Very disappointing check-in experience and extremely poor customer service. The staff’s attitude and the way we were treated made us feel unwelcome and, honestly, discriminated against because of our race. We expected to be treated with basic respect and professionalism, but unfortunately that was not the case. This experience left a very negative first impression of the hotel.
The worst hotel experience in my life. The entire front staff should be fired immediately especially Justin and Gary the assistant manager on duty. They do not belong in the hotel industry. They are tarnishing the Kempinski hotel group name. They both have zero customer service skills and zero empathy. If you are in Guangzhou, book any properties from Hyatt, Sheraton, Mercure, Hilton, or Jumeirah you will be much better off and service is far superior.
The stay itself was actually very good. As a GHA Titanium member, I received a triple-category room upgrade, and overall I had an enjoyable stay and holiday in Guangzhou. The room and hospitality were good, and I had a positive impression of the property. Unfortunately, the experience was significantly soured by a billing issue after checkout. The matter was eventually resolved and I appreciate that the hotel ultimately took steps to make things right. My stay itself was good; it was the handling of the billing error afterwards that left a bad taste. Hopefully the hotel's internal changes and additional training will prevent other guests from experiencing the same issue. Overall: a good stay that was unfortunately overshadowed by an avoidable billing issue.
The Kempinski group never disappoints. This hotel, situated in the Yuexie district, is in the historic area. Walkable neighboring shops, local eateries are aplenty, and a short walk to the Metro. I like that you hop onto a Didi car and within 10 minutes you can get to various large malls and historical sites. While European in design fundamentally, the service level is impressive, with a touch of local excellence and hospitality. Attention was given when we made some requests, and they were promptly met. The breakfast spread was pleasantly surprising. You can have dim sum, you can also have spaghetti. I like too that you have the option to takeaway the coffee made fresh from the machine. Another surprise was the gym, located just beside the swimming pool, which made it welcoming to me. Perhaps more front office staff could communicate in English and that would certainly put this hotel at the top end for me.
This Must Be Guangzhou's Most "Unlucky" Luxury Hotel. In the Liwan and Yuexiu districts of Guangzhou, the number of newly opened luxury hotels in recent years can be counted on one hand. The Kempinski Residences Guangzhou, located in the Taojin business district, is a new face that only debuted in 2020. However, less than two years after its opening, the road in front of it, Jianshe Liulu Road, was cordoned off for subway construction. The originally planned three-year construction period has now passed, yet the barriers still stand. What was once an easily accessible area has temporarily become an isolated island. Fortunately, the project is expected to be completed this year, and the comprehensive rail transit network may reawaken this long-silent neighborhood. But Kempinski's "misfortune" isn't just due to the construction noise. Just a few steps away diagonally across the street is the long-renowned Garden Hotel, and on the other side of the road is the more budget-friendly Atour Hotel. Sandwiched between these two, Kempinski still has a tough time. If we rewind the clock twenty years, before Tianhe Road, Xingsheng Road, and Guangyue Tiandi, Jianshe Liulu might have been one of Guangzhou's most chic, modern, and stylish neighborhoods. Street photographers from P1 magazine captured the trendy figures of handsome men and beautiful women on the streets; holding a cup of bEnsHoP coffee slush was the standard for an afternoon; Lippo Plaza and Friendship Store satisfied desires. In Yi'an Plaza, there was the first branch of Lei Garden Restaurant and a Watson's that was not yet widespread. The Good World Plaza gave birth to Guangzhou's first Starbucks, and later, Jianshe Wulu welcomed the then-nationally popular 24-hour Starbucks. Not to mention the Brazilian barbecue at the Latin Restaurant that once led the trend, and the first store of the speakeasy pioneer Happy Monk, which remains a collective memory for many born in the 80s and 90s. Today's Kempinski has seamlessly transplanted German restraint and poetry into the vibrant atmosphere of Lingnan. The owner directly brought in two "Audemars Piguet Grand Clocks" as spiritual pillars—one standing at the entrance, the other hanging in the gym. The "Lady in Red," now rarely seen in China, is still present here, continuing the century-old brand's sense of ceremony. The guest room lines are clean and sharp, the furnishings precise like clockwork, with meticulous details and no redundancy. A single rose leaning on the side table in the living room injects a touch of warmth and tenderness into the space. The accommodation, equipped with a balcony and kitchen, blurs the boundary between hotel and home, making one almost forget they are in a hotel. Upon checkout, the front desk staff handed me a Penhaligon's amenity gift box. Although it was a small gift, it left a lasting impression on me. Although I haven't stayed there again since, those few nights remain in my memory.
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