The Ritz-Carlton, Harbin

Hands down the ultimate hotel in Harbin, I simply had to experience it. I booked a Deluxe River View Room. I had initially been offered a corner room on the 22nd floor, which I was told had a better view. However, having seen previous reviews warning against it, I requested a different room during check-in. They assigned me room 26 on the 46th floor instead. The view was absolutely stunning, with panoramic views of the Songhua River! The lobby is on the 54th floor, so you'll need to transfer elevators to get to your room. A small lion figurine was given as a gift; these are also sold downstairs, though they're not inexpensive! Our package included a 200 RMB dining voucher, which we happily used at the Chinese restaurant, covering 200 RMB of our bill. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal there! The Ritz-Carlton breakfast certainly lived up to its reputation – it was incredibly extensive and delicious! Do note that minibar items are not complimentary. As for toiletries, they were provided in dispensers.

The Ritz-Carlton is essentially the go-to choice for hotels in Harbin. Not that it's perfect, but frankly, hotel options in Harbin are quite limited. The Shangri-La feels too old and dated, and I wasn't keen on staying across the Songhua River, as the Songbei area seems to lack the quintessential urban charm of Harbin. So, the Ritz-Carlton it was. To be honest, while both the Ritz and Shangri-La are situated by the Songhua River, the Ritz's surroundings genuinely lack proper dining options. The area felt quite desolate and lonely. The only truly comforting and enjoyable aspect of staying here was the vibrant cityscape bustling with traffic and illuminated by countless lights when viewed from a high floor at night. Gazing at the night view and chatting, a sense of contentment naturally arises. That's why I gave this hotel a full score. Of course, I do have a few minor points of feedback, hoping the hotel can make some improvements. This is just my personal opinion and may not represent other guests. 1. The toothbrush bristles were excessively hard, to the point of being able to pierce one's gums. 2. Toothbrushes should ideally be color-coded. When two people stay, having identical toothbrushes makes it very inconvenient to distinguish them. Providing 'his and hers' sets with different colors is standard practice for hotels, yet the Ritz-Carlton surprisingly missed this basic detail. 3. The cotton swab sticks were too flimsy. When trying to clean my ears after a shower to remove water, the stick bent with just a light touch. Even the cheapest cotton swabs shouldn't use such a fragile material. 4. The shampoo was extremely unpleasant to use. This is subjective and not a major issue. 5. A crucial area for improvement is the service. The front desk staff seemed to lack a genuine customer-centric mindset or perhaps management has not empowered them sufficiently. Despite their smiling faces, they often delivered rather insensitive remarks. Moreover, breakfast staff frequently cleared plates at extremely inappropriate times, completely disregarding whether guests were still eating or in the middle of a conversation. 6. Non-guests were roaming freely, playing music loudly on their phones, and children were opening paid snacks from the mini-fridge and eating them endlessly, all without any staff intervention. Meanwhile, actual hotel guests did not receive the attentive and comprehensive service they deserved. 7. For the breakfast wontons, perhaps use a little less filling. Even the staff cooking them felt the current filling was difficult to cook through. With so many guests waiting, it's naturally hard to cook wontons that contain something like a meatball inside. Additionally, the chef really needs to improve the wonton filling, making it juicier and more tender. A tough, dense filling is neither easy to cook nor pleasant to eat. If the chef prepares a tender, flavorful filling, and the wonton-wrapping staff use just a bit less, the wontons would be both easy to cook and delicious.

The hotel is situated within the Fuli Center, right on the banks of the Songhua River, offering excellent views and spectacular scenery. The facilities are quite modern. Guest rooms feature a chic, light luxury French-inspired design, equipped with amenities such as a fully automatic smart toilet, heated towel rail, and a Dyson hairdryer. The concierge proactively assisted with luggage and delivered it directly to our room. The hotel boasts "Manor 54," a sky restaurant located on the 54th floor, offering a buffet breakfast with a wide variety of dishes – the beef noodles are highly recommended. Additionally, the hotel provides leisure facilities including an indoor heated swimming pool, a fitness center, and a Spa. Its proximity to the Songhua River makes it convenient for a post-dinner stroll along the riverbank.

This was hands down the most satisfying hotel stay of my Harbin trip. While getting around required taxis, I wish the staff at the 54th-floor lobby and breakfast restaurant had been a bit more welcoming/smiley. This was in stark contrast to the housekeeping staff and the security guards on the first floor, who always greeted guests with a warm smile. The room was large and bright, designed in a minimalist, light-colored style. The window view was incredibly beautiful, perfect for a day of simply lounging on the sofa and doing nothing. The room came equipped with USB charging ports and a screen-mirroring TV – a welcome surprise, as I often find these lacking in older five-star hotels and consider them essential conveniences. Foreign language channels were also available. For the first two nights, I stayed in a century-old building on Central Street. After a few nights there, I frequently suffered from migraines, possibly due to a lack of proper ventilation, which is understandable given the limitations on major structural changes in historically protected buildings. The very first thing I did after checking into the Ritz was indulge in a most satisfying afternoon nap, and I was particularly impressed by the mattress and pillows. It was definitely worth the deliberation; before checking in, I was torn between prioritizing proximity or experiencing Harbin's 'fault-line experience' (a concept I'd read about somewhere and was very curious to understand). In the end, I'm glad I chose the Ritz. I'm also grateful to a staff member who, during our last two days, kindly provided a blood pressure monitor for my elderly family member.