I STAY: Ibis Styles XM Zhongshan Hotel, Xiamen, China

If you ever find yourself visiting Xiamen, China, a decent hotel I stayed at is the Ibis Styles XM Zhongshan Hotel. It is located right smack in the middle of the famed Zhongshan Road, which makes it quite a convenient location.

We weren’t sure what to expect when we booked the room, but were pleasantly surprised. The room was for 3 persons, so it boasts a double bed, and a large single bed.

I liked that the flooring was laminate wood instead of carpet. It is cleaner, and it is mopped daily by housekeeping. The beds and pillows were firm and comfortable, which is so important.

This was basically a business hotel, as most Ibis chain hotels are. But as a tourist, it made for a very comfortable stay.

The hotel fronts the pedestrian only Zhongshan Road in Xiamen, so access by car is at the back. That is where the taxi will drop you as well when you arrive. The lobby is on the first floor, through an elevator, or from the front, up an escalator.

In room, you are provided the basic coffee and tea making facilities and complimentary bottles of drinking water.

While we often take coffee and tea making facilities for granted, it was not until we stayed at a different hotel, that we appreciated it! One thing I liked, and only discovered before we checked out, was the coffee provided at the hotel lobby.

Just off side of the lobby is a section with a coffee machine and tea making facilities. So, if instant coffee isn’t quite your thing, you can head down to the lobby to get a pretty decent ground coffee. I unfortunately discovered it too late!

The bathroom was sizeable and clean, with an enclosed shower. I liked that the shower was powerful and hot – perfect after a long day out. Basic necessities were provided, and shampoo and body washes were provided via a bulk system on the wall. It was Lux brand, which is something I recognised.

They also provided very thick and comfortable slippers, which were replenished every day!

Our room window overlooked Zhongshan Road, which is a busy shopping street. All through the day you can hear noises filtered in through the window, which some people may find a bother.

I did not have breakfast at the hotel, opting instead to see what was on offer locally. Unfortunately however, there is not much by way of breakfast fare, as most of the shops only open after 10am. If you walk a little distance away, off the main Zhongshan Road, you will come to a little side lane, with little shops selling steamed dumplings, fried dough sticks and noodles, and a little market. They were all very affordable, fresh, hot and delicious.

If you aren’t very adventurous, then it might be advisable to have your breakfast in the hotel.

Foodwise, there are numerous restaurants and cafes surrounding the hotel. If you exit at back and walk across the road, you come to the City China shopping mall, which is very large and has many international brands.

At the lower ground floor is a Carrefour supermarket, where you can buy snacks and drinks at affordable and reasonable prices. If you want to buy dried goods like dried oysters, dried cuttlefish, red dates or local snacks, you can find them there too at far more reasonable prices than at one of the snack shops along Zhongshan Road.

The Ibis Styles XM Zhongshan at Xiamen, China is not a luxury hotel, but it is very comfortable, clean, and well worth the price. I’d pick this if only for the very comfortable bed and pillows – so important when travelling! We booked online through Booking.com and it came up to just over RM300 per night for a triple room.

NOTE: The Ibis Styles XM Zhongshan Hotel used to be known as the Kaililai Hotel, so if you are using Google Maps to find your way around, you must search for Kaililai Hotel, as it does not register the Ibis Styles XM Zhongshan.

IBIS STYLES XM ZHONGSHAN
No.318 Zhongshan Road,
Siming District, Xiamen 361001, 
China