Hi,

Rate of Bell Tower Hotel: Room was good; staff were helpful and friendly; public facilities (eg bar/coffee area) was very cold and we could not sit there for long; restaurants; Chinese was very smoky (eg filled with people smoking throughout the meal), Western restaurant was good for breakfasts but not a very good menu otherwise; location was excellent-easy to walk places. Overall rating-good value for money, but some aspects could be improved.

TCG booking centre is excellent-good attention to detail, fast and efficient. Overall rating-excellent. I am very sure when we next travel to China we will use your services again.

Thank you,
Sally

Updated :2009-1-20Guest Name :Mrs. Sally Nationality : Singapore

Dear Lena,

Our experience at the Bell Tower Hotel in Xian was wonderful. We requested for a room facing the Bell Tower and the reception was so kind to obligue. The room was clean and pleasant. The service personnel we came in contact with were all very kind and helpful.

We like to thank Travel China Guide for the prompt response to our requests. We will definitely use your service again in our next trip to China.

Thanks.
Leong family.

Updated :2008-11-14Guest Name :Leong family Nationality : Singapore

Dear Lena,

Please find our comments on the Bell Tower Hotel, Xian:

1) Our room was not ready when we arrived, but we were sent up anyway and the maid had to clean up while we were there (we weren't informed of this before going upstairs)

2) The carpet in the room was in need of a good clean (steam clean/shampoo)

3) The room size was good and the view excellent (directly overlooking the Bell Tower)

4) The hotel location was very central

5) The selection at breakfast was good but breakfast times were a bit disorganized and chaotic. The staff kept letting people in, even when no tables were available. They should keep more control over seating, so there is not so much overcrowding.

6) The two tour companies housed in the hotel were not particularly helpful; we organized our tours outside the hotel. It would be good if the concierge could offer information on tours or assist in booking them

7) The staff were quite helpful and spoke adequate English. They were particularly good at getting a taxi organized for us on check-out.

8) More staff on the front desk might be better as they always seemed so busy it was hard to ask any questions.

9) It would be better if the beggars were moved away from the front hotel entrance; they could be quite aggressive at times.

10) Overall, we enjoyed our stay at this hotel. We would rank it 6.5-7/10 and would definitely stay there again.

Comments on the TCG Booking Service:

1) Overall the booking service was good. It was reasonably fast and all the bookings were confirmed in a reasonable time. I managed to get most of the hotels that I requested.

2) I would definitely use this service again.

Regards,

Anthony Kress

Updated :2008-9-19Guest Name :Mr. Anthony Gerard Kress Nationality : Australia

The Bell Tower Hotel was one of the best hotels we stayed in! Excellent service, staff was friendly, and the rooms were very nice.

TCG Booking was very complete. Some other hotel booking centers never communicated with us before we arrived, so we were unsure whether or not we would even have a place to stay. TCG was emailing us right away, and was able to respond to my questions immediately. TCG was great!

Updated :2008-9-5Guest Name :Mr. Adam B Smith Nationality : United States of America (America)

Dear Lena,

Please find herewith some answers to your questions...

Regarding question 1 about the Bell Tower Hotel, Xian:

- Location is excellent, very close to the main sightseeing spots. Buses from/to the airport stop 300 meters from the entrance hotel, which is a plus.

- Staff service is really kind, helpful and professional and the facilities are what you might expect from a 4-star hotel.

- One negative point is price, as it is more expensive than other 4-star similar hotels around China with equivalent service standards.

- I would rate the staying with an 8 out of 10.

Regarding question 2 about your booking center:

- I would highly recommend the website. The experience has been satisfactory. However it would be nice to know in advance availability for rooms/dates/rates, as the need for re-confirming the reservation by e-mail may delay the reservation process, which is a problem if you are traveling and not always with an easy internet access.

I hope that my comments are useful :-)

Best regards,

Enrique Fraile

Updated :2008-8-15Guest Name :Mr. Enrique Fraile Nationality : Spain

Response to Review (Survey) of my hotel stay and booking.

As far as the hotel...it was humid and uncomfortable. I don't understand why they don't run the air conditioning, at least at night.

There was confusion when I arrived they put me in a room that was not as booked... ie it was not street view. Then they decided to move me to another more appropriate room. That room stank of stale cigarettes even though it was marked as a non-smoking room. Then they moved me to another room...except the room was being cleaned so I had to wait half an hour.

George Williamson

Updated :2008-8-8Guest Name :Mr. George M. Williamson Nationality : United States of America (America)

We have stayed at the Bell Tower Hotel before and were relatively satisfied overall with hotel, although we did have a problem with the cooling system. The air conditioners were turned off over night and by the morning the room was very hot. Coupled with the fact that the beds were small and the pillows tiny, we did not get very good rest there. The room furnishings, staff, and location are all good, however.

We have used TCG to book hotels in China many times before and it is always reliable and easy!

Thanks,

Jessamyn Myers

[+][+][+] TCG reply:
[+] About the air conditioners

The hotel replied that the air-conditioner has been turned on the whole night since June. However, during your stay period (June 13 to June 16), the air conditioner of the hotel was inspected and repaired. In order to minimize the influence to the guests, the reparation and inspection were done in the midnight when the temperature was lower. The hotel staff are sincerely sorry for all the trouble and inconveniencies that they have caused to you. Hope for your better understanding.

[+] About the beds and the pillows

We were informed by the staff that if you need a thick pillow, you could inform the front desk about your special request and they will make better arrangement. Hope for your better understanding.

Best Regards,
Lena Qian

Updated :2008-7-4Guest Name :Mrs. Jessamyn Myers Nationality : United States of America (America)

I was very happy with your services. On my next trip to China next year I will contact your services again.

Comments:
Bell Tower in XiAn, well 6 out of 10.
We had some serious problem.

In the room, we had a bad smell problem. Was it a sewer smell or a gas smell? We didnot figure it out. We had to open the windows, verify water was on the bath tub, the lavabo. We put towel on the airduct. The smell was not all times, but it was there most of the times.

If we take out the bad smell, the hotel itself is like the others: very ok and the room itself was over looking the Bell Tower Monument. It was very special to look. The view was inspiring and beautiful.

Many thanks for your services, i keep your e mail and i will contact again next year. We will choose Howard Johnson facility whenever we can

Thanks again

michel delphin,

Updated :2008-5-16Guest Name :Mr. Michel Delphin Nationality : Canada

Hello:

Both the hotels you booked for me-the Tian Rui in Beijing and the Bell Tower in Xi'an were excellent and I and my son and daughter-in-law enjoyed our stays very much. Your booking service was very good and the hotels expected us when we arrived--I was pleased working with you.

I will be returning to China in July with 6 students and will be asking you to book hotels for us in Suzhou and Hangzhou--I know which ones I want and will go through your system to book them.

cheers and thanks,

Marilyn McCullough

Updated :2008-5-9Guest Name :Ms. Marilyn McCullough Nationality : United States of America (America)

Visited this hotel in 2004. ...

Visited this hotel in 2004. Alhough it was a while ago now I remember it fondly. One of the best hotels I stayed at in China. Very spacious room with a great view of the Bell Tower. The hotel is situted in a great position with lots to see within walking distance. Would highly reccommend and will go back in the future!

Updated :2008-5-4 8:09:00Guest Name :Mr. Porteous(Guest) Nationality : UK