Review of Holiday Inn Express Qingdao May Fourth Square & Olympic Sailing Center

During the off-season recently, I visited Qingdao and stayed at two hotels, the second being Holiday Inn Express Qingdao May Fourth Square & Olympic Sailing Center. Here's my experience. 📍Location: The hotel is situated in the core area of downtown Qingdao. The entrance is somewhat hidden, not on the main street, with limited parking spaces available. The surroundings are currently average due to ongoing construction of nearby buildings. It's quite close to major attractions like May Fourth Square, the "Wind of May" sculpture, and Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center, all within a 10-15 minute walk. Fushansuo Metro Station is right at the intersection downstairs, and it takes about half an hour to reach Qingdao Railway Station, making transportation very convenient. 🏨Hotel Environment: The ongoing construction next door does affect the overall environment. However, the interior meets Holiday Inn Express standards - the lobby isn't large but has all the essentials. There seemed to be quite a few foreign guests during my stay. 🛏Room Facilities: I stayed in a Comfort Superior King Room (28 sqm), which is significantly larger than the standard room. The space was adequate, featuring a mini living area, with hardware meeting Holiday Inn Express standards. The Slumberland mattress provided good support and comfort. As expected with Holiday Inn Express, there was no refrigerator. One issue I encountered was strong sewer odors in the bathroom, forcing me to keep the door closed. It's unclear if this was a one-time problem or a design flaw. Also, rooms facing the construction site might experience noise - mine faced the main street, and while some traffic noise was audible with windows closed, it was generally acceptable. 🍲Breakfast: The breakfast was standard for the brand, decent in quality (see attached photos). [GlassesUU]Summary: Overall, this Holiday Inn Express only opened in 2022, so its facilities are still in good condition and meet the newer brand standards. However, the nearby construction does detract from the surroundings, and the sewer odor in my room affected the experience. Once the neighboring construction is complete, this well-located Holiday Inn Express in the old city center should be quite competitive.