Ranking: Location 5/5 Service 3/5 Modernity 5/5 Little things 3/5 Meals 5/5 Overall 4/5
Since the hotel is actually a resort compound with a theme park and massive grounds, I’ll be covering them in this post as well.
This Christmas, we found ourselves with no travel plan at all. Usually, the mainland is somewhere I would avoid during Christmas due to the fact they don’t celebrate it (after all, I love Christmas, and wouldn’t really favour “wasting” it). Unfortunately, my mother had this planned long before I knew about it, so I decided to roll into China with my family.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Family
Having stayed at the Chimelong Hotel and Resort in Panyu (Chimelong resorts are family Chinese resorts that include a hotel), my mom wanted to stay at the other Chimelong hotel, the one at Hengqin Bay (an hour from Zhuhai), which I guess I was fine with. The hotel opened last year, and is part of a $20 billion dollar resort targeted at families with young travellers. For a Club Family Duplex (a two floor suite with a king bed and two tatamis), breakfast for three, a circus ticket and a two-day ticket to the Ocean Kingdom, it cost us a pretty bad ~HK$4900, a rate which we could barely stand (okay, I guess it’s worth it, given that a circus ticket and two Ocean Kingdom tickets for three people would near a third of the room rate).
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex Rate
My stay at the Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay
After a boat ride on CKS Ferry Services to Zhuhai, I caught up with the hotel bus to Hengqin Bay.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Entrance
The hotel has a “resort style” entrance, in which there’s a huge sign by the entrance, which says “Chimelong Resort” on one side and “Please Visit Again Soon” on the other.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Entrance
The exterior of the hotel is a little tacky, with fake fire on the castle peaks, but I can live with that.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Exterior by day
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Exterior by night
A couple minutes after first sight of the hotel we pulled up near the driveway, which was (thankfully) decorated in Christmassy decorations.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Driveway
The hotel bus from Jiuzhou Port parked at one of the bus piers, and we walked to the lobby. It was quite a distance (we passed through several hallways and meeting areas before we got to the lobby), but I got used to it.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Hallway to Lobby
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Hallway to Lobby
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Hallway to Lobby
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Hallway to Lobby
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Hallway to Lobby
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Hallway to Lobby
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Hallway to Lobby
The lobby was kind of like a mix between a neon party and Disneyland, and actually I didn’t hate it. Overall, I tend to prefer either a homey or minimalist hotel compared to one shining with blingy neon lights, but this was actually half subtle.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Lobby
No lobby is complete without its own set of dolphins…right?
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Lobby
The “inverted chandelier” ceiling was borderline gaudy/tacky, but I still found it pretty awesome. Bling it on!
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Lobby
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Lobby
There was a huge coral in the middle, presumably made of glass.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Lobby
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Lobby
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Lobby
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Lobby Entrance to our wing of the hotel
Beside the extravagant lobby was a more humble check-in area.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Lobby Check-in Area
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Lobby Check-in Area
While we were with friends, they were booked into Family Rooms, which are not only much cheaper, but much, much more popular. We got a room immediately, and they hung around outside for a bit (in our friends’ worries that their kids would fall in love with our room and feel bad about their own for the rest of the night).
The hotel has two wings, and we were placed in the Seahorse Wing (the other wing is called the Dolphin Wing), which has the candy store, food court and a few other shops.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Seahorse Wing Lift Lobby
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Seahorse Wing Lift Lobby 18th Floor
I don’t know exactly how to describe the hallways – they weren’t fresh and were bordering on gloomy/dated, but they had something you wouldn’t see at a cookie cutter hotel.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Hallways
Our room was pretty close to the lifts, and equally close to the club lounge. Can’t beat having them on the same floor!
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex Entrance
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Floorplan
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort
Check-in: Thursday, December 25, 2014
Room Type: Club Family Duplex
Room Number: 18084
Stay duration: 1 night
Check-out: Friday, December 26, 2014
While the room wasn’t modern or anything, it struck to me as big and beautiful. True, it was decorated like a Chinese business hotel, but that’s fine with me.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex First Floor Entryway
The first floor featured a large king size bed, a desk and chair, a flatscreen TV and a fridge; the second, much smaller floor featured two tatamis.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex First Floor (from second floor)
The king size bed was, sadly, very hard.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex Double Bed
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex First Floor Bed
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex First Floor Bed
I like it when there’s a sort of chaise longue nearby, so you don’t have to sit on the bed when you’re waiting for someone else in the shower.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex First Floor Chaise Longue
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex First Floor flatscreen TV
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex First Floor desk
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex First Floor fridge
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex First Floor storage
The room was probably lacking style (it looked much like a Chinese business hotel apart from the dish decorations on the top), but it didn’t lack substance at all, which I like much better than a style over substance hotel. For example, there were trash cans in the room.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex First Floor trash by desk
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex First Floor boiler
There was instant Nescafé coffee and Dilmah tea on offer for free, as well as three apples.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex First Floor cups and tea
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex First Floor desk
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex First Floor desk-side universal power ports
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex First Floor desk side
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex First Floor
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex First Floor looking up
The room featured a balcony with two sofa chairs facing Hengqin Bay and part of the resort. It was the best view I’d had from a hotel this year (well, technically, last year), and nothing beats watching turtles from your hotel balcony! Sadly, the weather didn’t cooperate, and we were only out there for a short period of time.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex First Floor Balcony
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex First Floor Balcony View
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex First Floor Balcony View
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex First Floor Balcony View
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex First Floor Balcony View
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex First Floor Balcony View Dolphins and Turtle
The entryway also featured the stairs up to the “balcony” on the second floor.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex Stairs to Second Floor
The second floor’s beds were tiny. I mean, either they were designed for kids from age 3-7, or they cut the mattresses into fours since the hotel was too big. But seriously, my feet stuck out of the covers, and I’m 5’2″. Fortunately, the beds were really soft and what they had of the bed was really comfortable.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex Second Floor
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex Second Floor Bed
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex Second Floor
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex Second Floor Cupboard
The bathroom, located on the first floor, featured a sink, toilet and shower/tub combo.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex Bathroom Toilet
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex Bathroom
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex Bathroom Tub
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex Bathroom Sink
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex Bathroom Painting
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex Bathroom Shower
The shower featured both a shower head and a rainforest shower, which I appreciate.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex Bathroom Shower
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex Bathroom Rainforest Shower
The room featured Pharmacopia amenities, which, in my opinion, are slightly “bleh”, but acceptable.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex Amenities
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex Amenities
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Family Duplex Amenities
Overall, I thought that the room was substantially furnished, and didn’t look bad, though was definitely a couple of years past its prime.
Meanwhile, our friends had Family Rooms, which are basically rooms with a king size bed and a bunk bed next to it. Those don’t get club access, but at least the mattress isn’t as short, so as long as I’m on the bottom, we should be able to book the room next time.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Family Room
The office in their room was a little small.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Family Room
At least they had a sofa. If I get too big for the bunk, this would have been a considerable option.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Family Room sofa
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Family Room
I wouldn’t have a preference for the Family Room, but it’s nearly thrice as cheap, so I’d go for it next time.
The hotel’s club lounge was located on the same floor we were staying, the 18th floor, though it was quite a haul from the rooms to the lounge.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Elite
The lounge was huge, but we were always the only ones there. The hotel serves the best of both worlds by giving club guests restaurant breakfast, which probably explains why the lounge was consistently empty. It was huge, though, and featured multiple seating areas, a conference room and a few drinks. We never had a chance to check out the spread as the lounge was closed for an event on the night we were there, but we did hang out a bit (and my mom and dad had some wine in the lounge).
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Elite
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Elite
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Elite Drinks
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Elite
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Elite
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Elite
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Elite
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Club Elite
Service at the lounge wasn’t spectacular, but it was very good and the staff were attentive in getting us drinks. It’s a shame that was the only part of the resort that that was true.
WiFi at the hotel was okay. In the rooms, the WiFi was much better on the first floor than the second floor, but fine, the second floor is meant for children, so I’m fine with that. Unfortunately, unlike the Hyatt on the Bund, the hotel does block Google, Facebook and Instagram (and Grindr, but I’m not the youngest writer on the blog, so), so take note of that.
I had a chance to check out the breakfast spread. Breakfast is served in both Coral All Day Dining and Amazon Jungle Restaurant, and we visited the latter.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Amazon Jungle Restaurant Decorative Coral Reef
The spread was amazing in both quantity and quality, and definitely ranks as the best breakfast spread I’ve had in 2014. It spanned three “sections” of the restaurant. Unfortunately there wasn’t ice cream or pizza, but as far as “real” breakfast food goes, it fired on all cylinders.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Amazon Jungle Restaurant Breakfast Spread
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Amazon Jungle Restaurant Breakfast Spread
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Amazon Jungle Restaurant Breakfast Spread
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Amazon Jungle Restaurant Breakfast Spread
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Amazon Jungle Restaurant Breakfast Spread
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Amazon Jungle Restaurant Breakfast Spread
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Amazon Jungle Restaurant Breakfast Spread
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Amazon Jungle Restaurant Breakfast Spread
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Amazon Jungle Restaurant Breakfast Spread
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Amazon Jungle Restaurant Breakfast Spread
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Amazon Jungle Restaurant Breakfast Spread
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Amazon Jungle Restaurant Breakfast Spread
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Amazon Jungle Restaurant Breakfast Spread
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Amazon Jungle Restaurant Breakfast Spread
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Amazon Jungle Restaurant Breakfast Spread
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Amazon Jungle Restaurant Breakfast Spread
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Amazon Jungle Restaurant Breakfast Spread
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Amazon Jungle Restaurant Breakfast Spread
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Amazon Jungle Restaurant Breakfast Spread
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Amazon Jungle Restaurant Breakfast Spread
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Amazon Jungle Restaurant Breakfast Spread
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Amazon Jungle Restaurant Breakfast Spread
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Amazon Jungle Restaurant Breakfast Spread
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Amazon Jungle Restaurant Breakfast Spread
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Amazon Jungle Restaurant Breakfast Spread
Unfortunately the service was abysmal at the restaurant. I got some tea for myself, and asked a staff in Mandarin about where we could get milk. The conversation went like this:
Me: Ma’am, where can we get the milk?
Waitress: The sugar is on your table.
Me: Yes, I know, but is there a place where you can get milk?
Waitress: (repeats) The sugar is on your table. (points to table)
Me: Where’s the milk?
Waitress: (agitated, turns to chef) Tell the boy that the sugar is on his table.
Me: (to chef) Where can you get milk?
Chef: Milk? I don’t know. Should be there somewhere. (points to the other side of the room)
I wouldn’t have found this acceptable at the Motel 168 Shanghai.
Yes, I got my own milk in the end, but am I off base, or was the waitress stupid?
Chimelong is a company that currently has two resorts in China, and they’re known for their aquariums, theme parks and circuses. On the day we arrived, we visited the theme park (we had a two day ticket as part of our package). The shuttle to Ocean Kingdom is free and often really crowded, but overall considering the much longer walk, we took it every time.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent “Ocean Kingdom” attractions
The circus itself was attractive, but I was pretty concerned about the animals’ lives being wasted for our pure entertainment.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent Circus Walkway
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent Circus Walkway
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent Circus Walkway
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent Circus Walkway Sign
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent Circus
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent Circus
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent Circus
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent Circus
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent Circus
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent Circus
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent Circus
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent Circus
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent Circus
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Adjacent Circus
On the day we arrived we visited the Chinese restaurant, and we visited Mizu (the hotel’s Japanese restaurant) a few times. I forgot to take pictures for both restaurants, but I have one of the former.
Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay Resort Fishman Village Restaurant
Service at the hotel, sadly, was like the service at the breakfast restaurant. No one seemed to give a damn about us, and while they weren’t actively rude, their indifference brought down my overall thoughts of the hotel.
The hotel also has shuttles to the Macao border, and from there we took a shuttle from the border to the Sheraton.
Bottom line on Chimelong Hotel Hengqin Bay
Overall, the hotel was a nice place to spend a night, and I’d spend an extra night here if I had the time. Sure, the service was subpar, but overall the “hard” product of the hotel was pretty awesome. Especially for a new hotel, some finishes were slightly past their prime, but I do like the hotel.