I stayed at the Novotel Yinchuan Lanxigu from October 2 to October 7, 2026. Unfortunately, the overall experience was disappointing, with significant shortcomings in staff training, service consistency, internal communication, and room quality. I would first like to express my appreciation to Darren Zhang, the hotel manager, and Zoey Yao. Darren demonstrated clear thinking, professionalism, and an excellent understanding of Accor’s membership policies and brand standards. He was able to communicate effectively and resolve issues efficiently. Zoey was warm, welcoming, and genuinely attentive. Both deserve recognition for their outstanding service. Unfortunately, my interactions with several other staff members were far below expectations. 1. Lack of Understanding of Accor Membership Benefits Despite showing my Accor Platinum membership status in the official Accor ALL app, a staff member insisted that I was not entitled to complimentary breakfast for two. This demonstrated a concerning lack of familiarity with the group’s membership benefits and policies. For an international hotel brand, understanding and correctly applying loyalty program benefits should be a basic requirement, not something guests have to repeatedly explain. 2. Extremely Poor Parking Assistance and Contradictory Instructions Upon arrival, security personnel refused to allow me to enter the parking area at the hotel entrance. I called the front desk and was told that someone could come to assist me. After waiting approximately seven minutes without anyone arriving, I called again, only to be informed that the staff member had not even left yet. I was then advised to use the underground parking area. Although it was some distance from the hotel, I was specifically assured that a shuttle service would bring me back. However, after driving to the underground parking area, I called to ask where to board the shuttle, only to be told that there was no shuttle service and no elevator. I was instructed to walk back to the hotel through the vehicle entrance. Even more frustratingly, the staff then acknowledged that the underground parking area was inconvenient and suggested that I drive back to the parking spaces near the hotel entrance—the very area I had initially been prevented from accessing. This entire experience was unnecessarily frustrating and time-consuming. The contradictory instructions, lack of coordination between the front desk and security, and dismissive attitude of certain staff members reflected serious deficiencies in service management. 3. Room Quality, Privacy, and Maintenance Issues My initial room, 8548, had several noticeable problems. The air conditioning produced a distinctly unpleasant odor when cooling. In addition, the window faced an external corridor that appeared accessible to pedestrians, creating concerns about privacy and security. After I raised these issues, Darren kindly assisted with a room change, which I appreciated. However, the blackout curtains were also extremely ineffective. A substantial amount of sunlight entered the room early in the morning, significantly affecting sleep quality. 4. A Noticeable Gap Between Individual Excellence and Overall Service Standards As an Accor Platinum member, I was not expecting luxury beyond Novotel’s positioning. I simply expected accurate implementation of membership benefits, consistent and reliable service, clear communication, and rooms that meet basic comfort and maintenance standards. What stood out most during this stay was the significant contrast between the professionalism of Darren and Zoey and the performance of several other employees. While both individuals deserve genuine recognition, a hotel should not have to rely on a few capable employees to compensate for broader weaknesses in staff training and operational management. I sincerely hope the hotel’s management will review these issues, improve staff training on Accor membership policies, strengthen coordination between the front desk and security team, and address the maintenance, privacy, and blackout curtain concerns. Ultimately, consistent service standards should be delivered by the entire team, rather than depending on which employee a guest happens to encounter. Despite my appreciation for Darren Zhang and Zoey Yao, the overall experience fell considerably short of what I would expect from an internationally branded Novotel property.