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| Tourist
Guides for China |
Foshan Tourist Guide (March
2010)
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Hotels |
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Before You Book:
Please be aware that most travel
agencies advertise their City Centre hotels as being
near 'The Bus Station'.This is a misrepresentation -
as whilst it is true there is a small bus station a
few yards from the centre, 'The Main Foshan Bus Station'
is located some 2-miles away near the train station.
This may be very important for some visitors.
Where to Stay:
There are a very good range of hotels, from International
standard 5 star, to a local Chinese 2 star:
Swissôtel
is the newest hotel in Foshan, and is a proper international
standard 5***** Hotel. Their description follows:
"Swissôtel Foshan is a five star luxury hotel catering
to today's discerning modern business and leisure travellers.
The first international hotel in the city, Swissôtel
Foshan aims to establish itself as an icon in the business
community. The hotel symbolizes luxury, elegance and
impeccable service.
Rising to the height of 208 metres, Swissôtel Foshan
is the tallest building and a prominent landmark in
Foshan. It occupies the top 15 levels of the 51-storey
Foshan International Plaza, providing a graciously intimate
and tranquil environment.
Swissôtel Foshan is conveniently located near the Zumiao
Commercial District and the Fenjiang Financial District,
and is just minutes from Foshan Highway, an expressway
linking Foshan to Guangzhou and Shunde. "
We have emailed Swissôtel Foshan (18th March 2010),
and have requested their address as a picture for you
to print and give to any taxi driver. Hopefully this
will also have their telephone number on it. Our third
email was sent today; Monday, 12th July 2010. This paragraph
will be removed if they can be bothered to reply to
our email. Our latest email:
Despite the very high profile given to this hotel, we
find it unnacceptable they ignore three emails from
a client. You may consider whether they would treat
your booking in similar fashion? We expect (And receive)
better customer service from backstreet Chinese 2**
Star hotels. Let this be your guide.
Traditionally the best hotel in Foshan is The
Foshan Hotel. This is very central, but
has been taken over by Crown Plaza Group; the refurbishments
being completed during late 2009 - and at great discomfort
to their guests and other clientele. The best price
used to be around Y600 per double room per night, but
expect this to rise? Early indications we have received
indicate that whilst this hotel has become a lot more
flashy and consumer orientated, it is not as good as
it used to be concerning core business when compared
to before the takeover. Basically Crowne Plaza have
'dumbed-it down = it costs more and does less for their
paying clients benefit. Take a look at http://www.tripadvisor.com'
and you will note it is regarded as being below standard
for Crowne Plaza. We also know the Carrianna Hotel,
and Kingdom Hotel chains are more popular with visiting
businessmen these days. Swissôtel is very new, so we
exclude them from our finding for now awaiting real
feedback - or a reply to any of our emails?
This hotel is also a base for many luxury coaches, especially
to Hong Kong, Macao, Ferry terminal for Kowloon (Online
ticket booking); and also runs special Airport and Canton
Fair coaches. These are all open to everyone, although
non-patrons will be charged Y100 inclusive of entry
fee for Canton Fair, but free for Hotel residents. This
hotel has an excellent Business Centre, only matched
by The Carris Anne Hotel
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Print the picture below
and give to your taxi driver |
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Carris
Anne Hotel also called the Carrianne
Hotel and formerly the Hua Qiao Hotel,
but should nowadays be properly be called 'The
Carrianna Hotel' is excellent for Business
and is the most central hotel in Foshan. It also offers
luxury coaches to Hong Kong and Macao via different
operators from everyone else in this city, with cheaper
prices and the same quality. This hotel does have superb
international restaurants and bars, complete with excellent
massage parlous and nightclub all within the same complex.
It also features a swimming pool for patrons and their
guests.
If I were an international traveller seeking refuge
in a strange and sometimes alien culture, yet wanting
totally dedicated tourist or business services with
excellent multi-lingual staff support, then this is
the hotel I would personally choose to stay at in Foshan.
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Print the picture below
and give to your taxi driver |
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or the local name is below
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The
Fortuna Hotel is located in Le Cong Town,
at the very heart of Foshan District, Shunde Long Jiang
Furniture City. Basically 10-minutes taxi from Downtown
Foshan. This area is mind-bogglingly massive! It is
a part of a roadway and conurbation that is 15 miles
long by at least one mile wide - they are all furniture
manufacturers and their supportive suppliers. I have
still to meet any first-time foreigner to China that
can imagine industry on this scale! Figures from 2008
now released state that this small area was responsible
for 54% of total Chinese furniture exports by value,
and 68% by volume. So if you are into 'furniture' then
you should stay at the Fortuna Hotel.
This hotel is 5/4 Star rating, and has the usual connections
available from the foyer to: Hong Kong, Macao, Guangzhou
International Airport. Their menu caters for all International
clientele, but it is the breakfast that makes it for
me: Savoury toast or rolls with real butter, bacon that
does not have 10-tons of honey added to it, 'almost'
English sausages, and eggs cooked to order. But the
clincher for me personally: they will ask you if you
want cherry tomatoes in your fruit salad? "NO!".
As an Englishman, I would probably feel most relaxed
if I was staying at this hotel, as all the staff speak
English, and the food is very equivalent and recognisable.
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and give to your taxi driver |
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Opposite the Foshan Hotel is the Golden
City Hotel, which is a little cheaper but
quite comparable in most respects. It also runs coaches,
but is now more famous as the new home of John's Bar,
arguably the best Western Restaurant and Bar in Foshan
- although Martino's is also excellent!
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Print the picture below
and give to your taxi driver |
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If you are calling:
1. Internationally, then dial: 0086
757 + number above.
2. From within China or Guangzhou,
then dial: 0757 + number above.
3. From Foshan, then just dial: number
above from a local phone.
The Golden
Lake Hotel is also excellent, and better
than its 3*** rating. There are friends pictures to
your left. You should get a very good deal here Circa
Y480 per suite per night. It seems there is no proper
bar, but their all-hours shop beats room service charges
hands down!
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Print the picture below
and give to your taxi driver |
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If you are calling:
1. Internationally, then dial: 0086
757 + number above.
2. From within China or Guangzhou,
then dial: 0757 + number above.
3. From Foshan, then just dial: number
above on a local phone.
Rotating
Palace Hotel is located at 1 Zumiao Road and close
to Jusco and the Foshan Arts Studio. Its central location
and cheap room rates make it very popular with travelers.
Rooms are renowned as being large in size, but the beds
are hard, which is typical in China. The hotel is famous
for its rotating restaurant that rises from the roof.
Studio Apartments - If your stay is
a little longer, or you have staff or family accompanying
you, then look at the Sunlight
Apartments (Details from 'TripAdvisor.com).
Again fairly central and very close to JinMa Cinema,
+ you gain some independence for less than Y400 per
suite per night. There are a range of rooms and styles,
all featuring a kitchenette and layout more like a proper
apartment on long-term rental.
The
Kingdom Hotel, Dong Jian
I personally recommend this hotel, especially
if all you need is a bed, a shower and somewhere
safe to keep you luggage - price about £30
per double roomed suite per night. This hotel
is right in the centre of all that is best about
Foshan, and just a 5-minute walk from my apartment.
Their website isn't the best in the world, but
it works - just click around a bit. I can get
you a discount here, so price is Y 298 to you
(Canton Fair excepted). |
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| The kingdom Hotel
Group offer 5 hotels in Foshan - which can get
a little confusing; especially as the one located
at Dong Jian is the only one we know of that offers
suites with internet broadband standard (A full
computer set-up is Y30 per day if you haven't
brought your laptop). The lobby also has a couple
of PC's free for guest's use; and they can sort
out printing, copying and basic business services
for you free of charge. The three and only suites
are individually styled and pukka. Whilst the
staff sort of speak English, they are very professional
and competent. |
| Images - Click
to Enlarge: |
| Standard Room
Y268 prpn |
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| Business Suite Y 368
prpn |
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| The Bentily Hotel
is just round the corner along the road opposite
the Bank of China. It is next door to a Western
style restaurant with a great big Bull outside
the door. This is comparable in many respects
with the Kingdom Hotel, with both prices and rooms
being on a par. However, this can be a little
noisy due to the wet market behind, but the showers
are amazing. |
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Chinese local hotels
Nearby Dong Jian Century Plaza are many local
Chinese hotels that offer basic rooms from Y90
single bed, and Y130 double bed. They are of "Travelodge"
standard, and all prices quoted here are per room
per night (As with the hotels above). If all you
need is a large clean bathroom with Western toilet,
double bed for the night, friendly staff and are
willing to dip your toes into the wild-side of
life - then these places offer unbeatable value.
You can find these by looking inside the door.
There should be a girl behind a counter, some
stairs leading up a narrow passage, and perhaps
a board of room rates in Chinese? The one we use
often is very good - with Chinese quirks. For
instance, the sheets and towels are always freshly
cleaned, their is air-conditioning, cable TV,
a water machine and snacks are available in the
form of sweets and pot noodles. The large double
bed (Hard of course) is accompanied by a range
of drawers and a large wardrobe, a table and chairs.
The separate bathroom also comes with bath and
hand towels and miniature soaps and shampoos,
toothbrush with paste, and other incidentals.
So what are the quirks? Well, whilst there is
a Western style sit on toilet - none of them are
fitted with seats. The shower works well - but
is of the hand-held Chinese type with no wall
fixture. The rooms on the 4th floor have carpet
laid, but as there is no lift it is a long climb.
Similar large rooms are also on the 2nd floor,
but these do not have carpet. These are very cheap
hotels, so there is no use complaining about standards
once you accept the room. Therefore check the
room properly and go elsewhere if it is not to
your liking.
Similar looking establishments that have a girl
in a traditional Chinese (Red) dress (Full length
with slits all the way up both sides!) are foot
massage parlour's. These establishments would
- unlike their Western counterparts, frown upon
offering any sexual services. They are very genuine,
but not hotels - as sometimes it is hard to tell
the difference.
If this is your thing, then the Cantonese for
'Hotel' sounds like 'Jow Dim' (d'zhao d'iem). |
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Pictures above were taken in the hotel who's business
card we also show. The rate for this room was Y90 per
night. Whilst the toilet has no seat, it is clean and
they do provide tissue paper; as well as soap, shampoo,
body wash, toothbrush and paste pack, etc. These are
free of charge, as is a water machine which provides
both hot and chilled water (If you remember to switch
it on). Basic, clean, cheap, and ideal if all you need
is a central place to crash-out for the night.
Youth Hostels
China doesn't really have any concept of Youth Hostels
as we know them in the West. Apart from what China Expats
is trying to create; as a Foreigner your best bet is
to rock-up at a University or school and ask the Principal
if they have a room to spare. Whilst the deal may appear
good, you would probably be expected to offer impromptu
'English Salon' and contribute your language resources
to the school community. Not as bad in Universities
to be frank, but not really what most travellers are
looking for I am sure. However it is a great way to
make new and lasting friends, and learn about your immediate
environment at the same time.
Apartments
Chinese don't really like to rent apartments on a monthly
basis, but may consider it - usually the minimum is
6-months for anything remotely decent. By comparison
it's usually 1 year in UK. Your contract will probably
mean nothing, and enforcing it could prove to be a nightmare.
Rooms
China does do very cheap rooms on a monthly basis. Expect
to pay around Y400 RMB per month in Foshan in 2010 for
a bedsit inside a larger apartment.
Pros: These places are very cheap if
all you need is a base to work from and a place to sleep
Cons: These places really are not secure,
and it is common for a Chinese person to return home
and find their door bashed-in, and all their belongings
either robbed or defiled. As a (perceived Rich) Foreigner
you will be top of the hit- list. However, these places
are extremely cost-effective if you are in a situation
to carry any valuables on your person at all times =
credit cards, etc...
If you want to find one of these rooms in Foshan, then
you will need the help of a local language translator
(and wouldn't you know it - we can help of course),
and nominally one-months deposit up-front + payment
for the month. They are normally located inside any
Chinese 'Block', or the places you would have second
thoughts about venturing into in the first place. They
are actually quite safe, but you need to get your mind
right first. |
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This information is as supplied by China Expats and
our friends, as dated 10th July 2010, and/or other reliable
sources. Please check this information yourself as it
may alter without notice, and whilst we try our best
to ensure it is correct, please do not hold us responsible
for any errors - this is intended as a simple guide
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