Unbelievable Datong Luxury: Hanting Premium Hotel's South Gate Secret!
Unbelievable Datong Luxury? Hanting Premium Hotel South Gate Secret – My Messy, Honest, (and Slightly Over-the-Top) Review!
Okay, buckle up buttercups, because I'm about to spill the (probably lukewarm) tea on the Hanting Premium Hotel's South Gate Secret in Datong. "Unbelievable Luxury," they boast, right? Well, let's just say my experience was a delicious, rollercoaster of highs and lows, like a plate of baozi that was perfectly steamed one moment, and… well, let's just say the next one needed a serious dose of chilli oil.
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- Keywords: Hanting Premium Hotel, Datong, South Gate, Luxury Hotel, Shanxi, China, Hotel Review, Accessibility, Spa, Restaurant, Fitness Center, Wi-Fi, Cleanliness, Safety, Family Friendly, Chinese Hotel, Datong Hotels, Best Hotels Datong.
- Meta Description: Honest review of the Hanting Premium Hotel South Gate in Datong, China. Explore accessibility, amenities like a luxurious spa, on-site restaurants, and more. Learn about the good, the bad, and the unexpectedly wonderful!
Let's Dive In! (And I'm Not Talking About the Pool… Yet)
Accessibility & Getting Around (Ugh, the Stairs!)
First things first, for those of us with… ahem… mobility challenges, navigating China can be an adventure. The hotel claims to be accessible, and, yes, there's an elevator. Hallelujah! But the devil, as they say, is in the details. While the main areas are reasonably accessible, getting to the pool with a view (more on that later, trust me) involved a bit of a trek. They do have car park [free of charge], which is a massive plus because trying to find parking in Datong is like finding a unicorn riding a bicycle! Airport transfer? Yep, they've got that, mercifully. (I'd forgotten how long those flights from…well, everywhere…can be!).
The Room – My Temporary Fortress of Comfort (and Mild Disappointment)
My room? Well, it was clean. Mostly. The Air conditioning worked, thank God. And the Blackout curtains were, well, blackout-y. I could get a good night's sleep, which, after a day of battling crowds and navigating tricky translations, was everything. The Bed was Extra long, which was a nice touch. Complimentary tea? Yes! (Although I swear I could taste the plastic from the tea bags. Minor gripe.) Free bottled water? Hallelujah again! A Refrigerator to keep my snacks cool? Genius!
But then… there were other bits. The Bathroom was… functional. Not exactly luxurious. The Shower sometimes decided to go from Arctic blast to molten lava at random. The Slippers were… well, they were there. I lost one in the gap between the bed and the wall the first night. The Internet access, though supposedly Internet access – wireless, was a bit spotty. You'd be mid-Facebook rant, and poof… gone. The Soundproofing? Let’s just say I heard the neighbor's karaoke session, which, while enthusiastic, was not what I signed up for.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking – Adventures in Cuisine (and Questionable Choices)
Okay, let's talk food. This is where things get…interesting. The Restaurant situation? Restaurants plural. That's a good sign, right? Well, the Breakfast [Buffet]? Let’s just say it was a love-hate relationship. The Asian breakfast was fantastic. Freshly made noodles, amazing Asian cuisine in restaurant… delicious. The Western breakfast… well, it tried. There was Coffee/tea in restaurant, but the coffee felt like it had been brewing since the Ming Dynasty. There was also Coffee shop - which was a very long walk away.
One night, I decided to be adventurous and brave the A la carte in restaurant. I ordered… I can't even remember what it was, but it was definitely not on par with something I was expecting. I could get Bottle of water, which was great. The Poolside bar? Closed. Happy hour? Non-existent. The Snack bar? A sad collection of chips and dusty-looking candy. Don't get me wrong: I survived. But it's not a foodie's paradise.
Relaxation & Recreation – My Moment of Zen(ish)
Ah, the spa. Body scrub, Body wrap, the whole shebang. This is where the "luxury" promise started to feel a little more real. Massage? Yes, please! The Spa itself was clean and peaceful. The Sauna, Steamroom, and Spa/sauna were… well, they were there, and I definitely used them! It washed away all the anxieties of the world. And the Pool with view? Okay, that was something special. It’s an outdoor pool, and the view, even though it was a bit smoggy at times, was just stunning. Floating there, looking at the city lights at night…pure bliss. The Fitness center? Yeah, I took a look. Once. Looked like the equipment was of good quality. I didn't actually use it.
Cleanliness & Safety – The Sanitization Shuffle
Okay, Covid era. Let's be real. The Anti-viral cleaning products were definitely in use. You could smell them. The Daily disinfection in common areas was noticeable. The Rooms sanitized between stays? I assume so. Hand sanitizer stations? Everywhere. The Staff trained in safety protocol? I believe it. My main observation was Staff trained in safety protocol and Sanitized kitchen and tableware items were not consistently executed.
Services & Conveniences – The Good, the Bad, and the Irritating!
- Good: Concierge (helpful, though their English was… limited). Daily housekeeping (efficient, though sometimes a bit too eager). Elevator (bless you!). Laundry service (much needed after a week of… well, everything!). Luggage storage.
- Bad: The dry cleaning service lost one of my favorite shirts. (Devastating!) Convenience store? Mostly stocked with things I didn't want. The Cash withdrawal machine was, on multiple occasions, out of service. The Front desk [24-hour] (necessary). The Air conditioning in public area was not always in the right temperature.
- The Irritating: Constantly having to chase down a Coffee/tea maker that was supposed to be in my room.
For the Kids – (I Don't Have Kids, So I Can Only Guess)
They have Babysitting service and Kids Meal. Okay!
Overall Verdict – (Messy, Rambling, and Ultimately, Content)
Look, the Hanting Premium Hotel South Gate Secret wasn't perfect. It had its quirks. It had its moments of frustration. But you know what? I enjoyed it. The staff, despite the language barriers, were generally friendly and tried their best. The spa was a sanctuary. The pool was a dream. And, at the end of the day, it was a comfortable, generally clean place to rest my weary head.
Would I recommend it? Yes, with caveats. If you're looking for flawless, five-star luxury, maybe look elsewhere. But if you're looking for a decent hotel, with some genuinely nice amenities, in a fascinating and often chaotic city, then give it a shot. Just… pack your own chilli oil. And maybe a phrasebook.
Final Score: 7.5 out of 10. (Deducting points for the lost shirt and the questionable coffee.)
Escape to Bliss: Inside No. 9's Secret Warton Retreat!
Okay, buckle up buttercups! This isn't your perfectly planned, Instagram-filtered travel itinerary. This is the raw, unfiltered, probably-slightly-jetlagged account of my Datong adventure, specifically the Hanting Premium Hotel near the Ancient City South Gate. Consider yourselves warned.
DATONG DISPATCH: Or, How I Accidentally Ate Too Much Goat and Survived (Mostly)
Day 1: Arrival & An Immediate Regret (Kinda)
8:00 AM (Beijing Time, Which Is Apparently My New Reality): Flight lands in Datong. Honestly, the airport felt like a well-maintained broom closet. Tiny. Efficient. And blessedly empty. Luggage carousel was a conveyor belt of lost dreams and over-packed suitcases. Mine, thankfully, arrived.
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM: The Taxi Tango: Navigating the taxi situation was a comedy of errors, mostly on my part. My Mandarin skills are…well, let's just say "Google Translate-dependent." Finally, after much pointing, gesturing, and a healthy dose of frustration, I got a ride. The taxi driver looked like he’d seen some things. He might have been judging me.
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM: Arrival at Hanting Premium Hotel Datong Ancient City South Gate. My first impressions? Clean. Surprisingly modern lobby. Free instant coffee (score!). The room? A little cramped, but hey, it's a place to crash. The view? A slightly-less-than-a-stellar view of a busy road, but I wasn’t expecting the Ritz.
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM: Unpacking, Reconnaissance, and the Great Wi-Fi Debacle. Okay, unpacking the chaos that is my suitcase. Then, the Wi-Fi, it was a struggle to connect, eventually, I gave up and decided to embrace the digital detox (haha, as if). I ventured out for a quick walk around the neighborhood. Found a tiny dumpling shop. Decided these were the best dumplings ever. The shop owner, a tiny, smiling woman, seemed amused by my shaky attempt at ordering.
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Lunch – The Goat Meat Gambit. Remember that charming dumpling shop? Apparently, it’s next to a restaurant that SERIOUSLY loves goat. And by “loves goat,” I mean they have every imaginable goat-based dish. I, being me, got into “goat hotpot." It was a mistake. Delicious mistake. The meat was tender, the broth, spicy. I ate until I was so full I could barely walk. Did I mention I detest goat? Turns out, I love it now.
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM: The Ancient City South Gate Walkabout: This was the main point, and, frankly, the highlight of the day. The Gate itself is impressive, huge and well-preserved. Strolling along the city walls was a sensory overload: the smells of street food, the sounds of vendors hawking their wares, the colorful flags fluttering in the breeze, the constant buzz of people. I got lost a couple of times (per usual). At one point, I almost got run over by a tiny tricycle carrying a mountain of, I think, carrots. Seriously.
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Hotel R&R and the Great Nap of 2024: Post goat-induced food coma, I crashed in my tiny hotel room. Woke up feeling slightly less like a stuffed animal.
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM: Dinner – Noodles of Doom (or Greatness?): I attempted to find a more "local" noodle place. Found one. Ordered. I was so confused by the menu, I just pointed and hoped for the best. The noodles were… challenging. Thick, chewy, and possibly the spiciest things I've ever encountered. Tears streamed down my face, but I powered through. I think I loved them. I'm not sure.
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM: Nighttime stroll and a failed attempt at "cultural immersion." Wandered around the Ancient City again, this time at night. The lights were beautiful. Tried to join a group of locals playing what looked like some sort of ancient card game. Got completely ignored. My Chinese is terrible.
9:00 PM on: Bedtime and the realization that I'm going to need a lot more antacids.
Day 2: The Hanging Temple & The Buddha's Beard (Maybe)
8:00 AM: Breakfast disaster: The breakfast at the hotel: not great. Bland porridge, questionable pastries, and what looked suspiciously like Spam. I opted for instant noodles.
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: The Hanging Temple Hoedown: Drove a bit further. The Hanging Temple is a mind-boggling engineering feat. How did they build this thing? It's hanging on a cliff! The views are fantastic. Definitely worth the trip. Be prepared to queue-- this place is a tourist magnet. My legs hurt by the time I was done climbing all those stairs. Worth it (obviously).
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM: Return to the hotel and the lunch dilemma: Decided to go back to the dumpling shop where I had it a day before.
**1:00 PM – 3:00 PM: A nap of the gods, which I needed considering all of my walking.
3:00 PM - 6:00 PM: The Nine Dragon Screen (and a minor existential crisis). Okay, the Nine Dragon Screen is awe-inspiring. The sheer scale, the intricate details – it's breathtaking. I stood there for a good hour, just staring. Suddenly, I felt a wave of overwhelming feelings. Such as, I am so small!
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM: Dinner and a near-death experience (courtesy of Sichuan cuisine). I was feeling adventurous (or maybe just masochistic). Found a Sichuan restaurant. Ordered a dish called “Mapo Tofu.” It was like eating lava that tasted delicious. My mouth is still burning. I should have learned my lesson from yesterday’s noodles.
8:00 PM – Midnight: The final night and a few more reflections: Relaxed at the hotel. Enjoyed the hotel and contemplated everything that happened. My takeaway? Datong: unexpected, strange, delicious, and definitely worth the visit.
Things I Learned (The Hard Way):
- Pack antacids.
- Learn at least basic Mandarin before visiting.
- Goat meat is actually amazing.
- Sichuan cuisine is not for the faint of heart.
- Embrace the chaos.
Final Verdict:
Would I go back to Datong? Absolutely. Would I stay at the Hanting Premium Hotel near the Ancient City South Gate again? Probably. It's clean, convenient, and, most importantly, it’s a good base of operations for exploring this weird and wonderful city. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get some more antacids… and maybe a glass of milk.
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Unbelievable Datong Luxury: Hanting Premium Hotel's South Gate Secret! (Or, My Brain's Still Processing It...)
So, what's this "South Gate Secret" about anyway? Is it like, a secret knock, a hidden speakeasy, or what?
Okay, deep breaths. The "South Gate Secret" isn't quite as thrilling as a secret agent lair, sadly. Honestly? It's *mostly* the location. It's *right there*, smack dab, *right* at the South Gate. Like, you walk out the door, and BAM! You're basically IN the ancient city walls. It's a seriously cool viewpoint. Now, whether that qualifies as a *secret* is debatable. I mean, it's not like they're whispering the location, BUT... it’s the way it hits you. You step from the polished lobby – which, let me tell you, has more marble than a Roman bathhouse – and suddenly, you're face-to-face with history. It's a discombobulating experience! And that's the closest thing to a secret. Kinda like a secret identity... of awe.
Alright, fine, it's near a gate. But is the hotel *actually* luxurious? I've had 'premium' experiences that felt more like 'slightly better than a hostel'.
Okay, okay, I get it. The word "premium" gets thrown around like confetti at a... well, a *slightly less* premium party. THIS hotel? Forget confetti; it's throwing around gold leaf. Seriously. The rooms? Gorgeous. Think crisp white linens that practically *beg* you to roll around in them (which I, uh, *might* have done). The bathroom? Rain shower, the kind that makes you question all previous shower experiences. And the staff! So polite it's borderline intimidating. I actually tripped over my own feet in the lobby once – and they *still* smiled! That's dedication.
But here's a small imperfection: The lighting controls took me a solid 15 minutes to figure out. It felt like I was defusing a bomb. Turns out, they're these fancy touch-sensitive screens – and I, apparently, have the touch sensitivity of a brick. Eventually, I just gave up and wandered around the room like a dazed caveman, muttering, "Light... need light..." It’s a small price to pay for (mostly) awesome, I guess.
What about the food? Because a beautiful hotel is only as good as its breakfast buffet.
The breakfast buffet... ah, *the buffet*. Now, this is where things get a little... complicated. See, I have STRONG feelings about hotel buffets. I love them, I hate them, they are my food-related nemesis. *This* buffet? It was... extensive. Seriously extensive. I'm talking a whole section devoted to various types of steamed buns. Steamed. Buns. My initial thought: "Heaven." My second thought, after eating five: "Maybe I should pace myself." My third thought, as I waddled back to my room: "I may never need to eat again."
Also, they had this… this *thing*. I still don't know what it was. It looked like a sort of gelatinous, green concoction. I swear, I saw it *wobble*. I bravely tried a spoonful. It tasted vaguely of... grass? Seaweed? Alien? I honestly can't tell you. It was an experience. An experience I haven't yet had the courage to repeat. But hey, at least they were adventurous!
Did you... you know... *explore* the South Gate itself? Or were you just glued to the comfy bed?
Okay, fine, you got me. Yes, I *did* eventually venture out. After a solid three hours of luxuriating in the aforementioned rain shower and attempting to decipher the lighting controls. The South Gate is STUNNING. Absolutely breathtaking. Climbing the ramparts, looking out over the city... you really feel like you're stepping back in time. It's a MUST-DO.
But here's the kicker: I went up there at sunset. And, I'm sorry, but the setting sun hitting those ancient walls? Cue the waterworks. I’m not normally an emotional person (I swear!) but the whole scene just hit me. Like a wave of history and beauty. And I stood there, tears streaming down my face, taking pictures that would likely be blurry because I was crying so hard and trying to *see* the darn shot! Then, a very confused (but polite!) local family stared. And then, I tried to, you know, *gather myself*. So, yes, explore the South Gate. Just maybe bring tissues. And a good excuse. Because it's powerful stuff.
Any downsides? Gotta be *something*.
Alright, alright, let's be real. Nothing's perfect. Here's the honest truth: the location, while INCREDIBLE, is a bit... far from some other attractions. Datong is a big city. And the hotel is not exactly smack-dab in the middle of the trendy, modern bits. You'll likely want to take taxis or local transportation. But that's the price you pay for historical ambiance, folks.
Also, and forgive me for repeating, I’m still haunted by that green… thing. The green wobble-jelly. I can't emphasize enough: tread lightly at the breakfast buffet if you're easily spooked by unfamiliar, tremulous cuisine.
Would you recommend this hotel? Be honest!
Look, despite a few wobbly jellies and some minor lighting-control battles, ABSOLUTELY. Yes. One hundred percent. If you're looking for a luxurious, historically rich experience in Datong, and you don't mind a little (okay, a lot of) awe... then RUN, don't walk, to the Hanting Premium Hotel. Just maybe pack your own breakfast snacks, just in case. And definitely tissues. Seriously.
And if you do go, tell me what that green thing *actually* is! Because I'm still dying to know.
