sheraton vrs our invoice of Marriott (I had downloaded hotel name and address in Chinese so that helped) and driver wanted to be paid after I had pre-paid, but a call to his ofc resolved that problem but should not have been a problem to begin with

Locals love to start blaring their horns if the vehicle in front of them stops for a pedestrian in the crosswalk. Also noticed that they love to blare their horns when driving down completely empty streets - maybe trying to get the ghosts outta their way (my driver to hotel at 1AM). And yes, even on our floor 21 here can hear the horn blowers on the street.

The hotel has a guidebook for the attached shopping mall. They have a section called Gourmet Restaurants and start with Burger King - so much for their idea of gourmet "

Cheers.

SkiAdcock

Deleted. Link didn't work properly.