Review: Le Meridien Xiamen

Nice looking property. Are you really supposed to just walk on loose stones on a balcony? That doesn't seem right.

Hahahaha... "We also decided to get a massage at the hotel. No comment." Talk about burying the lede 🙂

@Lucky LOL I am assuming the "no comment" on massage is the same reason security is so tight at the elevators from restricting "outside strangers" looking for funny business with hotel guests?

Ben you should do a post on how easy/hard it is to use Didi as a Westerner with Western credit cards? I hear service quality has declined since the great Uber war ended.

@stvr: Are you psychic? I wrote a post on that -- look for it to be published here very soon. 🙂

Ben, did you request a late checkout? Saw they said it was subject to availability when it should be guaranteed for you.

Well, now we know which property was the site of the "declined supplemental transaction" (which was an excellently hilarious piece of writing by Andrew, btw) and now that I know it was in Xiaman, I can't say I am surprised, as it is known for it's Internat'l manufacturing and trade, therefore also for it's rather randy visitors.

@Andrew — awesome! really loving all your contributions to the site. Excited to hear about all your future adventures.

Outstanding value hotel! That breakfast spread looks fabulous. Great review.

So, you don't eat pork but you eat something made with lard, which is pork fat?

My wife is from Xiamen and I visit the city a lot. While the hotel itself is nice, the location is terrible as it is up on the hill with nothing within walking distance to eat or shop. While it is true that you can get to the main shopping and eating areas quickly with a taxi, the problem is getting that ride. It is very hard to find taxi at certain points of the day in Xiamen (for example when changing shift, which happens to be around rush hour or when it is raining). It is even harder at the hotel since it is not on the main routes. There is also no access to public transportation either. Westin is in a much better location, though traffic is kind of bad around it also. The Sheraton is in a good location, but the hotel is kind of rundown nowadays and next to a stinky creek (maybe it is fixed now). There are some interesting hotels near the coast if one just want to relax and visit the tourist sites.

what the hell is this hotel's decor?

looks like a confused 50 year old french woman going through mid life crisis puked all over it

Was just there - the hotel apparently knew you were coming and knew you were a popular blogger - definitely didn't get the same kind of treatment as you when I stayed and I agree that guard by the elevators is really annoying.

Did you guys sleep in the same bed?

LeMeridien serves Illy coffee at their bars, that is why it is better. There is a voucher in the room to get one free coffee per day.