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Five Star Hotels

Written by Daniel Otero

Once in a lifetime experiences: Sleeping in castles and almost palaces

 

By: Daniel Otero

 

 

When it comes to pampering oneself.  There’s a fine line.  Imagine a bathrobe and getting a great massage at a spa.

 

Those are the finer things in life, any person should enjoy at least once.

 

Whether it’s a glass of champagne, mimosa or tasting the saltiness of caviar.

 

But one of the things there isn’t a substitute for, other than castles and palaces: are five-star restaurants and hotels.

 

The experience can’t be avoided once in China.  There’s that something-something about being here and enjoying the finer things.

 

It has to be like religion, the adventure ought to take places at least once and what might be considered some what ‘spiritual’.

 

The concepts in service are unadulterated.

 

Sprouting like clockwork, five-stars hotel chains are now all over China; and especially here, amongst the elite of Guangdong.

 

There was one experience I had in Guangzhou and it felt more like, ‘deja vu’–when I was visiting San Marcos in Italy or the Ritz Carlton in New York City.

 

This hotel was elegantly decorated with a tower and domes to feel like you’re entering into a renaissance church.

The premises are surrounded with beautiful villas and royal-palm trees.  With an enjoyable subtropical weather and sea breezes to the delight of travelers.

 

A view into the entrance gave notice to shinning copulas and roman columns.  The building itself had a gorgeous scenery of freshly cut grass and lanes which felt like the stylish Beverly Hills or Mar-e-Lagos.

This one or two-night ‘palace’ experience in Phoenix City held its own against any other competition locally or worldwide.

 

Shared by a fluidity of common people coming and going to either: inner-city Guangzhou, Shenzhen or the outreaches of Hong Kong.

 

The main portico gave way for the guests into a world of larger than life marvel columns and looking down its main corridor; it was painted with attractive frescoes on the top ceiling and trimmed with ‘gold’.  Giving an impressive feel of sky and earth coming together, indeed!

 

It wasn’t only easy to walk, but literally brace its surrounding with loving care.

 

The breakfast area or shall we call, grand saloon was a semicircle of tables and chairs to see with ease its almost natural sights to the outside.

 

Something that was lovely, like a beautiful woman, one had to see it over and over to believe it.

 

Towards the back portion of the hotel, there’s a boardwalk for a brisk walk; and later, a man-made lake to savor the morning blue sky and its swimming fattening fishes or ducks.

Its rooms didn’t only hold to the manner of suites, neither disappointed.  But held impressively hung balconies to sit in the full sunshine and tan away.  Or just catch the fresh air with its sites, while reading the newspaper and enjoying a tea/coffee.  As the sprinkles of the sunlight come shinning through the room for an easy wake on a lazy day.

 

It wasn’t only a hotel for transient business professionals and vacationers, it was more to sit and siesta.

 

When walking outside, people bustled to their meeting or holiday destinations, while a sexy model held herself poised in elegance.  Showcasing her attractive figure, leggy form and desirable olive-skin.

 

It was almost like heaven!

 

There’s a simple enough bus system that leads back, forth and around the community surrounding this hotel.  Taxi and ‘didi’ drivers almost waited with anticipation for their next customers.

 

Convenient for all, a stay ought to be done once and what can be better than a five-star hotel.

 

P.S. Advice for those whom forgot what is to stay in a five-star hotel, always tip the bellboy!  Because sadly, this writer forgot once.

About the author

Daniel Otero

A New Yorker who has been living in China for the past 10 years. He's a freelance writer/journalist and ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher.

A former member of the military with extensive travel to 50 countries and has lived in six.

Lover of life, good food, travel, writing and dealing with social issues.