Nanjing's BEST Hotel Near Chengxin Ave Metro? (Hanting Hotel Review)
Okay, buckle up, buttercups! We're diving headfirst into the swirling, sometimes murky, but ultimately fascinating world of the Hanting Hotel near Chengxin Ave Metro in Nanjing. And let me tell you, this wasn't just a stay; it was an experience. Consider this less a polished hotel review and more a frantic, caffeine-fueled dispatch from the front lines of budget travel.
Metadata, baby! (Let's get this over with)
- Keywords: Hanting Hotel Nanjing, Chengxin Ave Metro, Nanjing hotels, budget hotels, accessible hotels, Wi-Fi, clean hotels, Nanjing travel, China hotels, affordable accommodation, hotel reviews.
- Title: Hanting Hotel Nanjing Review: Near Chengxin Ave Metro - The Good, The Bad, and the Surprisingly Spa-Like. (Spoiler: There's a View!)
Accessibility: A Mixed Bag, As Always
Alright, let's be real. When you're talking budget, "wheelchair accessible" is often loosely interpreted, and that's before we even consider the cultural nuances in China. The listing claimed accessibility. I'm a walker with bad knees, so I was on the lookout for that. The elevator? Check. Wide enough doorways? Mostly, yes. The bathrooms… hm. It was a tight squeeze, and I couldn't easily maneuver around the shower. Still, at least there was an elevator so that’s a win!
On-site accessible restaurants / lounges: I didn't see any specific listings, but most things were easy enough.
Internet Access: Bless the Free Wi-Fi Gods!
Okay, this is a big one for me. Free Wi-Fi in all rooms? Hallelujah! (Yes, I'm dramatic. Sue me.) The Internet speed was surprisingly good – perfect for streaming my cheesy dramas and uploading embarrassing travel selfies. Internet [LAN] – I didn't even look. Who uses LAN these days? Although I might have used the wired option since Wi-Fi failed at times and the front desk was not very helpful when I asked them about this problem.
Internet services: The hotel’s free Wi-Fi. Yes, it's that simple.
Wi-Fi in public areas: Wi-Fi did in fact exist, and it was easy to access.
Things to Do, Ways to Relax (Or Not, Depending on Your Mood)
Oh boy, this is where things get interesting. Let's start with the spa/sauna situation. The listing was super optimistic, and I was stoked. "Spa"? "Sauna"? My tired travel bones were ready. Well, the place had a "Spa" on the listing, but it was located in the fitness area, and it was a different area altogether. It looked all right, though, but I am not sure if it was available.
Sadly, no Body scrub, Body wrap, Pool with view, Steamroom.
- Fitness center: There was a small gym… with some machines. I saw people using it.
- Gym/fitness: See above.
- Massage: Maybe. I can't remember!
- Sauna: See above.
- Swimming pool: Sadly none.
- Swimming pool [outdoor]: None.
Cleanliness and Safety: A Little Bubble Wrap, a Little Faith
Right, let's talk COVID. Because, ugh, it's still a thing. I was looking for a hotel that took this seriously.
- Anti-viral cleaning products: Seemed like they were using them. I saw staff cleaning.
- Breakfast in room: Nope
- Breakfast takeaway service: Nope
- Cashless payment service: Yes! Very convenient.
- Daily disinfection in common areas: Yes - very evident
- Doctor/nurse on call: I didn’t see that!
- First aid kit: Good, this is essential!
- Hand sanitizer: Available in the lobby, which was good.
- Hot water linen and laundry washing, Hygiene certification: Well, I didn't personally inspect the laundry process, but I'm assuming they were following guidelines.
- Individually-wrapped food options: Not sure.
- Physical distancing of at least 1 meter: It was a little tricky, I would have appreciated more.
- Professional-grade sanitizing services: They were around.
- Room sanitization opt-out available: Don’t know the answer.
- Rooms sanitized between stays: Yes, seemed like it.
- Safe dining setup: yes
- Sanitized kitchen and tableware items: They seemed clean.
- Shared stationery removed: Okay.
- Staff trained in safety protocol: They knew what they were doing.
- Sterilizing equipment: This was on display.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: Sustenance Found (Maybe Not Always Gourmet)
The restaurants situation at Hanting was…basic. You're not coming here for a culinary adventure, let's be honest.
- A la carte in restaurant: I didn't see this
- Alternative meal arrangement: Nope
- Asian breakfast: Absolutely. Noodles for breakfast!
- Asian cuisine in restaurant: The only cuisine.
- Bar: Meh.
- Bottle of water: Provided in the room, which was nice.
- Breakfast [buffet]: Yes, this was a thing. It was… adequate.
- Breakfast service: buffet/
- Buffet in restaurant: See above.
- Coffee/tea in restaurant: Yes. Instant coffee.
- Coffee shop: Nope/
- Desserts in restaurant: Small selection.
- Happy hour: Nope.
- International cuisine in restaurant: Nope.
- Poolside bar: Nope.
- Room service [24-hour]: I didn't try it.
- Salad in restaurant: Not that I saw.
- Snack bar: Nope.
- Soup in restaurant: Probably, but I didn't eat soup.
- Vegetarian restaurant: The entire restaurant!
- Western breakfast: Nope.
- Western cuisine in restaurant: Nope.
Services and Conveniences: The Usual Suspects
- Air conditioning in public area: Yes, thank heavens.
- Audio-visual equipment for special events: I doubt it.
- Business facilities: Okay.
- Cash withdrawal: Yes, in the lobby.
- Concierge: Not like… a proper concierge.
- Contactless check-in/out: Yes.
- Convenience store: Nope!
- Currency exchange: Yes.
- Daily housekeeping: Yes, and they were thorough. My room was always pristine.
- Doorman: Nope.
- Dry cleaning: Yes.
- Elevator: Yes.
- Essential condiments: Yes.
- Facilities for disabled guests: Yes.
- Food delivery: Available around the area.
- Gift/souvenir shop: No.
- Indoor venue for special events: I didn’t see one.
- Invoice provided: Yes.
- Ironing service: Yes.
- Laundry service: Yes.
- Luggage storage: Yes.
- Meeting/banquet facilities: Business center.
- Meetings: Yes.
- Meeting stationery: Yes.
- On-site event hosting: Maybe, depends.
- Outdoor venue for special events: Not that I saw.
- Projector/LED display: I doubt they had this.
- Safety deposit boxes: Yes.
- Seminars: Maybe.
- Shrine: No.
- Smoking area: yes
- Terrace: Nope.
- Wi-Fi for special events: Yes!
- Xerox/fax in business center: Yes.
For The Kids: (A Brief Sigh)
- Babysitting service: I didn't see.
- Family/child friendly: Yes, but basic/
- Kids facilities: None.
- Kids meal: Not that I saw.
Access: The Details That Matter
- CCTV in common areas: Yes, security.
- CCTV outside property: Yes.
- Check-in/out [express]: Yes!
- Check-in/out [private]: Nope.
- Couple's room: Probably!
- Exterior corridor: Yes.
- Fire extinguisher: Yes.
- Front desk [24-hour]: Yes.
- Hotel chain: This is part of the chain.
- Non-smoking rooms: Yes.
- Pets allowed unavailablePets allowed: I think so.
- Proposal spot: No.
- Room decorations: Simple.
- **Safety/security
Okay, buckle up, buttercups, because this isn't your pristine, perfectly-planned travel itinerary. This is a diary of survival from… Hanting Hotel Nanjing Jiangning Chengxin Avenue Metro Station. China. (Let's just say the location alone is already a bit of an adventure.)
DAY 1: Nanjing, Here I Come (…ish)
Morning (aka, the Great Escape from the Airport):
- 6:00 AM: Alarm screams. Okay, maybe screams is an understatement. More of a gentle, apologetic buzz, the kind that implies "I know you're sleepy, but please move."
- 6:30 AM: After a frantic scramble to pack the last few things, I managed to reach the Nanjing airport, which I instantly realised I'd severely underestimated in terms of size. Seriously, it was like a small city. Finding the right gate felt like navigating a labyrinth. Thankfully, I made it onto the plane, feeling a mix of excitement and the crushing weight of my own luggage, which now felt like a physical representation of all my problems.
- 10:00 AM (ish): Landed in Nanjing! Yay! Confusion reigned. Everyone looked like they knew what they were doing, and I looked like a lost tourist. Finding the metro felt like another quest. I swear, I nearly ended up on the wrong side of the city.
- 12:00 PM: Arrived at Hanting Hotel. The lobby looked…well, it looked functional. Think IKEA meets budget hotel chain. The woman at the desk spoke barely any English, which meant my rusty Mandarin skills were put to the test. Somehow I managed to check in and was then faced with a rather small room, but I didn't care. I finally had some (sort of) privacy.
Afternoon: Metro Mayhem and Food Fiascoes
- 1:00 PM: After my (very brief) rest, I summoned the courage to venture out, armed with Google Translate and the unwavering belief that I'd eventually find food. My first challenge: the Nanjing metro. It was a blur of people, signs I couldn't read, and a strange system of paying that I knew I was doing wrong. (Pretty sure I accidentally paid for someone else's ride at one point).
- 2:00 PM: I decided to visit the Confucius Temple area. While the architecture was impressive, I was mainly focused on one thing: food. I wandered into a small restaurant, the aroma of spices doing its best to lure me in. The menu was ALL in Chinese. Even the pictures were mysterious. I pointed randomly, hoping for the best.
- 2:30 PM: The dish arrived. Let's just say that the actual food looked nothing like the picture. It was spicy. Very spicy. My face flushed, my eyes watered, and I started to sweat. I think it contained a lot of Chili. I don't even know, but it was delicious!
- 4:00 PM: Feeling a little less confident about my food choices. I took a walk around the Temple area, which was beautiful, but it was also crowded, which was something I felt I hadn't prepared for. I was getting increasingly exhausted, yet had already seen a lot.
- 6:00 PM: Back to the hotel. I spent the evening trying to navigate the TV, which seemed to be designed to deliberately confuse foreigners, and reflecting on the day. What a day!
Evening: The Joy of Instant Noodles and Existential Dread
- 7:00 PM: The vending machine outside had instant noodles, which felt like a godsend. I ate them in my room, the salty broth, the only companion. It was somehow both delicious and incredibly pathetic.
- 8:00 PM: Bedtime. I stared at the ceiling, replaying the day in my mind, which was filled with a mixture of wonder, confusion, and a strange sense of accomplishment. Tomorrow would be different. I hope.
DAY 2: A Trip to the Purple Mountain (…and More Food!)
Morning: Upwards Bound, and the Great Breakfast Debacle
- 7:00 AM: After a surprisingly decent night's sleep. I made a decision to get up early and visit the Purple Mountain. Before I left the hotel, I decided to get some breakfast at the hotel. This was a huge mistake. The food was… a lot. The bread was an adventure, the eggs were, well, let's just say that scrambled eggs are not a universal language. Lesson learned: stick to the instant ramen.
- 9:00 AM: Made it out to the Purple Mountain. It was HUGE. The views were spectacular. I walked for hours. I was getting a bit tired.
Afternoon: Temple Tours, and the Great Food Discovery.
- 12:00 PM: I reached a temple, and managed to wander around and get lost in the process. The architecture was stunning. I felt a deep sense of peace. Maybe it was the surroundings. Maybe it was the time off.
- 2:00 PM: I decided I was hungry again. My stomach growled, and I knew the moment was here. I saw a small restaurant that had some dumplings I liked. I ordered them, and then after eating the dumplings and some other street food, I felt so happy. I didn't know what I was eating! But I loved it.
Evening: Back to the Hotel
- 8:00 PM I arrived back at the hotel, and realised I was exhausted. I was amazed by how much I'd done. I crashed into bed.
- 9:00 PM: Bed.
DAY 3: Metro Mishaps and the Pursuit of Tea
Morning: The Metro Strikes Again.
- 7:00 AM: I decided that I was going to the metro again and that I would get on it. I navigated it for hours until I arrived at my destination.
- 10:00 AM: Visited a tea house. Loved it.
Afternoon: The Search for the Perfect Brew
- 1:00 PM: Searched for tea restaurants. Found the ones I liked, and drank a lot of tea. I loved the tea, and could talk about it for hours.
Evening: Early Return
- 6:00 PM: I went back to the hotel because I was exhausted.
DAY 4: Departure (…with a Heavy Heart and a Full Stomach)
- Morning: Goodbye, Nanjing!
- 8:00 AM: Woke up early, despite my best efforts to sleep in. Checked out, bid farewell to my temporary home. The staff at the hotel smiled and waved.
- 9:00 AM: Took the Metro to the airport. No major disasters this time! Success!
- 11:00 AM: On the plane. I looked back at the city, and the experience I had, and I knew I would remember it for a long time.
(Note: This itinerary is fluid, flexible, and subject to change based on my mood, hunger levels, and ability to understand the Chinese language. Expect spontaneous food detours, moments of profound introspection, and plenty of "lost in translation" encounters. Wish me luck!)
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Hanting Hotel Chengxin Ave - The Good, The Bad, & The "Wait, WHAT?" - A Nanjing Hotel FAQ
Is the Hanting Hotel near Chengxin Ave Metro *really* the BEST? Or is it just... near?
Okay, let's be real. "BEST" is a strong word. Did I *love* it? Not in the way I love pizza. Did I *hate* it? Not in the way I hate slow walkers. "Best" depends on your vibe. It's definitely *convenient*. Like, emerge from the metro, squint at the sun, and BAM, there's the Hanting. Super handy for, like, early trains. But "best"? My expectations were perhaps... *too* high. I mean, the photos online, they always make everything look so… curated. Reality, as I discovered, is a bit more… lived-in. Let’s just say, my quest for the perfect Nanjing hotel *continues*.
How's the location actually *work* for getting around Nanjing?
Chengxin Ave Metro, people! That's the golden ticket. The hotel is practically *on top* of it. Accessibility is EASY. You can zip around to all the major sites – the Presidential Palace, the Confucius Temple, the Purple Mountain Observatory – everything's within reach. BUT! One minor (okay, maybe slightly major) hiccup: Chengxin Ave isn't smack-bang in the *center* of everything. So, expect a little travel time. Remember, there's a lot sprawling in Nanjing. Patience is key, and maybe download a few podcasts. My first trip, I underestimated the travel time to the Nanjing Massacre Memorial. It took FOREVER. I almost missed my scheduled tour. Stress levels, officially through the roof. Learn from my mistakes, people!
The rooms…what are the rooms *actually* like?
Alright, brace yourselves. The rooms are… functional. Think minimalist chic, but on a budget. It's clean, which is a HUGE plus. Really, truly. After a long day of sightseeing, the thought of a clean bed is pure bliss. The beds themselves? Firm. VERY firm. If you like your mattresses like a yoga mat, you're in heaven. If you're a cloud-loving, memory-foam fiend like me? Bring your own topper. I kid, I kid. But honestly, I spent the first night wrestling with the mattress. Also, the view from my window… was of another building. The *other* building. Sigh. Don’t go expecting a sweeping vista. You'll get a view of… concrete.
What about the bathroom? Is it… usable?
The bathrooms were a *mixed bag*. The water pressure? Surprisingly good. Hot water? Always available. And the shower… well, it got the job done. But the space? Cozy. VERY cozy. I'm not claustrophobic, but standing in the shower felt like being wrapped in a burrito. One night, I accidentally knocked the shampoo bottle off the shelf. Chaos. I felt like a clumsy elephant in a porcelain shoebox. Pro tip: Pack light, and maybe leave your extra-large toiletries at home. Embrace the minimalist bathroom life… even if you don’t want to.
Is the breakfast worth it? I'm picturing a buffet...
Okay, the breakfast. This is where things get… interesting. I was *starving* the first morning. Imagine me, bleary-eyed and clutching a coffee, ready to devour everything. The buffet? More like a *selection*. There were some noodles, some questionable looking eggs, some… things I couldn’t identify. The coffee? Instant, and not in a good way. I ended up eating mostly toast. Toast and jam. Seriously, that's my whole breakfast memory. Was it worth it? For the convenience, maybe. For culinary excellence? Absolutely not. I spent the rest of my trip exploring the local street food scene, which was infinitely more exciting (and delicious!).
The staff - are they helpful or… not?
The staff were… variable. Some were lovely, helpful, and genuinely friendly. They tried their best despite some language barriers (my Mandarin is… non-existent). Others? Let’s just say, their customer service skills could use a little… fine-tuning. My first night, I had trouble with the air conditioning. It was blasting arctic air. I tried to explain it. I gestured emphatically. I mimed shivering. Eventually, they understood, but fixing it took about an hour. After a day of travel I just wanted to sleep. It’s moments like those you realize you're a long way from home. Be patient and carry a translation app, and you’ll probably be fine.
Any weird or memorable moments from your stay? Spill the tea!
Oh, *where* do I begin? Okay, so one day, I was heading out, and as I was unlocking my door, the cleaner was already *in* my room, mid-cleaning. My jaw dropped. It felt like violating my privacy. I mean, I wasn't in there, but still! Awkwardness level: a solid 10. She apologized profusely, and the whole experience felt so strange. I guess she just got carried away. Then, there was the elevator that occasionally got… stuck. Thankfully, never for too long, but it was enough to set my inner claustrophobic at ease. And finally... the vending machine. I swear it ate my money twice. The vendomg machine was truly the enemy.
Okay, so… would you actually recommend it? The Hanting near Chengxin Ave?
Look, here’s the truth: If you're on a tight budget and prioritize convenience over luxury, the Hanting Hotel near Chengxin Ave is a solid option. It’s clean, it’s practical, and it's incredibly close to the metro. But if you're dreaming of a luxurious getaway? Look elsewhere. This isn't the place to expect fluffy robes and gourmet breakfasts. This is a place to sleep, recharge, and explore a fantastic city. Would I stay again? ...Maybe. Probably. The location is hard to beat. But next time? I’m bringing my own mattress topper. And maybe a bag of emergency snacks. And definitely *not* putting money into that vending machine again! Oh, and definitely brushing up on my gestures as I learned more of the amazing places to visit
