Quanzhou Shishi｜Return to the City of Light and Stay on the Beautiful Green Island

This second stop of the Quanzhou trip is Shishi City, which was established by separating from Jinjiang at the end of 1987. It was highly developed at that time and remains a billion-level city today, with the highest population density among all counties in China. There are international five-star brands locally, but I still chose Green Island International, the 97th hotel I stayed in with my child. 🚗: Located on the busiest Baqi Road in Shishi, it is a 15-minute drive from Quanzhou South Station and only 2-3 kilometers from the Garment City and Bagua Street, making it suitable for both travel and business. It is a certain distance from several popular beaches like Xiaolian Cang and Xiaokenting, but there are no decent hotels there, so it is more convenient to stay in the city. 📖: Although it opened in 2013, the Green Island brand is almost as old as Shishi City. It developed from a seafood restaurant with only six tables to a luxury hotel with hundreds of rooms, and its affiliated brands Minhe and Nan have become popular. The success of Green Island symbolizes the glory of the era of reform and opening up. Speaking of the hotel, I originally thought that after 11 years of operation, it would look old, but the actual experience exceeded my expectations. Just looking at the lobby bar gave me the illusion of returning to the Mandalay Hilton. The fashionable, simple, and modern design surpassed the aesthetics of that era. The service even surpassed some international brands, being proactive and enthusiastic. Whenever I wandered into the lobby and stayed for a while, the staff would proactively offer water. 🛏️: There are 135 rooms (suites), including deluxe rooms, executive rooms, deluxe view rooms, deluxe suites, executive view rooms, executive suites, VIP deluxe suites, and VIP super deluxe suites, with the smallest area being 50 square meters. I stayed in the Little Yellow Duck-themed family room, which is 68 square meters, with an open suite layout and equipped with family-friendly facilities such as a tent, slide, and telescope, keeping the children entertained. Compared to the public areas, the guest room style is more traditional business, with a large layout that offers a full view of the bedroom. The bathroom space has double sinks, a round bathtub, and mood-enhancing frosted glass. In addition to small toiletries, children's supplies are also well-prepared. The welcome gift was thoughtful, especially the large bag of green plums, which my family finished on the way back to Fuzhou. I even searched online for the manufacturer to buy more, but they didn't taste as good as the custom-made ones from Green Island. 🏊: As an old business hotel that has been open for many years, a spacious gym and outdoor swimming pool are standard. It seems that many hotels in Quanzhou have outdoor pools, which are very suitable for summer. 🍚: It would be a pity not to experience the restaurant at Green Island. I checked in at the Green Island Chinese Restaurant and the Guiyu Breakfast Restaurant. It is said that there is also a tea restaurant on the first floor that is being renovated and not yet open. ｜Green Island Chinese Restaurant🥢｜It is said that "wear in Shishi, eat in Green Island." The old Green Island Grand Hotel is the number one must-visit restaurant in Shishi. When I ate at Minhe and Nan in Fuzhou, I was full of praise for the scallion buns, small octopus, and radish rice. In the local area, I definitely had to try them again. Nowadays, the cuisine has become integrated, with Minnan cuisine gradually becoming one, and only Taiwanese cuisine maintaining its unique flavor. But at Green Island, you can experience the most traditional Quanzhou flavors, such as the beef soup, which is best in Quanzhou, and Shishi stands out in Quanzhou. Only by tasting it yourself can you understand the difference. ｜Guiyu Breakfast Restaurant🍴｜The hotel has a dedicated breakfast restaurant. Do you remember the internet-famous Butterfly Pavilion in Minnan? There used to be many stores in Fuzhou, such as Hou Cheng Faye. The decoration of the Guiyu Breakfast Restaurant is similar. The breakfast is not about variety but about delicacy. For example, the tofu pudding that children love is homemade, which is very cheap but easily spoiled. Green Island directly purchases the Wushugong brand for guests to use freely. Before coming to Green Island, I thought it would definitely be delicious but not necessarily comfortable to stay. However, the actual experience was comfortable. Driving back to Rong, the coastal passage of Shishi in Quanzhou has beautiful scenery. If you come to Fujian to see the sea, I recommend Shishi more. Although Fuzhou Pingtan is bluer, the management and local villagers are problematic. Returning to the City of Light and staying on the beautiful Green Island is worth recommending.