5-Star Hotels in Qingdao

Overall, it was absolutely amazing, I thoroughly enjoyed my stay. First, let's talk about the location. It's not right by Golden Beach Bathing Beach, but it is considered part of Golden Beach. It takes about a 10-minute walk to get to the bathing beach. However, I think there's no need to go that far. Just a few steps out the back door of the lobby bar, and you're directly on a very fine and clean sandy beach (compared to the crowded Golden Beach Bathing Beach with inconsistent sand quality, I think the beach behind the hotel is much better, though it's not suitable for swimming). Of course, if you want to take public transport, I haven't tried it, but I guess most people drive to resort hotels, right? Or take a taxi. However, there are no hotel-owned charging stations. Next, the room. I booked the 'Embrace the Sea Dream' King Bed room, which offers a partial sea view, quite partial indeed. The hotel's description wasn't very clear on this. All the facilities in the room were fine, and everything you could need was provided, such as disposable bath bags, bath balls, pour-over coffee, a temperature-controlled kettle, etc. You could even request bed rails. Honestly, I never felt like I was missing anything during my stay. As for food, I found the hotel's buffet breakfast to be very rich and tasty... You can even find several breads from 'Fermentation Master' in the bread section. There's also a Mexican taco stand with a really authentic sauce; it felt like Taco Bell couldn't even compare. There were various steamed grains available for children, and what was surprising was that the toddler cutlery was exactly the same as what we use at home (a full set from Shixi). And the most important thing!!! Unlimited craft beer at the hotel! It was authentic Qingdao 1903 Time Craft Beer, about 26 yuan a glass! 🤔 You can get it from the front desk, with two rotating flavors. I went in and out and must have had nearly 30 glasses, it was awesome! Since I don't drink much alcohol, I prefer sweet drinks. I recommend the strawberry grapefruit and grapefruit white tea. The hotel also has a craft beer restaurant (with proper brewing equipment) and a bakery (Fermentation Master). You can have dinner at the craft beer restaurant; the second floor is Chinese, and the first floor is German. The food was decent, and the prices were reasonable. Hotel guests get a 21% discount, and the hotel also provides two craft beer vouchers. Remember to bring them when you go for dinner, so you don't have to buy drinks. Staying guests can buy packaged craft beer at the hotel, about 80-90 yuan for a large bottle, and get the second one half price. However, they don't cover shipping if you want to mail it, so calculate if it's worth it. There's also a pool bar, an infinity pool, and a rooftop bar, but they're not very big. They seemed good for photos. I went during the off-season, so I pretty much had the place to myself. Overall, going during the off-season, I think the experience was excellent. The price and what you get are pretty much aligned. Recommended for those who love beer; it's truly all-you-can-drink for guests! Here are my suggestions for the hotel: 🤔 Since it's close to the sea, although paid foot-washing might be common in Qingdao, I still hope the hotel adds foot-rinsing facilities along the path from the beach to the hotel. It's quite difficult to keep the hotel clean when bringing in sand. Also, as a resort hotel, it felt like there weren't many activities. Perhaps consider organizing some activities for guests to enrich the resort experience (though this might also be because I went during the off-season).

It's a modern replica of an ancient town, I guess. The room layout is pretty standard. The hallway from the front desk to the rooms is really dark, day and night. It's a bit spooky walking alone at night – couldn't they make the hallway lights brighter? Plus, there's not much to do nearby. The 'ancient town' is practically deserted during the day, and it doesn't get much livelier at night either. ╭(╯ε╰)╮

Facilities: The hotel is new and the facilities are excellent. Cleanliness: The hygiene was good. Environment: The environment is beautiful and relatively quiet. Service: The front desk service was great, but the breakfast was a bit simple with limited variety. Welcome fruit: Yes Complimentary late-night snack: Yes, and the butler proactively reminded me, which was a nice touch. Minibar: Yes, with beer, coke, and mineral water.

The room faced the sea with a fantastic view, and the soundproofing was excellent, ensuring a good night's sleep. 👍 I was traveling with my mother and child, and the hotel upgraded our room type, which was very much appreciated! The hotel's dinner buffet offered great value for money! The seafood was fresh and there was a wide variety, so much so that we ate dinner at the hotel's buffet for 3 consecutive nights. It was so convenient not having to stress about finding a restaurant. The hotel's backyard connects to a seaside promenade, perfect for walking or cycling. Along the way, we saw many people fishing, catching huge mantis shrimp and blue crabs. It was wonderful to enjoy fresh seafood right by the ocean!

The hotel is located right on Starlight Island, facing the sea. We booked an executive sea view room, and the view was fantastic, offering a panoramic ocean vista. The front desk staff were very welcoming and even gave us tickets to the children's splash pool. However, our child was more interested in foraging on the beach, which is just across the bridge. We had a great time there, and it was our child's first time finding shellfish and mudskippers – they were so happy! The only downside is that it's an older hotel, so the facilities are a bit dated. The executive room didn't have a standard bathtub, and the TV was a bit small and didn't support screen casting. On the positive side, the hotel staff provided excellent service and were very enthusiastic, especially the bellhops. They patiently recommended nearby transportation and dining options and even proactively helped our child inflate their swim ring. The only thing we were dissatisfied with was breakfast. Perhaps because it's a resort hotel, there were many diners, and the management was a bit chaotic. Even though it was clear the dining area was full, they kept letting people in, leading to everyone scrambling for seats. It was a very poor experience. The breakfast selection was just average and didn't meet Crowne Plaza standards. I hope they can improve this.

Jenny at the guest services center provided excellent service, making for a great overall experience. The room was spacious and clean, with good soundproofing, stable Wi-Fi, and complete facilities. The hotel offers direct access to the high-speed rail and terminal via a comprehensive transportation hub, making travel very convenient. The room size was quite generous.

The room was great, with brand new facilities. The staff were very polite and checked me in quickly, which I really appreciated. I particularly loved the amazing air quality around the hotel, full of negative ions, and I could smell the fresh scent of trees. It truly felt like a retreat from the city's hustle and bustle. Just over 100 meters to the east is Baiguoshan Forest Park, and about 80 meters away is Qingyayuan, a fantastic place for wood-fired chicken soup.

Just checked out of the Crowne Plaza Qingdao Ocean Spring Resort, and this 3-day, 2-night 'lie-flat' vacation was truly therapeutic. We didn't have to rush to any attractions, making it perfect for families with kids or those looking for a quiet escape. The hotel has a European castle style, and the high-ceilinged lobby with a crystal chandelier immediately sets a holiday mood upon entry. We were lucky enough to get a complimentary upgrade to a sea-view room. The room itself was generously sized, but the real highlight was the large balcony. Stepping out, you're greeted by an unobstructed view of Aoshan Bay. We enjoyed watching the sunrise from bed in the morning and the sunset over the sea in the evening – simply an amazing view. While some areas of the facilities showed a bit of age, the overall cleanliness and tidiness were quite good. Downstairs, there's a beach where you can wade in the water or dig in the sand – the kids absolutely loved it. There's also an outdoor children's swimming pool, and hotel guests have unlimited access. Next to it, there's a small petting zoo, where feeding the animals easily fills up a whole day.

This rating isn't compared to ordinary hotels costing a few hundred yuan, but rather against the standard of a five-star hotel, costing over 1600 yuan per night. Pros: There's an outdoor pool and an indoor pool. The indoor pool has one large pool and two smaller ones, one of which has slightly warmer water, perfect for those sensitive to cold. The room is spacious enough and includes a bathtub. Great for kids to play in the water. Cons: 1. Late check-in, 12 PM check-out, 3 PM check-in. So, are we supposed to wander around for three hours? I arrived at the hotel at 2 PM, but still couldn't check in, and had to wait until past 3 PM. The hotel claimed it was fully booked and the staff couldn't keep up with cleaning. Isn't that the hotel's problem then? It's peak season, but I paid full price, even double, for this kind of service? There were others sitting in the lobby for over two hours, unable to check in, having to wait until after 3 PM! 2. Dirty. The staff clearly didn't clean properly. There was at least a month's worth of dust accumulated behind the door. 3. The outdoor pool is small and has no trees nearby, so it's very sunny. The outdoor pool is also open to the public, meaning guests from the nearby Qingdao Impression Hotel and homestays can use this hotel's outdoor pool, albeit for a fee. This makes the already small pool crowded. They also rent out swim rings and kickboards. Even hotel guests have to rent swim rings for 20 yuan per use. 4. For such a large five-star hotel, the facilities are dilapidated. The pool steps and bottom have many broken tiles, which could easily cut your feet if you're barefoot. And they charge for this! 5. Breakfast queue. Breakfast is until 10 AM. I went after 9 AM and encountered such a long queue, and it was hard to find a seat. The queue was mainly because staff were registering people at the entrance. 6. For a hotel costing almost 1700 yuan a night, there's no laundry room! It's worse than chain hotels costing four or five hundred. You can't wash your clothes; you either handwash them yourself or pay the staff for laundry service.

This hotel is located in Huangdao District, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, making it perfect for guests who prefer a quieter environment without large crowds. The indoor pool is spacious and well-lit, with depths ranging from 0.8 to 1.3 meters, which is great for families and those learning to swim. The beach is a mere 3-minute walk away. It's a public beach, not a private one, so swimming isn't recommended. However, it's fantastic for clam digging, playing in the sand, and wading in the water in the mornings and evenings. It offers a more private beach experience compared to the crowded public swimming beaches, making it an ideal compromise. There are also water sports facilities operated by third parties on the beach, offering additional options. The hotel features a resident band performance in the evenings, which can be enjoyed directly from the outdoor terrace dining area. I recommend booking a room with a terrace so you can dine and drink while listening to the music. Alternatively, a sea-view room with a balcony also offers a good view. The hotel also has an outdoor mini zoo with cute animals like miniature horses, which is a fun attraction for both adults and children. The breakfast is decent, meeting the standard for a five-star hotel. This room type offers excellent value for money, so remember to book in advance during peak season. By the way, a little heads-up: Qingdao is under a fishing ban throughout July and August, so there's no such thing as ”freshly caught seafood” during this time. Most seafood is frozen or imported from other regions. Friends, be wary of false advertising from some seafood stalls.