Hilton Shijiazhuang, Hebei.

As for the development of international chain hotels in Shijiazhuang, the high EQ way to put it is that it's just around the corner, while the low EQ way to put it is that there's nothing to look forward to. The only redeeming feature is this Hilton located in the tallest building in the city center. However, it's also been affected by being open for many years and is showing signs of fatigue.

The hotel's treatment of members is so-so. They say they can only upgrade to executive rooms, which is a typical way to deceive people. After all, diamond card members are entitled to executive treatment by default. What's more, the only difference between executive rooms and regular rooms is the floor they're on. Isn't that the same as not upgrading? So the lady at the front desk gave me a corner room on a relatively low floor, which is called a deluxe room, and added executive treatment. I didn't feel like asking any more questions, so I just picked up my luggage and went to the executive lounge on the top floor. I drank tea and looked down at the city.

The quality of the food in the executive lounge is far from the view outside the window. A few pieces of cake and cookies are enough to pass the time. There are four hot dishes during happy hour in the evening, with a combination of meat and vegetables that are home-cooked. The best part is that it's quiet and there are few people. You can drink half a bottle of Voss water.
When I entered the room, I saw a bottle of Voss next to the welcome fruit on the table and immediately lost interest. Fortunately, when I opened the curtains, the whole room brightened up. The overall color tone also brightened up a few degrees, sweeping away the old-fashioned gloom and adding a few points of classical luxury. The layout is well-organized, which is a plus. The bathroom is transparent, which is a plus. The bedding is soft, which is a plus. Being able to lie in bed and see the skyline outside the window is a plus.
The next day's breakfast was arranged in the high-altitude restaurant on the 30th floor. The view outside the window was still more interesting than the dining table. The most commendable thing is the design of the food, which fully displays the mountains and rivers of the North China Plain. I often ate sesame seed cakes, pancake fruit, salty tofu brain, Laba garlic, and beef noodles, which have been very popular in recent years. But other than that, there's nothing new.

Finally, the biggest hidden benefit of staying here is that the Hebei Provincial Museum is right next door. The Changxin Palace Lantern, the Mancheng Han Tomb, the Zhongshan State, and other things mentioned in history books are all right in front of you. You only need to leave 10 minutes in advance to catch the first wave at 9 o'clock.

Post by Owen~Murphy-Matthew | Oct 2, 2024