Who stays at the Astor?

David, a businessman who first came to China 20 years ago says "Although I did not stay overnight in a hotel during my first visit, I do recall stopping at the Astor Hotel for lunch. At that time it was not part of the Starwood Group. It was interesting to visit a hotel that was over 100 years old. We had dumplings at what was regarded as the most famous dumpling restaurant in Tianjin. The dumplings were very good, unfortunately, it is no longer open. My favourite hotel in Tianjin is definitely the Astor. I stay there almost every month and know all the staff. I like the flavour and atmosphere of the vintage venue. If you go, make sure to visit their museum in the lower floor. It will not only provide a history of the 150 year old Astor, but you will learn about Tianjin". David has repeatedly told me of the experiences he has had in the hotel and of the way they take care of their guests. Maybe I am also due a visit.

As he is a regular guest there he must have some good experiences to share with us, he says "I have had many good experiences at the Astor. Probably my favourite is the time I left my bag with my wallet in the washroom near the restaurant. I didn't remember for over an hour and when I went back to retrieve it was gone. I checked with the front desk and one of their cleaners had found it and turned it in - nothing was missing. I offered a reward but was told it was not necessary, it was their duty:"应该的＂This means of course they should return it".

Hotels And Their Relevance For Us

Newly built hotels greatly enhanced the skyline of Tianjin

We really are fortunate to be living in Tianjin at a time when it is just developed enough so as to make it extremely comfortable for foreigners living here, whilst still retaining its historical importance. We have the best of both worlds!

Travellers to Tianjin are spoilt for choice as there are so many great hotels that it really must be difficult to choose between them. David Wong helped us to interview some businessmen about their hotel preferences. Roy who lives in Beijing says "The Westin is my favourite hotel as it is well situated downtown, has comfortable beds, good food (Italian included), and responsive service. Recently I was amazed to overhear a Chinese man yelling at the Westin front desk for no valid reason. It struck me that we foreigners are the new poor, the locals are the new rich and their expectations now are high".

Brian Trendel told us "Depending on the people coming and their reason, I would recommend several alternatives, but 99% of the time we have visitors who are related to our business, so I recommend the Tianjin Renaissance Hotel because it is a well-run facility with an excellent Health Club, support for business people and an excellent breakfast. It is also close to the subway station, shopping and many restaurants within walking distance. The Management and staff are attentive and very professional.

Phil Harnett finds some aspects of Tianjin difficult, so for him there is only one choice, he says "I hate the city centre, as the traffic and congestion along with the pollution are so bad I never go there unless I have to. For my own personal stays and all of my business visitors we use the Holiday Inn Riverside, as it is easy to get to from my factory in Wuqing and away from the city traffic. If I have to attend a meeting downtown - I stay at the Holiday Inn and then use a taxi. That way in the morning I can drive out easily and quickly". He finds staying downtown difficult and inconvenient, but if you ask other regular visitors to Tianjin, they find that staying downtown makes everything accessible to them. From there the transport system makes it easy to shop, visit the other hotels and generally get around far more quickly than they would by staying, well not downtown.

Each hotel has a different speciality. Some are famous for their haute cuisine. Guests can choose international food such as Italian or French and there is no need for them to leave the hotel to find a good meal. The Chinese restaurants in each hotel also provide high quality Chinese food. One hotel is famous for its Hong Kong dishes, which no doubt Chinese guests will be pleased with, so although they may not be able to actually go to Hong Kong, they can at least experience it through the food. One hotel is especially famous for its comfortable beds. Others have placed a large emphasis on the leisure facilities such as the gym and swimming pool. Still others are able offer fantastic spa facilities. One hotel even has a salsa bar which is free for ladies on Fridays and Saturdays.

One of best things about the hotels here is that they are so welcoming, popping in for lunch or afternoon tea is relatively easy and comfortable. Maybe you don't have the funds to stay in some of the more luxurious hotels, but you can still have the option of eating there and of using the facilities, as gym membership is quite reasonable.

Apart from the luxurious 5 star hotels, there are also many four stars ones that also offer a high standard of comfort. It may be if you live in Tianjin that you see no need to go to a local hotel. I like to treat myself to the odd night away, as it a little bit of luxury in what sometimes is a sea of stress and busyness. My Chinese friends think I am crazy, but it really makes a difference to have an occasional oasis, and I find that only here can I afford five star luxury. I could never afford to stay in a five star hotel back in England, so I want to make the most of the opportunities here. There is no doubt about it, the many good hotels here have contributed to Tianjin's economic development.

According to Liu Guiming, Director of Department of Quality Regulation and Administration of Tianjin Travel Bureau, from 2006 the high quality hotels rapidly increased in Tianjin and there were several reasons for this; the economic situation developed rapidly, restrictions on foreign affairs were lifted, the investment climate was very favourable and the environment here started to improve. They are satisfied that at present the current amount of hotels is sufficient for the needs of the tourist industry.

Future Plans

Are you already satisfied with what we have at the moment? The municipal government may not think so. The pace of development should never stop. Director Liu said: "By the year 2015, we hope to have fifty 5 star hotels here. Our focus is also to get the hotels to improve the quality of the service and standards they provide and to create more boutique hotels".

It seems as though it is really a buyers' market and no longer do travellers to Tianjin have to worry about finding somewhere decent to stay, they can take their pick from the finest the hotel industry has to offer.