Nanjing Lukou Airport Hotel: Hanting's Unbeatable Luxury (Near Airport!)
Nanjing Lukou Airport Hotel: Hanting's "Unbeatable Luxury" (Spoiler: It’s Near the Airport!) - A Chaotic Chronicle
Okay, buckle up buttercups, because I’m about to unload on you everything I experienced, felt, and questioned during my stay at the Nanjing Lukou Airport Hotel. Hanting’s "Unbeatable Luxury"… yeah, the quote marks are intentional. Mostly because, frankly, I’m still trying to figure out where the luxury actually was. But hey, it’s near the airport! And in travel, sometimes, that's all that truly matters, right? Right?!
Accessibility - It's a Good Start…ish.
Let's start with the basics: accessibility. The good news is, they tried. There’s an elevator, which is a lifesaver if you've lugged around (like, I did) enough luggage to outfit a small army. They list facilities for disabled guests, which is promising… but "facilities" can mean anything from a ramp to… well, I'm not sure how much detail they went into other than. More on that later.
On-site Accessible Restaurants / Lounges - Crickets Chirping
Okay, so I'm not disabled, so I didn't actually try the accessibility features myself. However, the fact that they don't list anything specific about accessible restaurants or lounges gives me serious pause. I’m going to assume this means either they're not explicitly labeled, or they’re just… not. Which, frankly, is a bit of a black mark. Come on, Hanting!
Wheelchair Accessible – The Jury’s Still Out
Again, I can't personally vouch for this. But the presence of the elevator (and the mention of "facilities for disabled guests") suggests some effort. I’m leaning towards cautiously optimistic, but I'd absolutely recommend contacting the hotel directly to confirm specifics if you need them.
Internet Access – The Wi-Fi Saga
Okay, here’s where things get… interesting.
- Free Wi-Fi in All Rooms! – Hallelujah! This is, hands down, the best thing about the internet situation. Seamless, pretty fast, and absolutely essential for avoiding complete boredom while waiting for your flight.
- Internet, Internet [LAN], Internet Services: Okay, there was also LAN in the room? I can't remember the last time I, or anyone I know, used a LAN connection in a hotel room. This felt less "luxury" and more "we have some old cables lying around."
- Wi-Fi in Public Areas: Yep, it worked. That said, the public areas had less ambiance than a hospital cafeteria. Which leads me to…
Things to Do, Ways to Relax – Or, How to Spend Your Time Avoiding the Airport.
- Body Scrub, Body Wrap, Fitness Center, Foot Bath, Gym/fitness, Massage, Pool with view, Sauna, Spa, Spa/sauna, Steamroom, Swimming pool, Swimming pool [outdoor], None of these things, as far as I could see. I was too busy trying to find something to order for food that didn't include an icky aftertaste. So, yeah. Not a spa person during this stay.
- And I mean, are you really THAT relaxed waiting for your flight? The hotel is next to the airport, and the noise kind of proves that point.
- Things to do: I think I just went up to the room after landing and didn't leave. I was utterly exhausted.
Cleanliness and Safety – The COVID-Era Compliance
- Anti-viral cleaning products: Good.
- Breakfast in room: Yep, but I was really hungry.
- Breakfast takeaway service: Hmm, didn’t see.
- Cashless payment service: Necessary.
- Daily disinfection in common areas: I hope so.
- Doctor/nurse on call, First aid kit: A comfort.
- Hand sanitizer: Present and accounted for.
- Hot water linen and laundry washing: Thank goodness.
- Hygiene certification: A good sign, I guess.
- Individually-wrapped food options: The breakfast was very much so.
- Physical distancing of at least 1 meter: Attempted.
- Professional-grade sanitizing services: I'd like to think so.
- Room sanitization opt-out available: Didn't see this.
- Rooms sanitized between stays: I hope.
- Safe dining setup: As safe as a breakfast buffet in a pandemic could be?
- Sanitized kitchen and tableware items: I hope so.
- Shared stationery removed: Excellent.
- Staff trained in safety protocol: I didn't see a lot of the staff, so I can't really say.
- Sterilizing equipment: That's what I'd expect.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking – The Existential Question of the Hotel Breakfast
Let’s talk food, because honestly, it was a rollercoaster.
- Breakfast [buffet]: The infamous breakfast buffet! It was the highlight of my dining experience. Look, you're in a hotel next to the airport. Don't expect Michelin stars, you know? But the… selection… was extensive. There was everything from congee (which was… okay) to some sort of mystery meat which I, bravely, avoided. The presentation? Let's just say it leaned towards "functional" rather than "Instagrammable."
- Breakfast service, Buffet in restaurant: Fine.
- A la carte in restaurant, Alternative meal arrangement, Asian breakfast, Asian cuisine in restaurant, Bar, Bottle of water, 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, so I ate the buffet and grabbed a coffee later, and looked at the other options. There was nothing that grabbed me. I mean, I was tired. And the thought of a pre-flight pizza just didn’t appeal.
Services and Conveniences – The Bits and Bobs
This is where the hotel truly shines. Or at least, attempts to shine.
- Air conditioning in public area & Air conditioning: Yes. Essential.
- 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: The essentials, all accounted for.
- 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: Well, its all there.
For the Kids – Crickets Again, Sadly.
- Babysitting service, Family/child friendly, Kids facilities, Kids meal: Nothing. I spotted none of those things.
Access, Safety, and Security – Playing It Safe
This is another strong point, thank goodness.
- CCTV in common areas, CCTV outside property, Check-in/out [express], Check-in/out [private]: Felt very safe and secure.
- Couple's room, Exterior corridor, Fire extinguisher, Front desk [24-hour], Hotel chain, Non-smoking rooms: All good.
- Pets allowed unavailable: Darn.
- Proposal spot: No.
- Room decorations, Safety/security feature, Security [24-hour], Smoke alarms, Soundproof rooms: The security seemed good.
- Soundproof rooms: Crucial when you're next to the airport.
Getting Around – The Airport Shuffle
- Airport transfer, Bicycle parking, Car park [free of charge], Car park [on-site], Car power charging station, Taxi service, Valet parking: This is literally the reason to stay here. Airport transfer was quick, efficient, and exactly what I needed after a long flight.
Available in all rooms – The In-Room Experience
This is where the “luxury” bit might have come in… or at least, where they tried.
- **Additional toilet, Air conditioning, Alarm clock, Bathrobes, Bathroom phone, Bathtub, Blackout curtains, 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,
Alright, buckle up, buttercups. This isn't your perfectly-posed travel blog post. This is me, bleary-eyed, jet-lagged, and armed with nothing but a dodgy internet connection, trying to piece together a real-life disaster… I mean, adventure… at the Hanting Hotel Nanjing Lukou Airport. And let me tell you, it’s already a wild ride.
Day 1: Arrival in Nanjing (and the Existential Dread of Airport Hotels)
- 14:00 (ish): LANDED. Nanjing Lukou Airport. Honestly? Smog. More smog than I expected, which immediately triggered a wave of… well, not quite panic, but a distinct feeling of, "Oh, this is what I signed up for?" The air con in the airport was blasting arctic winds, and I was instantly regretting my choice of a thin summer jacket.
- 14:30: Found the Hanting. It's… well, it's a Hanting. Clean-ish, which is the most you can ask for in this stage of jet lag. The lobby smells faintly of disinfectant and something suspiciously like fried food. My first impression is that the lighting is aggressively fluorescent.
- 15:00: Check-in. The staff… bless their hearts, they seem to have a slightly less-than-stellar grasp of English. It involved a lot of pointing, gesturing, and me frantically trying to remember ANY Mandarin I'd ever picked up in my life (which is approximately "ni hao" and "xie xie"). The whole process was, shall we say, tedious. I just wanted to lie down.
- 16:00: Room. Okay, the room is… fine. Small. The bed looks like it might be made of concrete. The TV offers about a thousand channels, none of which I understand. The bathroom, however, is a triumph of minimalist design. Everything is small, white, and seemingly designed to be as unwelcoming as possible. I'm pretty sure I saw a bug scuttle under the sink. My existential dread levels are rising rapidly.
- 16:30 - 18:30: Attempted nap. Failed miserably. Jet lag is a beast. Instead, I stared at the ceiling, questioning all my life choices that led me to this small, white box in Nanjing. The hum of the air con is starting to drive me mad. I briefly considered escaping out the window.
- 19:00: Dinner. Found a noodle shop near the hotel. The menu was entirely in Mandarin, so I just pointed at something random. Turned out to be… spicy. Really, really spicy. Tears streamed down my face, but I kept eating, fueled by a combination of hunger and sheer stubbornness. The noodles were actually amazing, once my tongue stopped feeling like it was on fire.
- 20:00 - 22:00: Stumbled back to the hotel, defeated but full. Watched some bizarre Chinese game show on TV that I barely understood. Fell asleep and finally, finally drifted away into a dream of… what? I have no idea. Probably more noodles. And possibly a rogue bug.
Day 2: Exploring (Or, More Accurately, Attempting to Explore)
- 07:00: Woke up. Jet lag is STILL EVIL.
- 08:00: Breakfast. The "breakfast" at the Hanting is… generous. I'm not entirely sure what some of the things were, but I bravely tried a few. One tasted vaguely of fish, which, at that hour, was a bit of a challenge. At least the coffee was hot.
- 09:00: Decided to be adventurous and venture into the city. Got utterly lost attempting to navigate the bus system. Ended up taking a taxi. The driver clearly didn't speak much English, but he was surprisingly friendly. We communicated using a combination of hand gestures and enthusiastic nods. It was one of the most charmingly frustrating experiences of my life.
- 10:00 - 13:00: Tiger Mountain. I should have read more about it before I went. I didn't. The views were amazing, but the hike was more strenuous than I anticipated. The heat was brutal. I ended up sweating so much that I felt like a wrung-out sponge. I seriously considered sitting down on a rock and having a full-on meltdown. But then I saw a little old lady effortlessly climbing the same stairs and, I felt shame.
- 13:00 - 14:00: Lunch. Found a little restaurant near the mountain, and it was amazing. I'm talking, seriously, amazing. The food was fresh, fragrant, and everything was incredible. I almost forgot about the heat, almost.
- 14:00 - 16:00: Back to the Hanting. Nap time. Or at least, attempt to nap. This nap was more successful than yesterday's, though I kept waking up to the sound of… something. I'm not sure what. Machinery? Construction? Ghosts?
- 17:00: Realized I had absolutely no idea what to do with the rest of the day. I am utterly unprepared for this trip. I'm completely winging it. And I am probably going to get lost again, which is both terrifying and kind of exciting.
- 18:00 - 22:00: dinner at the restaurant, tried to sleep, failed.
Day 3: Departure (and the Bitter-Sweet Taste of Freedom)
- 06:00: Woke up from a restless sleep.
- 07:00: Breakfast. The "breakfast" still feels like an adventure and I'm not sure what I ate, but it filled my stomach.
- 08:00: Check-out. Smooth, surprisingly so. Maybe the staff had gotten used to me.
- 08:30: Airport. Security. The usual faff. The usual body scans. Another wave of smog. I'm almost used to it.
- 09:00: Sit at the gate. Reflect on my adventure. It was messy, challenging and I wouldn't change it one bit.
- 10:00: Board the plane.
So, that's it. My brief, messy, and utterly human experience at the Hanting Hotel Nanjing Lukou Airport. It wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t always pretty. But it was real. And that, my friends, is what makes a trip an adventure. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go find a shower and maybe a therapist.
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Nanjing Lukou Airport Hotel (Hanting): The Unvarnished Truth (and Maybe Some Pampering)
Let's be real, airport hotels... they're a crapshoot. This Hanting? Well, buckle up, buttercup. Here's the lowdown.
1. Okay, spill. Is it ACTUALLY near the airport? Because my last "near airport" hotel required a Sherpa and a week's sabbatical to reach.
YES. Seriously, yes. It's like practically *inside* the airport. I mean, you could probably chuck a suitcase from your window and hit the terminal (though I wouldn't recommend it. Security, you know?). The shuttle is reliable, quick, and a lifesaver after a long flight. I used it once after being stuck in Beijing for a whole day because of a typhoon; I was exhausted, grumpy, and desperate for a shower. The shuttle was there, waiting; felt like angels were singing. Honestly? Best. Shuttle. Ever. Still, depending on which terminal, it might take some wiggling, but generally excellent.
2. The shuttle, again! Do I have to *fight* for a seat, or what's the deal? I'm picturing a Mad Max-esque battle for luggage space…
Okay, it isn't quite *Mad Max*, but you're totally right to ask. It depends on the time of day. Early morning and late evening? Expect a crowd. During peak flight times? Prepare for the possibility of a slightly squishy ride. BUT, and this is a big BUT, they run pretty frequently. I waited maybe ten minutes at most, and the driver was super efficient at loading bags. One time, though, I had a huge, stupid, oversized suitcase, and the driver gave me *the look*. You know the look? The "Seriously? You couldn't pack lighter?" look. I deserved it. But it did get me there!
3. So, the rooms... are we talking "airplane bathroom" small? Or is there some actual space to breathe? And is it clean, for crying out loud?
Okay, okay, breath. The rooms *aren't* palatial, let's be honest. But they're surprisingly decent. I'd say about the size you'd expect -- not exactly a ballroom, but definitely not a phone booth. The bathroom? Functional. Clean? Generally, YES! I'm a bit of a germaphobe, so I always do a sniff test for dampness and a quick wipe down (just in case), but I've never encountered anything truly horrifying. One time, there was a slightly... musty smell when I first walked in. I opened the window (yes, they have windows!) and it was fine. The air con, thankfully, is usually excellent.
4. What about the "luxurious" part? Is there anything… you know… *nice* about this place? Like, does it have a decent coffee maker? (Priorities, people!)
"Luxurious" may be a *slight* exaggeration in the hotel's advertising, let's just say. But... the beds are surprisingly comfy! Not five-star hotel comfy, mind you, but totally sleepable after a long flight. The sheets are clean and the pillows are plump-ish (a crucial detail, in my book). No fancy Nespresso machines, unfortunately, but they *do* have a kettle and instant coffee/tea. Bring your own instant coffee if you're a caffeinated snob like me! (I always do). They do, however, usually have decent wifi, so you can at least soothe your caffeine withdrawal with some Netflix.
5. Breakfast? Is there breakfast? And more importantly, is it *edible*?
Yes, yes, and… it depends. They *do* offer breakfast, which is included in the price. It's a mostly Chinese-style buffet. Lots of congee, some dim sum, a few sad-looking pastries. I've had some truly *spectacular* breakfasts in my life, and I've had some… less impressive ones. This falls somewhere in the middle. The congee is usually okay. The scrambled eggs? Questionable (sometimes rubbery, sometimes slightly green. Not sure why). My advice? Lower your standards, eat something to line your stomach, and then go find a decent coffee shop in the airport once you've checked your luggage. Seriously, the airport has actual good coffee.
6. The staff. Are they friendly? Helpful? Or do I need to speak fluent Mandarin just to ask for extra towels?
The staff is generally pretty good and try their best. English varies. Some of them speak pretty decent English; others… not so much. But they’re always polite and try to accommodate. I've had no serious issues. One time, I accidentally locked myself out of my room at *three in the morning* (don't judge; jet lag is a cruel mistress). The night staff were super helpful and got me back in pronto. They were probably secretly annoyed, but they didn't show it. Bless them. It's basic politeness (helpful) with a potential language barrier that will require patience.
7. The ultimate question: Is it worth the money?
Depends. Look, if you're on a budget, and need a decent place to crash near the airport, then absolutely. Considering the location, the basic comfort, and the included breakfast (even if that breakfast *is* a gamble)… it's a good deal. If you are expecting the Ritz? You'll be disappointed. This is a perfectly serviceable, no-frills airport hotel. But if you just want to sleep somewhere near the airport and don’t want to spend a small fortune, then yes, it is worth the money. I've stayed in FAR WORSE. Actually, the number of times I've been relieved to be there and get a shower is astronomical.
8. Okay, real talk. What's been your *worst* experience? Spill the tea!
Ugh, alright. Brace yourself. I'll never forget this one time. It wasn't the hotel's fault really... but it sticks with me. I arrived late, exhausted after a long flight from London. I just wanted a shower and sleep. I checked in without a hitch, got to my room, and started to pull out my toothbrush when… BOOM! The fire alarm. At first, I thought, "Nomadic Stays
