Sunshine Hotel Zhangjiajie

Luxury without warmth – more clouds than sunshine Staff lacks hospitality completely, dimming what could have been an elegant stay. The Sunshine Hotel Zhangjiajie makes a strong first impression. The grand exterior, circular driveway, and opulent lobby with dramatic lighting and soaring chandeliers give it a distinct five-star feel. Check-in was swift and efficient, though not particularly warm — a pattern I’ve encountered repeatedly in this region. My room was spacious and tastefully styled in a traditional, slightly ornate Chinese décor — gold accents, a floral headboard, embroidered bedding, and patterned carpets. I found it cosy and refined, though a touch old-fashioned. The room included a kettle, a large wardrobe, and an empty minibar (which was fine to store personal items), but no capsule coffee machine — surprising for a hotel of this category. The bathroom was one of the highlights: large, well-appointed, and spotless, with a generous rain shower and a separate bathtub. Everything felt clean and properly maintained. Unfortunately, I was once again placed next to the lift. While not excessively loud, the mechanical hum and vibrations were noticeable enough to require earplugs. In a hotel of this scale, it’s disappointing that room assignment doesn’t take noise exposure into account unless explicitly requested. Breakfast was decent but uninspired. The buffet offered both Asian and Western selections, but lacked several basics — no baked beans, no unsweetened muesli or yoghurt, and no healthy additions like oats or nuts. The muesli options were highly processed, and the yoghurt overly sweet. I also missed having chocolate milk, and there was no visible staff presence to ask or assist. As with other parts of the hotel, the atmosphere was competent but entirely lacking in warmth or proactive service. Sadly, the hotel’s weakest point is its staff — not just at check-out, but across the board. While not unfriendly, they were consistently cold, detached, and uninterested. The check-out experience was the lowest point of my stay: completely indifferent, bordering on arrogance. No eye contact, no farewell, no hospitality whatsoever. For a hotel called “Sunshine”, the staff convey very little of it in their manner or service. This is a real shame, as the hardware of the hotel is genuinely impressive — the grand design, clean rooms, and elegant bathrooms all point to a well-managed physical property. But the human element is a critical part of any hospitality experience, and here it falls far short of expectations. A beautiful hotel can only take you so far; the absence of genuine, welcoming service leaves a lasting impression — and unfortunately not a good one.

The rooms are HUGE! There is even a swing inside the room. This is one of their better hotels in the area. And the hotel itself is huge with a lot of rooms, which also creates problems with the crowds. Unfortunately, the hotel feels dated except for the lobby. The carpets reeks of smoke from cigarettes. The breakfast spread was impressive but the crowds can be quite unruly. If you decide to eat at 7am (they open 6:30), expect a challenge to find a seat as the staff are not trained to assist you. They just check if you can go in, then you are on your own. The next time window to eat should be around 8am already. They need to add coffee machines as the two machines take time to create the coffee and the lines can be quite long. The food tastes are okay and choices are vast.

This hotel falls below average in every category but one. Our guide said it was the best hotel in Zhangjiajie. I saw a Hampton Inn not far away, and I wish I had spent the last two nights there. Rooms. Our room constituted the weirdest hotel room I have ever stayed in. The bedspread, sheets, and curtain sheers were bright PINK! A PURPLE shag rug on the floor covered a defect in the BROWN-patterned carpet. A white wicker love swing in the corner sat on an ORANGE rug and was covered by a white and GREEN cushion. The color scheme was phenomenally ugly. Unbelievably, the toilet was encased in a glass enclosure similar to the shower. You felt like you were in a fish bowl. Lobby and Property. The hotel is old, tired, and worn. The halls and rooms smell dusty and of heavy cigarette smoke. Visible dust covered chandeliers and other fixtures. There were few shops on the premises, giving the hotel a sleepy look and feel. The lobby looks better in the photos than it did live. But … the hotel is located close to some of the most spectacular mountain scenes and hiking that I have ever witnessed or experienced. FOOD. Our package included a buffet breakfast and dinner. The Chinese food was horrible. Every dish with beef or pork included BOTH bone pieces and generous gristle. I had a dish billed as “Chinese short ribs.” After three bites I threw it out. All bone and gristle, not a speck of meat fit for human consumption. The grill cook prepared, while you waited, a sort of stir fry with chicken, pork, and potatoes. That dish was good, the only redeeming food served. The buffet served no Western food to speak of. Best advice: if you must eat here, wait for the grill and eat fruit. Staff. We had little interaction with the staff. Curiously, though, the maid did not fill the empty shower gel or put out a roll of toilet paper. We ran out of both on our second night. We had to set the toilet paper core on the counter and take the shower gel bottle off the mount and set it next to the core to get both issues addressed while we were hiking.