White Swan Hotel in Guangzhou

The room was spotless, and the towels and pajamas were very comfortable. The staff delivered our luggage to the room. The layout of the room was a bit strange; there was a door connecting to the next room. Although it couldn't be opened, we could hear the guests next door talking very clearly. The restaurant staff didn't look happy at all, and I wonder how much of the 15% service charge they actually get.

True to its reputation as a venerable five-star hotel.
Service: First-class, I felt right at home. Every staff member greeted me with a radiant smile. Although the restaurant was packed, everything ran smoothly and in an orderly fashion.
Environment: Comfortable and relaxing.
Facilities: A bit dated, but the toilets are smart, and the curtains are automatic.
Hygiene: Extremely clean. Even though the floors are old, they were polished to a shine. The dim sum for breakfast was delicious, and the dishes at the Chinese restaurant were also very good! Next time I'm in Guangzhou, I'm definitely staying at the White Swan!

This hotel is a mixed bag. The river view is absolutely stunning, the ambiance is fantastic, and the location is perfect – it's practically inside the scenic area. If these are your priorities, then book it without hesitation.

However, and this is a major issue for a five-star hotel, there's practically no service to speak of. I'm not exaggerating; the service is worse than hotels half its price. Aside from a smiling face at the front desk, almost all the other staff were expressionless, even appearing annoyed. This was especially true for the staff in black suits at the entrance to the first-floor pool. We were new and unfamiliar with the layout, searching around for quite a while, and they just stood there like statues, staring at us. When we finally had to ask for help, their annoyance made it feel like answering a simple question was a huge favor. I can't believe this is the standard of training for a five-star hotel.

We also had dim sum at Hongtu Mansion, and the food itself was fine. But again, the service was frustrating. For such a large hotel, it seems they're unwilling to hire enough staff. The servers all looked exhausted and rushed. We eventually felt bad even asking them for anything. Is this really reasonable for a restaurant where the average spend is several hundred yuan per person, plus a 15% service charge? Is White Swan doing so poorly that they can't afford more staff, or is this just part of their corporate culture?

The hotel is conveniently located near all the attractions. The facilities are excellent, and the breakfast tea is top-notch. However, the service attitude of the staff at Hongtu Mansion was quite unpleasant. The surrounding amenities of the hotel are generally good.

This time, I chose to stay in a river-view king room. Although the hotel is a bit old, the overall facilities, amenities, ambiance, and service are maintained at a high standard. The only minor disappointment was finding sunflower seed shells left by a previous guest on the room's carpet upon check-in.

Staying at the White Swan Hotel, I enjoyed the guest privilege of having breakfast at two well-known teahouses without waiting in line. The staff were very friendly, the food was outstanding, and I was extremely satisfied. The nightly turn-down service was especially thoughtful. I will definitely return.

The hotel's硬件 is definitely five-star standard. Although it was renovated in 2015, the room has no peculiar smell, is clean and comfortable to stay in, even germaphobes would feel at ease. However, the overall service clearly doesn't match its star rating, which is a bit disappointing.

1. The doorman opened the car door but didn't help with luggage.
2. I requested a crib on the day of check-in, but it never arrived even after two days. They also didn't proactively offer children's toiletries; I had to call housekeeping myself on the second day to get them.
3. I extended my stay at the front desk on the first day, but the next day, my room card stopped working, preventing me from using the elevator and locking me out of my room. There are clear issues with their operational procedures.

Exceeded my expectations, I was a bit worried about the facilities being old when I booked after reading some reviews, but it was absolutely fine, actually great! The room wasn't super high, but didn't feel cramped, and the view was fantastic, directly facing the river without any obstructions. The hotel staff, from the front desk to the executive lounge to breakfast, were all excellent. The missing 0.5 stars are for the sachima. There were many purchasing agents staying at the hotel, but guests couldn't buy any, and hotel guests couldn't even pre-order. I mean, even if I can't buy a lot, shouldn't hotel guests, especially those in executive rooms, be able to pre-order one or two boxes to take home for family? It really felt a bit unreasonable. Everything else was great. I had dim sum at Yu Tang Chun Nuan, which was delicious, and I also tried the hotel's own breakfast, which was also very good.

The hotel boasts an excellent location on Shamian Island, and the rooms are quite spacious. Guests staying here can book the Michelin-starred dim sum on the second floor and avoid waiting in line. Plus, the pastry shop on the first floor has delicious Sachima.

I was worried it would be too old-fashioned when I arrived, but it turned out to be a pleasant surprise! Haha, the service is great, and it's very clean! Everything is perfect! I absolutely love it! I'll definitely go back! The White Swan is really good.