We stayed at Meritus Hotel in Shantou in mid Oct 2011 for 2 nights on a business trip. Booking was for a executive room, on the executive floor with lounge. It took 20 minutes and RMB32.50 from airport to our Meritus hotel in town, roads were empty at 115PM, very few cars and few people, they said the hotel is fully booked, yet I saw nobody anywhere. Taxi by the meter. Meritus Hotel is the best hotel in Shantou. We had lunch on the 2nd floor restaurant, food was expensive and bad. Free breakfast in the ground floor coffee shop was big and very good. Executive lounge is very large with top floor view of the distant bay and mountain, very good service, fresh fruit and food in the afternoon, very nice place. Room was on the small side but not too small, modern and clean, bathroom is top tier and clean. Soft and comfortable bed.

Shantou has very long blocks, so it may seem like a block away but actually very long walk, best to take taxi. It is less than half a block away from a major shopping center with many restaurants upstairs, close yet a long walk. 3 very long blocks from a big Jinsha night market with hundreds of shops and food stalls, fun place to visit. Shantou is a friendly city with many smiling happy people and beautiful girls.

Hotel is empty and quiet during the day but comes alive during the night, 2nd to 9th floor are entainment places, for K-TV singing and Marjohn. When I sent downstairs at night, I was solicited several times by varies prostitutes in the lobby, by and in the elevator, but I was told it is common in ALL hotels in Shantou.

We enjoyed our stay at Meritus Hotel.

The hotel is showing signs of wear and tear but still gives good value for the standard received.
Very helpful and friendly staff and in an excellent location for evenings etc.

Buffet breakfast and meals was good, selection western and Chinese. Rooms clean and well kept. Hotel staff very helpful

Shantau is our base to look up my relatives in area towns. My mom and my wife shared a room with double beds. This hotel happens to be across from a very bustling morning market and nite street food neighborhood. It was a treat to experience the market and tasting local breakfast snacks as the hotel restaurant is pricey with western choices. Also beside the hotel there is row of western brand retail shops.