ibis Nanjing Confucius Temple 3 stars

Ibis Nanjing at Zhonghua Road is a basic no-frills hotel. It is a short walk to the Zhangfuyuan metro station exit 3, and it has some convenience stores near the hotel. The Confucius Temple scenic area and Zhanyuan Gardens are within walking distance. The front staff do not really speak much English, so it can be a little trying if one does not speak Mandarin. My window at Room 1015 could not be latched properly so the cold winter draft could seep through, but I drew the curtains and set the air con at a comfortable temperature and it wasn't so bad. The front staff will recommend the breakfast package for a small additional charge, but as I don't need it, I just insisted on my original room-only package.

Had a overnighter and since the Ibis was closest to my appointments, tried that for a change, was pleasantly surprised with the service, even though Staff English level was that high, they still managed to arrange and explain everything very well. Breakfast was not too bad either, on the whole, ok place to pop in if there is an overnighter required.

We had a nice time here and actually extended our stay a few times. Our studio apartment was spacious and bright. The apartment came with a couch, dining area, desk, plenty of storage space, and it was nice having a fridge and a washer/dryer right in the apartment. The location was excellent as it was within walking distance to a mall (that had a grocery store), the Confucius Temple (and associated pedestrian area), and the subway. There were lots of restaurants nearby. There were a few negatives. One was cleanliness - overall I would rate cleanliness as good, but the kitchen was pretty grimy (somebody in there obviously cooked at some point and got greasy grime everywhere) and somebody really needs to spend a few hours really scrubbing to get the greasy grime out of the corners, off of the cabinets, etc. There was also things like food on the wall next to the dining table, etc. The bathroom also sometimes had an unpleasant odor. But the positives outweighed the negatives and overall we liked staying there. The office was not in the building with the apartments so it was hard to find at first. Staff seemed nice, but I am not sure they could speak any English (my husband speaks Mandarin). I can't help but wonder if the other reviews here are for a different place. This place is not a budget hotel, it is a serviced apartment that does not serve breakfast. There is an Ibis and a Motel 8 nearby.

If you were to e-mail them don't hope in receiving a reply as it will be channeled to the main reservation and they will respond. The hotel manager too does not respond. The staff's command of English is poor (although I accept this is China but could be improved) and their knowledge about Nanjing and sights are below par. Comparing the breakfast to the Ibis Nana in Bangkok, this hotel gets a thrashing. The coffee was close to ditch water. Other than that this hotel is convenient. Close to many eateries and Fu Zi Miao and other sights. Aqua City is a stones throw from the hotel with many eateries and BHG supermarket which caters to mainly imported stuff ( and can be pricey in some items) The area has many food outlets of local food and could do with a local supermarket which unfortunately are in the outer suburbs and surprisingly the staff are not able to furnish you with details. Rooms are clean and up to maintained standard but the floor needs to be mopped daily (since it is wood based) as it is somewhat dusty. Bath and toilet facilities a little cramp but not a problem with basic toiletries of toothbrush, comb and disposable slippers supplied. A quick boiler is also provided in the room with two small bottles of water if you need to make hot drinks.If you are looking for a value for money budget hotel and not too bothered with the breakfast ( there is a Mcdonald's and other coffee outlets in Aqua City where you could have breakfast or pick up bread and pastry) and other issues, this hotel fits the bill. Metro station is at Zhangfuyuan on Line 1(use exit 3) and 5-7 mins walking distance to Baixia/Zhonghua Rd junction where you will see the hotel on Zhonghua Rd.

Location is good, about 5 mins to metro station and about 10 mins walking distance to Confucius Temple. Staff are friendly too. But the door lock and window lock is broken, so i think the facilities needed to be improved. Overall, it is good as a budget hotel.