The world's cheapest JW Marriott? No service at rock-bottom prices? Read this article
To check in to a hotel is to check in to a city. On New Year's Eve 2024, I came to Qufu, Shandong, a cultural holy city known as the Eastern Jerusalem.
Here, you can find Confucian classics from Confucius' lifetime and relics from the capital of the State of Lu in the pre-Qin period. More importantly, the first luxury brand of the Marriott Group in Shandong, the Qufu Luneng JW Marriott Hotel, is also located here. I was deeply shocked by a huge apricot tree in the lobby, and the carved figures kneeling under the ginkgo tree seemed to remind us to respect Confucianism, allowing every guest to experience the scene of Confucius teaching in the Apricot Altar thousands of years ago. When I checked in, the background wall of the front desk was actually a wall of the Analects of Confucius, full of apricot leaves carved on it. As it is a resort hotel, the whole hotel has only two floors, and the rooms are distributed in different corners around the hotel, so the concierge needs to guide the guests to their rooms.
[Room type] I booked a basic room on the second floor and was upgraded to a courtyard view room on the first floor. The room has a small outdoor courtyard, retaining local characteristics, as if to say, this is your "home" in Qufu. The room is about 45 square meters (excluding the courtyard area).
[Bathroom] The bathroom is dry and wet separated, and the toiletries are still from the British Aromatherapy Association. It is unbelievable that there is an automatic toilet but it cannot be flushed. The double washbasin with bathtub is connected to the cloakroom.
[Minibar] Free for Marriott Platinum Card members.
[Supporting restaurants] Zouyuan Confucius Banquet Chinese Restaurant, No. 99 Steakhouse, JW Kitchen All Day Dining Restaurant, Tea Library Lobby Bar, Banquet Hall.
The bottled water is the same Bama Platinum Spring as Bvlgari. On the table next to it, welcome fruits, New Year cards, and a roll of the Analects of Confucius are used to welcome guests in the most straightforward way, sending New Year greetings for the Year of the Snake. I put down my luggage and explored every corner of the hotel. The fitness center is on the other side of the hotel and needs to be explored. The gym is not large, but the equipment inside is all from Life Fitness in the United States. The swimming pool is on the negative first floor, and there are not many guests, so the experience is excellent. The hotel pays great attention to parent-child activities and is equipped with a children's club. There are children's activities that can be signed up for, such as archery, hand-copying the Analects of Confucius, making rubbings, making stone mills, and other activities. You can take your children to experience Confucian traditions while on vacation.
After dinner, I walked around the hotel. The night view was also very beautiful. Due to the weather, there was no water in the central courtyard, so I didn't see the iconic gourd landscape reflected in the water, which was a bit regrettable.
Breakfast is served at the hotel's all-day dining restaurant, JW Kitchen. I would call it the most hardcore breakfast at JW Marriott. Not only is there local specialties such as Qufu porridge, san soup, and Confucius tofu, but also braised pork rice. Can you believe it? The meat is super large, and there is warm winter lamb soup. Drinking a bowl of it in this season will warm you up. The breakfast is so hearty.
The hotel is only separated from the Confucius Temple by a wall, and it takes only 5 minutes to walk to the Three Confucius Scenic Area. When you check in, you can visit the Three Confucius Scenic Area for free according to local policies. With the guide map provided by the hotel, you can easily reach the entrance of the Confucius Temple.
After experiencing the profound historical and cultural charm of Qufu, as the first JW Marriott Hotel in Shandong, it adds a touch of modern comfort to this ancient city. Located in the core area of Qufu, the architectural style cleverly integrates local cultural elements, highlighting the simple and elegant temperament, while not losing the modern simplicity and grandeur. As a JW Marriott brand, although the room rate is the lowest in Asia, the service is not compromised at all, which is beyond my expectations. The staff in every area of the hotel can efficiently and thoughtfully take care of every guest's stay experience, allowing every guest to enjoy a high-quality rest experience after traveling to the cultural holy land, wash away the fatigue of the journey, and put a perfect end to their time in Qufu.