Jiuquan Getaway: Hanting Hotel Near Changxing Electric Market!
Jiuquan Getaway: Hanting Hotel Near Changxing Electric Market! - A Very Real Review
Okay, buckle up buttercups, because I'm about to unleash a brutally honest, slightly chaotic review of the Hanting Hotel near Changxing Electric Market in Jiuquan. "Jiuquan," you ask? Yeah, I didn't know where it was either before I ended up there. But hey, adventure! And hotels, you know? Always a gamble.
First Impressions & the Accessibility Abyss:
Finding the place was the first adventure. Navigating the city – which, let’s be honest, felt like a giant, dusty maze – was a feat in itself. So, accessibility? Let's just say it wasn't top of their priority list. The entrance seemed sort of ramped, but I swear, a toddler could have built a better one. Honestly? Navigating a wheelchair through that lobby would have been a nightmare. So, yeah, unfortunately not very accessible, though that’s pretty standard in a lot of places.
Score: 2/10 (for trying, maybe?)
Inside the Fortress of Comfort (Or Lack Thereof):
The room? Ah, the room. Clean-ish. Look, I’ve seen worse. Much, much worse. Think… functional, but with a distinct lack of personality. The bed was… a bed. Not a cloud bed, not a sleep-on-a-marshmallow bed. Just a bed. But crucially, it was a long bed, which I appreciate, as an extra-leggy human.
Available in all rooms: Ok, so almost everything was, but not everything worked or was easy to use.
- Air conditioning: Worked fine, thankfully. Jiuquan gets hot.
- Alarm clock: Present. Unused. Silent.
- Bathrobes: Nope. Not happening.
- Bathroom phone: Seriously? Who uses these?
- Bathtub: Yep, a sad little one. I’m not a bath person, so meh.
- Blackout curtains: Life savers! Essential for surviving jet lag.
- Carpeting: Fine, I guess. Clean-ish.
- Closet: Adequate, if you're not a fashion hoarder.
- Coffee/tea maker: Yes! With… generic tea bags.
- Complimentary tea: Yep, see above.
- Daily housekeeping: Consistent. They tried. The dust bunnies were less persistent than in some places I've been.
- Desk: Fine. Functional.
- Extra long bed: A win! Give the hotel extra stars just for that.
- Free bottled water: Always appreciated!
- Hair dryer: Functional but weak. My hair suffered slightly.
- High floor: Meh. Didn't really notice.
- In-room safe box: Yep. Meh.
- Internet access – LAN: Nope.
- Internet access – wireless: Yep! Gloriously free!
- Ironing facilities: Yay! Essential for a person who totally knew what kind of business trip they were going on.
- Laptop workspace: Desk + chair = workspace.
- Linens: Clean. Basic.
- Mini bar: Empty. A missed opportunity.
- Mirror: Yes. Checked my face several times.
- Non-smoking: Mostly, until you smelled the stray cigarette smell from some distant room.
- On-demand movies: Nope. (Thank goodness for my phone!)
- Private bathroom: Yes, please!
- Reading light: Functional.
- Refrigerator: Tiny. But it kept my water…watery.
- Safety/security feature: Standard.
- Satellite/cable channels: Yep. Lost in translation, mostly.
- Scale: Nope. Thank goodness.
- Seating area: Minimal.
- Separate shower/bathtub: Yes. I preferred the shower.
- Shower: Functional. Water pressure, a little weak.
- Slippers: Not. A. Thing.
- Smoke detector: Present.
- Socket near the bed: Praise be!
- Sofa: Lol, nope.
- Soundproofing: Adequate. Didn’t hear too much chaos.
- Telephone: Still there.
- Toiletries: Basic. Bring your own!
- Towels: Clean. Slightly thin.
- Umbrella: No.
- Visual alarm: Probably not.
- Wake-up service: Never used, thankfully.
- Wi-Fi [free]: Yup!
- Window that opens: Yes, but opening it was… challenging. And the view? Let's just say it wasn't the Eiffel Tower.
Room Decor: Minimalist at best. Think beige on beige with a splash of… beige. I added some colour with my luggage.
Room Score: 6/10 (For basic functionality and a decent bed)
Fueling Up: Dining, Drinking & Snacking - A Food Odyssey:
- Restaurants: There’s an on-site restaurant. I ate there. It was… edible. I remember it being a buffet but not great. I’d recommend exploring the local area for actual flavor.
- Bar: I saw a bar area, but didn't see a bar, so I didn't try the on-site bar.
- Breakfast: There was a breakfast buffet that had Asian and Western options. I think I had a mix and I think I ate too much rice.
- Coffee/tea in restaurant, Coffee shop: Okay, I think there was coffee.
- Snack Bar: Probably not a snack bar.
- Poolside bar: Nope.
- Room service [24-hour]: Nope.
Food Score: 4/10 (Edible, but not memorable. Also, I had to find my own late-night supplies.)
The Health & Wellness Thing - Or, The Lack Thereof:
- Fitness center, Gym/fitness: Yeah, there was a tiny fitness room… probably. I didn't feel compelled to check it out.
- Steamroom, Spa/sauna: No.
- Swimming pool [outdoor]: No.
- Massage: No. I tried, but it was not a thing.
- Sauna, Spa: No.
Wellness Score: 1/10 (Zero if you can't count a room as a "Wellness" thing.)
The Nitty Gritty: Cleanliness & Safety - Trying to Stay Alive:
- Cleanliness and Safety:
- Anti-viral cleaning products: Probably.
- Hand sanitizer: Found it! Phew.
- Rooms sanitized between stays: Seemed like it.
- Staff trained in safety protocol: Probably.
- Daily disinfection in common areas: Maybe.
- First aid kit: Probably somewhere.
- Hot water linen and laundry washing: I hope so!
- Hygiene certification: I didn't see any.
- Physical distancing of at least 1 meter: Mostly adhered to.
- Safe dining setup: I didn't really see anything about that though.
- Sanitized kitchen and tableware items: I hope so.
- Sterilizing equipment: Okay, I didn't think of that but it's a good thing to have.
Safety Score: 7/10 (It felt safe, but I didn't see any official certifications. I'm still here, so…)
Beyond the Room: Services and Conveniences - The Helper Elves (Maybe):
- Services & Conveniences:
- Air conditioning in public area: Yep. Essential.
- Cash withdrawal: I saw something about this.
- Concierge: I saw someone at the front desk who may have been a concierge.
- Daily housekeeping, Dry cleaning, Laundry service, Luggage storage: All present.
- Elevator: Essential, actually!
- Facilities for disabled guests: See accessibility above.
- Front desk [24-hour]: Yes.
- Gift/souvenir shop: Didn’t see one.
- Invoice provided: Yep.
- Ironing service: Definitely there.
- Meeting/banquet facilities: I wouldn't have wanted to.
- Safety deposit boxes: Present.
- Car park [free of charge], Car park [on-site]: Present.
**Convenience Score: 7/10 (It covered the basics, but nothing extraordinary
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Okay, buckle up buttercup, because this isn't your grandma's clean-cut travel itinerary. This is the raw, unfiltered, ramen-fueled truth of Hanting Hotel Jiuquan, Changxing Electric Market, Jiuquan, China. Prepare for whiplash.
Day 1: Arrival and the Great Wall of Ramen
Time: 6:00 AM - Beijing Airport Hell
- Okay, so the flight was delayed. No, really, delayed. And by delayed, I mean, "Did they forget we were even supposed to fly?" I’m already sweating through my travel shirt, and I haven’t even left the airport. The guy next to me is eating something that smells suspiciously like… dried fish? shudders
- Anecdote: Remember that time I thought I was a packing pro? Silly me. Forgot my universal adapter. Panic sets in. Must find electricity. Must recharge.
Time: 3:00 PM - Jiuquan Arrival - Hanting Hotel! (FINALLY!)
- Finally, land in Jiuquan. The air feels…different. Cleaner? Maybe. Definitely not Beijing airport air. Taxi ride to the Hanting. It’s… well, it’s a Hanting. Clean enough, I think. The lady at the front desk speaks some English. Mostly nods. We manage. My room: small, utilitarian, and smelling faintly of something I can't quite place (probably soap, hopefully).
- Emotional Reaction: Relief. Pure, unadulterated relief.
- Imperfection: The air conditioning is a mystery. I think it's on… or maybe it’s just the fan. Nope, definitely just the fan.
Time: 5:00 PM - Ramen Quest:
- Okay, so I’m starving. Absolutely starving. First order of business: food. I saw a little noodle shop down the street from the hotel. Adventure time!
- I stumble through the ordering process. Pointing, miming, and the universal language of "hungry" (rubbing my stomach). Success! A steaming bowl of ramen appears. The broth. The noodles. The spice! It's a symphony in my mouth. Seriously, this ramen is so good, I might cry.
- Quirky Observation: The chopsticks are almost as long as my arm. I look like a toddler trying to eat with a giant spoon.
- Anecdote: I accidentally slurped so loudly, I think I startled a small dog. Oops.
Time: 7:00 PM - Jet Lag Bites Back.
- Attempting to stay awake. Watching bad Chinese TV. I'm pretty sure the plot involves a lot of yelling and some very dramatic hand gestures. Still, I give it a good try. This is hard work.
- Emotional Reaction: Desperately tired. It is time to crash.
Day 2: Changxing Electric Market - A Symphony of Wires and Wonder
Time: 9:00 AM - Breakfast (and a small act of revolution)
- The hotel breakfast is… well, it's there. Sort of. The porridge has a weird consistency and I am convinced it’s older than me. The instant coffee tastes like sadness. I’ll risk the stomach and stick with the ramen for the rest of the trip, I think.
- Opinionated Language: This breakfast is an insult to the concept of “breakfast.”
Time: 10:00 AM - Electric Shock! (In a Good Way): Changxing Electric Market!
- Let's go to the Changxing Electric Market! I’m no electronics expert, but the sheer scale of this place is mind-boggling. Rows upon rows of everything electronic you can imagine. Wires! Gadgets! Thingamajigs!
- Negotiating is an art form. I am not an artist of negotiation. But hey, I’m still trying to get the hang of it.
- Doubling Down on Experience: I got completely lost. Seriously, the maze of stalls is overwhelming. I accidentally stumbled into the back room of a speaker shop and almost walked into a guy wielding a soldering iron. He just stared, I did a very awkward bow and backed away slowly. It was a true sensory overload. I even got some random wires for my phone and some lightbulbs just in case.
- Messy Structure: I bought a cheap phone charger, a tiny whistle that plays a catchy jingle, and a bunch of what I think are LED lights. I have absolutely no idea where I'm going to put them.
Time: 1:00 PM - Lunch… and the Battle of the Chopsticks Continues.
- Tried another local restaurant. The food is… interesting. Spicy, yes. Unidentifiable? Also yes. I'm developing a new level of chopstick skill, but still managing to drop more food than I actually eat.
- Rambles: I keep thinking about that dog I startled yesterday. Is he okay? Should I go back to the noodle shop and apologize? No, no time. More adventures await!
Time: 3:00 PM - The Aftermath of Wires
- Still reeling from the sensory overload of the market. My brain is buzzing with information and the faint electrical hum of a thousand gadgets.
- I'm so glad I had this experience.
Time: 6:00 PM - Rest and Reflection
- Back at the Hanting. Shower. Sleep. Repeat.
- Contemplating life’s great mysteries. Like, what exactly is in that porridge?
Day 3: Early Departure (and unfinished business)
- Time: 6:00 AM - Goodbye, Jiuquan!
- Early flight. So early. Barely had time for a sad cup of coffee and a quick glance at the porridge.
- Emotional Reaction: Sad to leave. This trip has been a wild experience. I was not expecting it.
- Imperfection: Still no universal adapter. Still desperate to find electricity.
- Rambles: I never did make it to that park I saw on Google Maps. Maybe next time. And I definitely didn’t fully conquer those chopsticks. But hey… that's life.
And there you have it. A travelogue for the messy humans of the world. Enjoy. And remember, embrace the chaos! Maybe pack a universal adapter.
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Jiuquan Getaway: Hanting Hotel Near Changxing Electric Market - Are You SURE About This?!
(Or, My Brain's Attempt to Sort Through the Chaos of a Hotel Stay... Near an Electric Market)
Okay, Real Talk: Why the Hanting Hotel Near Changxing Electric Market? Jiuquan isn't Exactly on the Tourist Trail, Is It?
Alright, pull up a chair. This isn't exactly a meticulously planned vacation, okay? Let's just say... work called. And Jiuquan answered. And Hanting Hotel, well, it was the least terrifying option near where I *had* to be. Look, sometimes life throws you into a Ganzu province-sized blender, and you just have to roll with it. Changxing Electric Market? Frankly, I still haven't quite figured out what that even IS. I think it's a market. For electricity. Probably. Deep breath...
How's the Hotel Itself? Is it, you know, *livable*?
"Livable" is a strong word. Okay, fine, it was *mostly* livable. The room... well, it had a room. And a bed. The bed, I'll give it that, was surprisingly alright, after a day of navigating Jiuquan's... charming... streets. The shower? Let's just say the water pressure was a *suggestion* rather than a command. But hey, hot water, enough to not feel like I was being hosed down with a fire extinguisher. The overall vibe was… budget-friendly. Think less “luxury spa retreat” and more “comfortable, but functional, way to get through the night.” I did find a rogue hair in the bathroom, which, fine, I'm not perfect either. I just try not to leave them in the hotel room for other guests!
Was the location near the Changxing Electric Market a PRO or a CON?
Honestly? I have *no* idea what the Changxing Electric Market *is*! I walked past it, a vast expanse of what I *assume* were electrical components. Maybe the proximity was a pro for anyone needing some serious voltage? For me? Mostly a mystery. It was… nearby. I could see it. I could *almost* smell the circuits (is that even a thing?). But did I need it? Did it enhance my experience? Nah. It was just… *there*. Like a giant, blinking question mark on the Jiuquan landscape. Actually, now that I think about it, it felt like I was in an episode of *The Twilight Zone* - "The Electric Market Zone." I was *sure* the market was going to come alive at midnight and start dispensing... I don't know, surge protectors and mini-fridges that could speak Mandarin.
The Food Scene? Any Culinary Delight to be Found in Jiuquan? Or Just Instant Noodles?
Okay, here’s where things get… interesting. I tried. I REALLY tried. I braved the local restaurants, armed with Google Translate and a healthy dose of optimism. I sampled everything! Noodles. Dumplings. Some sort of… stew with… well, I’m not entirely sure. Let’s just say the flavors were… *robust*. And the spice levels? Forget about it! My mouth was on fire for a good chunk of the trip. I still have dreams about the chili oil. God, it was good! But also, very very very spicy. So, yes, instant noodles *were* involved. They're a reliable friend in times of culinary uncertainty, a warm hug in a cold (or scorching) climate. There was one amazing restaurant, though. I'm not even sure I can recommend it because I'm pretty sure I couldn't even find it again. It would probably require a treasure map and a translator who understands interpretive dance... But the noodles! They were heavenly. Worth the spice-induced tears. Maybe...
Speaking of Culinary Adventures, Any Epic Fails?
Oh, honey, where do I even begin? Okay, there was this *one* dish. I pointed at something on the menu, assuming it was… well, I don’t know what I assumed. It arrived, and it was… black. And gelatinous. And had a texture… indescribable. After a single, tentative bite, I pushed it away. It was… *challenging*. My translator (bless her heart) just laughed. It was, apparently, a local delicacy. I’ll leave it at that. I'm pretty sure I saw it wink at me. It's better to leave some things to the imagination. I mean, I *ate* it. But I wouldn't recommend it.
Did You Learn Anything About Yourself (or Jiuquan) During your Stay?
Oh, absolutely! I learned that I can survive on an alarmingly small amount of sleep and a diet primarily consisting of spicy noodles. I learned that my ability to navigate a city where I don't speak the language is… improving, albeit slowly. I also learned that the people of Jiuquan are incredibly kind and helpful, even when I was clearly lost, covered in sweat, and desperately trying to decipher a menu written entirely in Mandarin. I learned that sometimes, the best experiences are the ones you *don't* expect. Also that next time, I'd better brush up on my Mandarin skills. (And pack more Pepto-Bismol.)
Would You Go Back to the Hanting Hotel Near Changxing Electric Market? Honestly?
Look, it's not the Ritz. Let's be clear. But… if I *had* to? If work called again and Jiuquan beckoned with its unknown delights (and electric markets)… yeah, I probably would. It's functional. It's familiar. And hey, maybe next time, I’ll actually figure out what Changxing Electric Market is all about. Or, at least, I'll find that restaurant. I just hope they have a non-black-gelatinous-mystery-dish option. Maybe with less chili oil. Just a thought. But yes. I would. Because sometimes, the adventure's in the imperfections. Just... pack extra snacks. And maybe some earplugs to block out the sounds of the electric market at night.
Any packing tips for Jiuquan?
Oh, DEFINITELY. First, pack a good quality travel adapter. You *will* need it. Secondly, learn a few basic Mandarin phrases. "Hello," "Thank you," "Where's the bathroom?" (and "Where's the non-spicy option?") will become your best friends. Thirdly, pack for all climates. The weather can change on a dime. Fourthly, bring comfortable shoes. You'll be doing a lot of walking. Fifthly, and most importantly: bring an open mind. Be prepared to embrace the unexpected, laugh at your mistakes(you'll make them!), and be amazed by theQuick Hotel Finder
