Baiyin's BEST Hotel? Fairfield Marriott Downtown Review!
Okay, buckle up, buttercups! Because this isn't your typical stiff-upper-lip hotel review. This is a Baiyin's BEST Hotel? Fairfield Marriott Downtown Review! and I'm about to spill the beans, the spilled coffee, and maybe a little bit of my own existential angst. Let's do this…
GETTING THERE & GROUND ZERO: ACCESSIBILITY and a First Impression
Alright, first things first: Accessibility. This is HUGE for a lot of us, and frankly, it's a dealbreaker if it's not done right. The Fairfield Marriott Downtown Baiyin seems to have its act together here. I'm talking elevators (thank GOD!), ramps, and a general air of “we tried.” Now, I'm not in a wheelchair, so I can't fully assess every aspect of wheelchair accessibility, but the initial vibes were encouraging. CCTV in common areas and CCTV outside the property made me feel a little safer, especially since I was travelling solo. That’s a definite win in my book.
- Accessibility: I think it's mostly there, and it's much better done than in many places, but double-check if complete accessibility is a must.
INITIAL IMPRESSIONS: The exterior of the hotel is a bit… well, imposing. It looks like a giant, well-appointed brick of… something. But the lobby? Pretty good. It’s clean, well-lit, and the Front desk [24-hour] is always a plus. Plus, the Doorman was friendly, which after a long flight, is a GODSEND.
ROOMS: The Good, the Meh, and the “Where’s My Blackout Curtain?”
Okay, let's get into the nitty-gritty of the room. Remember, I'm not going to pull any punches.
- Available in all rooms: Air conditioning, Alarm clock, Bathrobes (fancy!), Bathroom phone (I mean, who uses this?!), Bathtub (YES!), Blackout curtains (Hallelujah!), Carpeting, Closet, Coffee/tea maker, 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, Wake-up service, Wi-Fi [free], and Window that opens. I'm trying to remember what the "things to do" were -- I think I just did all work.
My room was… decent. The Air conditioning worked (essential in what I imagine is hot weather), there were Blackout curtains (thank you, sweet baby Jesus!), and the bed was pretty comfy. The extra-long bed was fantastic. However, the walls had a certain… echo-y-ness about them. Maybe it’s my imagination. But you could hear everything in the hallway.
The Internet Access – Wireless (aka Wi-Fi [free]) was, thankfully, reliable. And the Free bottled water was a godsend. Plus, the Coffee/tea maker was a nice touch. The Refrigerator was useful for storing my late-night snacks (must-haves, people!).
- My personal tip: If you're a light sleeper like myself, definitely request a room away from the elevator. And maybe bring earplugs, just in case.
HYGIENE AND SAFETY: Pandemic Era, or No Pandemic Era, Matters
- Cleanliness and safety: Anti-viral cleaning products, Breakfast in room, Breakfast takeaway service, Cashless payment service, Daily disinfection in common areas, Doctor/nurse on call, First aid kit, Hand sanitizer, Hot water linen and laundry washing, Hygiene certification, Individually-wrapped food options, Physical distancing of at least 1 meter, Professional-grade sanitizing services, Room sanitization opt-out available, Rooms sanitized between stays, Safe dining setup, Sanitized kitchen and tableware items, Shared stationery removed, Staff trained in safety protocol, Sterilizing equipment.
Alright, let's talk about the elephant in the room: the whole COVID-19 thing. I’m a worrier, let's be honest. But I was pleasantly surprised by the measures taken. Hand sanitizer stations were everywhere, staff trained in safety protocol, and I was happy to see Daily disinfection in common areas. The individually-wrapped food options were a good idea, too. I even caught them doing a deep clean of the rooms after guests leave. Good stuff. Room sanitization opt-out available is a good option, too. Cashless payment service, too.
DINING, DRINKING, AND SNACKING: Fuel For The Soul (and the Belly)
- Dining, drinking, and snacking: A la carte in restaurant, Alternative meal arrangement, Asian breakfast, Asian cuisine in restaurant, Bar, Bottle of water, Breakfast [buffet], Breakfast service, Buffet in restaurant, Coffee/tea in restaurant, Coffee shop, Desserts in restaurant, Happy hour, International cuisine in restaurant, Poolside bar, Restaurants, Room service [24-hour], Salad in restaurant, Snack bar, Soup in restaurant, Vegetarian restaurant, Western breakfast, Western cuisine in restaurant.
Okay, I'm a foodie. No bones about it. So, let's talk about chow.
- Breakfast [buffet]: This was, let's say, standard. I actually enjoyed it, even though it was nothing I'd write home about. I'm not a buffet guy, so maybe I'm not being fair. They had Western Breakfast and Asian breakfast, so there was a good mix.
- Room service [24-hour]: The real hero here. After a long day of…business, the convenience of ordering food to your room is a game changer. The salad in restaurant was good, the desserts in restaurant were forgettable.
- Bar: I didn’t hit it up.
- Restaurants: Pretty basic, but do the job. The Coffee shop was decent but not amazing.
THINGS TO DO & WAYS TO RELAX:
- Things to do: Fitness center, Gym/fitness, Pool with view, Swimming pool, Swimming pool [outdoor], Spa, Spa/sauna.
Listen, I’m not a spa-goer. I like to do things, work, and sleep . But I did check out the Fitness center (aka Gym/fitness.) It was perfectly fine. The Swimming pool (outdoor), was closed. (I was there when it wasn't the swimming season.)
SERVICES AND CONVENIENCES: The Little Things That Matter
Services and conveniences: Air conditioning in public area, Audio-visual equipment for special events, Business facilities, Cash withdrawal, Concierge, Contactless check-in/out, Convenience store, Currency exchange, Daily housekeeping, Doorman, Dry cleaning, Elevator, Essential condiments, Facilities for disabled guests, Food delivery, Gift/souvenir shop, Indoor venue for special events, Invoice provided, Ironing service, Laundry service, Luggage storage, Meeting/banquet facilities, Meetings, Meeting stationery, On-site event hosting, Outdoor venue for special events, Projector/LED display, Safety deposit boxes, Seminars, Shrine, Smoking area, Terrace, Wi-Fi for special events, Xerox/fax in business center,
Daily housekeeping: Great. Always nice to come back to a made bed and clean room.
Luggage storage: Convenient.
Concierge: helpful for answering some basic questions.
Contactless check-in/out: Awesome in the current climate.
Cash withdrawal: Good to know it's there.
Laundry service, dry cleaning, ironing service - I did not use.
Elevator: essential!
Other - Didn't use many others.
Overall, the services were decent. Nothing mind-blowing, but nothing to complain about either.
FOR THE KIDS
- For the kids: Babysitting service, Family/child friendly, Kids facilities, Kids meal.
I did not observe the kids' amenities - so I cannot comment.
GETTING AROUND
Getting around: Airport transfer, Bicycle parking, Car park [free of charge], Car park [on-site], Car power charging station, Taxi service, Valet parking.
Car park [on-site], Car park [free of charge]: good for parking.
Airport transfer, Taxi service: these are the things you require.
THE VERDICT:
Would I stay here again? Honestly? Yeah, probably. It's not the BEST hotel I've ever stayed in, but it's perfectly acceptable for the price and for what is available. It's clean, generally
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Alright, buckle up, buttercups, because this isn't your sterile, perfectly-planned itinerary. This is my Baiyin, China, trip… or, well, the attempt at one. We're talking the Fairfield by Marriott in Downtown Baiyin, folks, so expectations, as they say, should be… tempered. Let's dive in, shall we?
Day 1: Arrival & the Great "Lost in Translation" Noodle Hunt
Morning (aka: What Time Zone Am I In Again?): Landed in Lanzhou. Travelled to Baiyin by the high rail way. The bus station was something out of a dystopian movie, the ride to the hotel was… let's just say, an experience. (Think bumpy roads, questionable music, and the unshakeable feeling someone's judging my backpack.) Finally, the Fairfield. It IS what you expect, a beige box of predictable comfort. The AC worked. That's a win. Jetlag? Oh, yeah. Already feeling like a zombie.
Afternoon: The Noodle Quest Begins! The hunger hits, and it’s not a polite little nibble. This is a real gnawing, stomach-grumbling beast. Armed with Google Translate (bless its digitally translating heart), I venture out. The goal: authentic Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles. Easy, right? WRONG. The first three places… well, let's just say my Mandarin is… nonexistent. Pointing, gesturing, and a lot of confused eyebrow-wiggling later, I land in a tiny, smoke-filled stall. The aroma…divine. The noodles: AMAZING. The price: ridiculously cheap! I swear, I devoured them in about three seconds flat. My first authentic Chinese meal, and I think I’m addicted.
Evening: Hotel Room Shenanigans and Doubt: Back at the Fairfield, the Wi-Fi is… spotty. Of course. Spent an hour wrestling with it, muttering obscenities under my breath. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I got it up and running, just in time to stream a terrible B-movie. Doubt started creeping in. “Did I make the right choice coming here? Will I be able to handle the language barrier? Is there more to Baiyin than just… well, buildings?” Trying to keep a positive attitude.
Day 2: Silver Mountain, Scams, and Spicy Regret
Morning: The Silver Mountain Adventure (or, The Most Dramatic Climb of My Life): So, there's this "Silver Mountain" nearby. Sounds romantic, right? Pictures promised panoramic views. The reality… a steep, relentless uphill hike. I swear, I could feel my lungs screaming. The views were pretty spectacular, though. Worth the pain! I took a few pictures. I really wanted to take more but I was more exhausted than usual.
Afternoon: The Great Tea Shop Scam (and My Lack of Street Smarts): Wandering around the local markets. This is where the "lost in translation" situation goes from charming to potentially dangerous. A super-friendly tea shop owner (who spoke perfect English, suspiciously) convinced me to try some incredibly expensive tea. I, being the gullible tourist I am, bought a small package. Later, I realized it probably cost more than my plane ticket. Ah well, lesson learned. Eat noodles, not tea.
Evening (aka, Spicy Food Hell): Tonight, I was feeling adventurous. I, foolishly, decided to try some local, super-spicy food. Now, I like spicy. But this? This was a fiery inferno on my taste buds. I powered through for a few bites, then gave up. My mouth felt like it was on fire, and I could barely breathe. I’m still not sure what I ate, but everything felt like a mistake.
Day 3: Temples, Reflections, and the Quest for Normalcy
Morning: The Temple of… Something (Seriously, I Forgot the Name): There's this temple! I went to visit it. It was serene and full of culture, but the heat was intense! I probably had too much sun! It made me feel a connection with the local culture. I am constantly amazed that it is still in place!
Afternoon: A Walk, A Think: I did a simple walk through some local areas. I thought about my career and my life. The experience brought me back to a lot of memories I had. I was in a contemplative mood.
Evening: Goodbye Noodles, Hello… More Noodles: I wanted one thing on my last night, and that was noodles! I finally found a place that actually felt like home. The food was delicious, and the owners actually laughed at my attempts to speak Mandarin. It was the perfect ending to the trip.
Final Thoughts (and Post-Trip Reflections):
Baiyin isn’t Paris. It’s not even Beijing. But it's a place with its own unique charm, and a few good noodle shops. The language barrier can be frustrating, the heat can be brutal, and you will get scammed. But the food is incredible, the people are (mostly) kind, and the experience… unforgettable. Would I go back? Probably. Maybe with a better grasp of Mandarin and a slightly stronger stomach. Definitely with a LOT more mosquito repellent!
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Fairfield by Marriott Baiyin: The Good, The Bad, and the Surprisingly... Baiyiny? (Our Honest AF Review)
So, Baiyin? Seriously? Why'd you even *choose* this hotel?
Alright, honesty time. Baiyin wasn't exactly on my bucket list. Let's just say it was a *necessary* evil. Work trip, you know? And the Fairfield Marriott? It was the most... prominent option. Let's be real, in Baiyin you're not exactly spoiled for choice. So, it was a case of "this or sleeping in a roadside ditch." Guess which one won?
First Impressions: What's the lobby vibe like? Shiny and corporate? Or...Baiyin-y?
Okay, the lobby… It *tried*. Clean, modern-ish. Think slightly faded attempts at minimalist chic. It had that generic hotel feel, the kind that screams "We've seen this design in a thousand cities, and we're hoping you don't notice." But the real *Baiyin-y* vibes? They subtly seeped in. The staff, for example. Bless their hearts, they were genuinely *trying*. But imagine a well-meaning puppy learning Mandarin and you're close to understanding the communication level. (More on that later). Also, the scent... a combination of air freshener and... something else, vaguely industrial. A defining characteristic of a Baiyin experience! Don’t expect a Four Seasons level of aromatherapy, let's just say that.
The Room: Clean sheets? Or a questionable mystery? And the view?!
Alright, the room itself was... acceptable. Clean sheets? Check. Air conditioning that *kinda* worked? Check. The view? Oh, the view. You're not coming to this hotel for the vistas, let's put it that way. My view was of… well, a concrete landscape. Other buildings, mostly. And a hazy sky, because, you know, Baiyin. Don't expect inspiring panoramas, people. Manage your expectations. But! The bed was actually decent. Surprisingly comfortable. I managed to get some sleep, which, in the grand scheme of Baiyin adventures, is a win. The bathroom, on the other hand... The water pressure was… erratic. One minute a gentle stream, the next, you'd be blasted into next week. Fun times.
Let's talk Wi-Fi. Crucial for work trips. Was it a digital black hole?
The Wi-Fi… Ugh. It's a tale of two cities. Or rather, two Wi-Fi connections, and neither was particularly speedy. It wasn't a *complete* digital black hole, but let's just say uploading large files felt like watching paint dry. Think dial-up speeds in the age of fiber optics. You'll be staring at loading screens until your eyeballs turn square. Seriously, prepare for some serious patience. One night, I nearly chucked my laptop out the window in frustration. (But I didn't, because, again, concrete landscape and all that). Pro tip: bring a good book. Or a LOT of offline content. You've been warned.
Breakfast: The most important meal, or a lukewarm disappointment factory?
Breakfast! Now, this is where things get… interesting. It was the standard hotel buffet. Scrambled eggs that may or may not have been made with actual eggs, a selection of cold cuts that looked, let's be polite, tired, and some "mystery" pastries. BUT. There was a noodle station. And the noodle station? Actually, pretty good. Freshly cooked noodles in a savory broth. Saved the day, honestly. I became a regular at that noodle station. Basically, I ate noodles for a week straight. Worth it. Beyond the noodles, the selection was a bit… limited. But hey, noodles.
The Staff: Friendly, or lost in translation?
Oh, the staff. Honestly, they were lovely. Endearingly so. They were trying their absolute best. English wasn't their strong suit. Gestures, a lot of pointing, and the occasional app translation helped. There was one woman at the front desk, bless her heart, who seemed to understand my every whimper for a decent cup of coffee. She always had a smile and genuinely tried to help everyone. It’s the awkward charm that makes you appreciate it all the more. Their efforts were the high point of the entire stay.
Let's talk about Laundry Services - Did they lose your favorite shirt?!
Laundry.... Ah, laundry. I thought it was a simple enough thing. Drop off my shirt, get it cleaned. WRONG. This experience deserves its *own* paragraph. I handed in my favourite, slightly faded, *irreplaceable* t-shirt. I was assured it would be returned. Days passed. No shirt. I, in my limited Mandarin, made my way to the desk. Hours were spent in a frantic search, with a cacophony of pointing and a lot of "Wo bu zhi dao!" (I don't know!) Eventually, someone found it. Hidden... somewhere. It returned, battered and bruised, but... it was *returned*. And honestly, I wouldn't have traded the heart attack I got for anything! A memory for life!
The Location: Convenient? Or a bit… isolated? Things to do?
Location, location, location. Welllll... The Fairfield is in… Baiyin. Which is… a city in China. It's centrally located *within* Baiyin, but that's not saying much. There aren't exactly a ton of tourist attractions in Baiyin. I spent most of my evenings wandering aimlessly, trying to find a decent cup of coffee (mission: impossible). There are a few shops and restaurants nearby. But let's be honest, if you are here, you are probably for work, so you'll be just fine.
Would you go back? (Be. Honest.)
Look, if I HAD to go back to Baiyin for another work trip? Yeah, I'd probably stay there again. Because the alternative is… well, let's not go there. Despite the Wi-Fi woes, the somewhat bland surroundings, and the general *Baiyin-ness* of the experience, it's not a *terrible* hotel. It's clean-ish, the bed is comfy, and the staff are wonderful. Just temper your expectations, pack your patience, and maybeWhere To Stay Now
