Nanjing's BEST Hotel Near South Railway Station? (Shengtai Rd. Secret!)
Nanjing's Best Kept Secret Near South Station? (Spoiler Alert: Shengtai Rd. Rocks!) - A Messy, Honest Review
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because I'm about to unleash the full chaotic glory of my recent Nanjing adventure, and specifically, my stay at what I’m calling "The Shengtai Rd. Secret" – a hotel near Nanjing South Railway Station that blew me away. Prepare for a review that's less pristine travel brochure and more, well, me. Expect tangents, opinions, and maybe a few questionable metaphors. You've been warned!
Overall Impression: Holy Moly, I Need a Nap (and to Go Back!) Seriously, I wasn't expecting fireworks, but this hotel felt like a carefully curated escape hatch from the usual travel grind. It’s not perfect – nothing ever is, right? – but the good far outweighs the… let's call them "interesting" bits.
Accessibility: Smooth Sailing (Mostly)
Okay, so accessibility. I'm not in a wheelchair, but I am a klutz with a tendency to trip over air, so I appreciate good design! The entrance and lobby were definitely on the friendlier side for accessibility. Elevators? Check. Ramps? Check. And I saw a few folks using wheelchairs move around pretty smoothly. This gets a huge thumbs up. And if you're traveling with someone who has specific mobility needs, call ahead and explain your situation. Seems from the service they have a good intention to accommodate!
On-Site Accessible Restaurants / Lounges: Haven't checked the details
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Internet, Glorious Internet (and Related Rants):
- Free Wi-Fi in All Rooms! (Hallelujah!) Seriously, it's a small thing, but it's HUGE. The Wi-Fi was reliable, which is more than I can say for some cough fancy hotels cough.
- Internet Access, Internet [LAN], Internet Services: They offered it, and it worked, which is a small miracle in the modern world, so props.
- Wi-Fi in Public Areas: Strong. Also, I caught a glimpse of the staff really cleaning the coffee shop. Respect.
Things to Do, Ways to Relax – The Pampering Zone… or, My Personal Breakdown:
Okay, this is where it gets real. I’m a sucker for a good spa day, and this hotel delivered, big time.
- Spa/Sauna: Yes.
- Pool with View: Yes.
- Sauna: Yes.
- Swimming pool: Yes and outdoor
- Steamroom: Yes.
- Massage: Yes! And AMAZING. Seriously, the masseuse worked out knots I didn't even know I had. I swear, she could tell I'd been hunched over my laptop for way too long. The only downside? I almost fell asleep mid-massage and drooled a little. Mortifying. But also, glorious.
- Body scrub, Body wrap: They had it, which I didn't try because I can't trust myself.
- Fitness center, Gym/fitness: I peeked in. Looked decent. I'm not sure if I did it.
- Foot bath: I was too busy getting a massage. See above.
Cleanliness and Safety: Feeling Safe (Even with My Neuroses)
I’m a bit of a germaphobe, so this is always a big deal for me.
- Hand sanitizer: Everywhere. Bless.
- Anti-viral cleaning products: Yes.
- Daily disinfection in common areas: Yes.
- Rooms sanitized between stays: Apparently.
- Staff trained in safety protocol: Seemed legit.
- Hot water linen and laundry washing: Yes.
- Sanitized kitchen and tableware items: Of course, let's be realistic.
- Safe dining setup: Seemed to be the case.
- Physical distancing of at least 1 meter: Yes.
- Individually-wrapped food options: Yes, but I am not sure if the coffee shop offered it.
- Doctor/nurse on call: Yes. Good to know.
- First aid kit: Yes.
- Hygiene certification: I don't have the details.
- Shared stationery removed: Yep.
- Sterilizing equipment: I don't have the details.
- Room sanitization opt-out available: Didn't see that.
- Staff trained in safety protocol: Yes.
The only time I felt uncomfortable was when I forgot my mask to leave the hotel. I could be a little paranoid about germs, but overall, the hotel felt incredibly clean and well-managed.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: From Buffet to Bedtime Snacks (Yes, Please!)
- Breakfast [Buffet]: Okay, the breakfast buffet. This, my friends, is where things got… interesting. It was an Asian-leaning buffet (which I loved!), but there were also western options. Eggs, bacon, pastries, fruit… honestly, I just wanted to dive in headfirst and never come up for air. My only complaint? There should have been more pastries. I may have eaten an entire plate of mini-croissants. No regrets.
- Coffee/tea in restaurant, Coffee shop: The coffee was decent, the coffee shop made a great place to lounge
- Bar, Poolside bar: I didn't hit them, but they looked fun.
- Restaurants: Multiple options!
- Snack bar: Didn't use it
- Room service [24-hour]: Yes, which is a godsend when you're battling jet lag at 3 AM. I may or may not have ordered a huge plate of fries. Again, no regrets.
- Asian cuisine in restaurant, Vegetarian restaurant, Western cuisine in restaurant, Asian breakfast, Western breakfast: Yes yes yes.
- Happy hour: I didn't see time or anything, but the bar looks like it would be fun.
Services and Conveniences: Because Life is Hard Enough
- Concierge: Extremely helpful. They spoke great English and were happy to help with absolutely anything.
- Cash withdrawal: Yes.
- Daily housekeeping: Excellent. My room was spotless every single day.
- Laundry service, Dry cleaning, Ironing service: Yes. This saves so much luggage space!
- Luggage storage: Yep.
- Elevator: Yes.
- Air conditioning in public area: Yes.
- Food delivery: Yes.
- Gift/souvenir shop: I did not check.
- Car park [free of charge], Car park [on-site]: Yes.
- Airport transfer: Yes.
- Business facilities, Meetings, Meeting/banquet facilities, Seminars: It had.
- Wi-Fi for special events, Audio-visual equipment for special events, Outdoor venue for special events: They had it
There's a certain comfort in knowing that you can get your laundry done, arrange a taxi, and get your luggage safely stored all without leaving. Made the whole trip feel much smoother.
For the Kids: I Didn't Have Any, But…
- Family/child friendly: Yes.
- Babysitting service: Yes.
Access: Security and Peace of Mind
- CCTV in common areas, CCTV outside property, Security [24-hour], Smoke alarms, Fire extinguisher, Smoke alarms: Very safe.
Available in All Rooms: Ah, The Little Luxuries
- Air conditioning, Alarm clock, Bathrobes, Blackout curtains, Coffee/tea maker, Free Wi-Fi, In-room safe box, Internet access – wireless, Ironing facilities, Laptop workspace, Mini bar, Non-smoking, Private bathroom, Satellite/cable channels, Seating area, Separate shower/bathtub, Slippers, Telephone, Toiletries, Wake-up service, Window that opens, Additional toilet, Bathroom phone, Bathtub, Carpeting, Closet, Complimentary tea, Daily housekeeping, Desk, Extra long bed, Free bottled water, Hair dryer, High floor, In-room safe box, Interconnecting room(s) available, Internet access – LAN, Internet access – wireless, Ironing facilities, Laptop workspace, Linens, Mini bar, Mirror, Non-smoking, On-demand movies, Private bathroom, Reading light, Refrigerator, Safety/security feature, Satellite/cable channels, Scale, Seating area, Separate shower/bathtub, Shower, Slippers, Smoke detector, Socket near the bed, Sofa, Soundproofing, Telephone, Toiletries, Towels, Umbrella, Visual alarm: Basic amenities.
Overall: Go. Seriously, Just Go.
This hotel isn't just a place to sleep; it's an experience. It's a place where you can relax and recharge, even if you're as high-strung as I am. It's got charm, it's got convenience, and it's got a fantastic spa. The few small things that weren't perfect? They are almost instantly forgettable, because the good stuff is that good.
Alicante Paradise: Stunning 1-Bedroom Gallery Apartment (CB7EV)!
Okay, buckle up, buttercups, because this isn't your sanitized, perfectly-planned travel itinerary. This is a survival guide for the Hi Inn near Nanjing South Railway Station on Shengtai Road, and let me tell you, it's a place that will test your mettle. Prepare for a rollercoaster of emotions, questionable food choices, and the distinct possibility of getting utterly, gloriously lost.
Day 1: Arrival & The Sweet, Sweet Smell of Dim Sum…or Maybe Not.
14:00 - Beijing Arrival (if you can even call it that): First of all, good luck finding the right exit. Nanjing South Station is a beast. Seriously, feels like a black hole of bewildered tourists. After escaping the platform, I’m hit by an AC blast and the usual chaos. My luggage? Somehow made it. Winning already.
15:00 - Taxi Roulette to the Hi Inn: Okay, taxi roulette, is the right term. Negotiating with these guys takes a special kind of stamina. Finally, after what felt like a full-contact negotiation – mostly with the help of Google Translate and flailing arms – I secure a ride. The driver, bless his soul, drove like he was trying to win the Nanjing Grand Prix. Road rage? Oh, it's built into the culture here.
16:00 - HI Inn Check-in: The Room Debacle Begins: The front desk guy? Kind of bored. You have to be. I get the room, it's small. This isn't a five-star hotel, it's a functional hotel. So, I had to climb the stairs, because the elevator was out of order, classic. My luggage? Heavy. My legs? Well, they worked…just.
16:30 - Room Inspection: The Real Test: Bed looks clean, bathroom is a horror show, stained sink, dust everywhere, and a questionable stain on the carpet that I choose to ignore. The joy is that the AC is working, it has a TV, and I can get a wifi signal. I spent way too long trying to connect to the wifi. Finally, give up and have a snooze.
18:00 - Dinner Quest: Food Poisoning Anticipated: Nanjing cuisine. Famous for its… well, pretty sure it's famous for testing the limits of your digestive system. I wander around, looking for something that doesn't look like it was cooked last Tuesday.
18:30 - Dim Sum Delights & Regrets: Found a place that looked promising. Beautifully steamed dim sum. I ordered, and the smell was amazing, but the taste was… okay. Maybe the food isn't the real challenge, it's the eating with chopsticks that I had to work on. After, I walked a bit and feel a slight ache in my stomach. I really hope I don't spend the night hugging the porcelain god.
19:30 - Evening Stroll & Cultural Absorption (Maybe): I tell myself I'm going to embrace the culture, breathe in the sights, soak in the ambiance, and maybe even learn a few Mandarin phrases. In reality, after a very long day, I end up walking in circles while trying to avoid the scooters and dodging the street vendors.
20:30 - Back to the Room & Netflix: I retreat to sanctuary in the room. No way I'm going back out there.
22:00 - Sleep: Lights out. I pray for a good night's sleep and wish my stomach decides to cooperate.
Day 2: Temple Trials, Train Troubles, and Tea Drunkenness
08:00 - Breakfast Scramble : Food Poisoning Avoidance Mode: I decided to skip breakfast. I will not risk a repeat dim sum performance. I just grabbed a bottle of water and some crackers from the 7/11 (which is pretty amazing).
09:00 - Xuanwu Lake and Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum (attempted) : This is where things get interesting – and by interesting, I mean confusing. Getting to the scenic spots is a real adventure, not an easy walk, but a taxi ride.
Xuanwu Lake: It's a beautiful lake. Lots of people paddling boats. A very relaxing atmosphere. I’m kind of zen.
Dr. Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum: It’s further away. The taxi driver said he'll take me there. We agreed on a price. We ended up driving for about one hour, what a horrible experience. The mausoleum is stunning, but the sheer number of tourists is overwhelming. It took a lot of patience, but I managed. I felt a sense of awe.
14:00 - Train to… Somewhere?: I have a train. The ticket is probably the most important thing right now. I hope it goes well.
16:00 - Afternoon Tea & Philosophical Ramblings (At a cafe): When I came to a cafe, I looked at the menu. The tea menu didn't make sense, and I decided to just go for whatever. But after the tea, I feel tired and I'm not sure if I'm drunk or in another dimension, or both. I'm not going anywhere again.
18:00 - Dinner & Daydreaming: I decide to order some stuff on the internet. Maybe I should order two plates of food.
20:00 - Preparing for Tomorrow: I start packing now because I have a flight tomorrow.
22:00 - Sleep Again: Sleep. This time I prepare for the plane. So nervous.
Day 3: Last Day: Depart and the Great Escape
- 08:00 - Last-Minute Meal of Uncertain Origin: Breakfast is a repeat of yesterday. Maybe a pastry, or something easy to digest.
- 09:00 - Final Room Inspection & Check-Out: The room is not very clean, as usual. Check-out is fairly easy. I leave the room with a sigh.
- 10:00 - Airport Transfers: Back to the airport. Wish me luck.
- 14:00 - Flight Prep:
- 18:00 - Departure: Goodbye and good riddance to Nanjing. Never going back.
Post Script: Surviving Nanjing & The Hi Inn.
The Hi Inn near Nanjing South Station Shengtai Road is not a vacation. It’s an experience. A gritty, often chaotic, but ultimately memorable experience. You'll be challenged. You'll be confused. You might even consider hiding in your room for the next week. But you'll survive. And maybe, just maybe, you'll find something beautiful, something delicious, something to laugh about in all the mess.
Just remember to pack plenty of hand sanitizer, a sense of humor, and a willingness to embrace the chaos.
Good luck, and Godspeed.
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Nanjing's Secret Hideaway: The Shengtai Road Hotel - Let's Get Real! (And Rambling!)
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because I'm about to unleash on you the gospel according to the Shengtai Road Hotel. Is it the absolute, undisputed, crown-jewel-of-Nanjing-hotels near the South Station? Well, let's just say if you’re prioritizing *convenience* and a decent night's sleep? Yeah, probably. It's my go-to. The train station looming doesn't quite create a romantic setting, but you're practically *in* the station. Roll out of bed, stumble through the lobby, and BOOM, you're at the departure gates. Heaven.
However! If you're picturing a five-star palace with a rooftop infinity pool and a butler who anticipates your every need... look elsewhere. This isn't the Ritz. It's more like the… comfortable, reliable friend you bring along on a road trip. They're always there, they're always dependable, and they rarely cause drama. That suits *me* just fine.
Okay, the "secret" isn't some underground bunker guarded by ninjas. It's not a password-protected portal to a parallel dimension. It's more like… it's *not* the first hotel that pops up when you Google "hotels near Nanjing South Station." It's not plastered on every travel blog. It doesn’t have that “wow factor” from afar that pulls you in. But trust me, it's there, and it's doing its job, perfectly.
Honestly, I think the "secret" comes from its low-key vibe and, let's be frank, it's ease of access. You're not fighting a crowd of tourists, or spending an hour weaving through confusing streets. It's just... there. Convenient, reliable, and ready to take your luggage and put you to sleep.
Alright, let's get the nitty-gritty out of the way. The Shengtai Road Hotel offers the standard stuff: Free Wi-Fi (which, let’s be honest, is a deal breaker these days). The speed is generally acceptable. Air conditioning that generally works (though I *swear* once in the middle of summer, the gods of AC were playing a cruel joke). They *usually* have a decent breakfast buffet, but let's be real, the quality can vary wildly depending on… well, I don’t know what. Some days it's a glorious spread of noodles and pastries, other days it's… lukewarm scrambled eggs and mystery meat. Prepare for adventure!
They have a functional gym too, but I’ve never actually been in it. I'm there to collapse in a bed, not run on a treadmill. Sorry, just being real.
Look, it's a hotel *near* a major train station. Expect some level of noise. Duh. You'll hear announcements. You *might* hear the rhythmic rumble of trains. You'll probably hear the incessant beeping of those luggage carts at 3 am. (Seriously, who *are* those people?).
But here’s the kicker, I've found that the Shengtai Road Hotel does a surprisingly good job of soundproofing. I've stayed there countless times, and yeah, maybe a few trains made themselves known. But it’s never been a deal-breaker. Definitely bring earplugs if you're a light sleeper. I am *not* a light sleeper, and I'm usually fine. But again, manage expectations. This ain't a desert oasis.
Okay, fine, let's get to the juicy stuff. There was *one* time… It was a few years back. I arrived at like 2 am, dead tired after a ridiculously long flight. I just wanted to sleep. Well, disaster struck. Firstly, the elevator was out of order. *Great*. I was on the 12th floor. I dragged my suitcase up flights of stairs, swearing under my breath the entire time.
THEN, the room. It reeked. Like, a serious, old-cigarette-smoke-mixed-with-damp-carpet odor. I opened the window, but the outside air was… not much better. And the air conditioning? MIA. The room was an absolute sauna. The bathroom? The water pressure was so pathetic, I'm pretty sure a toddler could have redirected it. My face was a wet mess, not clean.
I went to the reception downstairs (another Herculean effort). The staff was, well, unenthusiastic to put it mildly. The "solution" was a new room, which, to their credit, was… better. But the whole experience? Utterly exhausting. That was a low point. Definitely made me question my life choices.
Honestly, it nearly ruined my love for the place. But then, the next time I went, everything was perfect. So… yeah. Hotel Roulette, I guess.
Here's the deal: it's good value. It's almost always cheaper than the flashy hotels down the road. For the convenience alone, I'd say it's worth the price. You're paying for location, location, location. You get what you pay for, but the price-to-convenience ratio tips the scales towards YES, for me personally. I'm not rolling in dough, so I appreciate a good deal.
If you're looking for luxury? No. If you're on a tight budget and *only* care about a place to crash before a train? Probably still yes! Think of it as… a functional, no-frills haven, with a bit of charm. (Maybe). It’s perfect for short stays and quick trips. Basically, it’s good for those who are just passing though to go on to bigger and better things.
