2 nights in the Intercontinental in Qingdao were really good. The rooms were excellent, comfy, well decorated and one of the best beds I have slept in. We ate in the Grill restaurant, the service and food were exceptional. I would recommend to anyone. The bar was a little noisy although there are plenty of quiet areas. The foyer was very relaxing.Breakfast was also spoilt for choice.

We booked the Intercontinental in Qingdao as an escape from Beijing during the Spring Festival. We decided to be a bit lush and booked the hotel Merc from the Airport (Y650) which by Aussie cab prices is cheap as it takes around 50 mins from the Airport. A local cab (no seatbelts etc.) will still cost you Y120-130 so the difference for a no fuss and safe ride is worth considering.
Anyway the pick-up was hassle free and on check-in we were offered to join the Ambassador Club run by the hotel for US$200, it wasn't and uncomfortable hard sell in fact on our room rate we saved Y300 a night (Y1200 on our 4 night stay (US189)) as we were only going to be out of pocket $US11 we decided to join. We were upgradde to a suite with a separate living area - this means 2 TV's which is always nice when travelling with children. There was also a fully automated coffee machine (Y25 per coffee) a a separate wardrobe dressing area. The view was stunning across the harbour and as we were in a corner suite we also looked to the front street which normally would be rather ordinary but during Spring Festival it seems to be used by the locals for setting up fireworks so we had front row seats!
By joining the club (or by booking a club room) you get breakfast for 2 in the club (or main dining area if you prefer). You also have complimentary afternoon tea - great little rolls or petite delicious cakes and espresso coffee or soft drinks etc. Actually I am fairly sure the drinks (non alcoholic) are available all day in the club lounge. Then later between 6-8pm there is a complimentary full drink service and canapés which are also very substantial. You really didn't have to leave the hotel, which was good, as even a holiday destination like Qingdao is fairly well closed over this national holiday period. Late checkout to 4pm is also available on request.
The staff were great especially in the Club although I did get the feeling they may have been a little short staffed, but for the value we got from all the extras we certainly were not worried by having to ask for an extra plate or glass on occasion. I also appreciated my daughter being very well treated as were the other children in the Club (this is not always so - but Savy hoteliers need to take note that more people than ever are travelling with their children and repeat business is often based on how well children are accommodated).
The pool was also divine, and huge, with lovely big lounge spaces to curl up on.
It was hard to judge Qingdao the town over this period when most of it was closed, but the Intercontinental was a fantastic place to hole up and chill out - the extra lounge room was great at preventing "cabin fever" from setting in. Whilst I didn't see inside the Aqua suites you could see them from the lift lobby and it seems the top floors of these are open air with a deck so they could be a great pick in warmer weather. Look out for the dog who lives on the roof of the nearby hotel - don't worry he seems to know not to jump over the edge whilst chasing birds!

Having already written a review of an awful experience (all true) at this property, I write this review to report a more recent experience. The senior management of the property contacted me toward the end of my earlier stay, apologizing for what was admittedly an abysmal failure, and inviting me to try them again. So I did. I contacted the manager of the property prior to my arrival and asked him if he could guarantee a non-smoking room as reserved with wifi signal, and he said he could. So I reserved rooms for myself and my colleagues and tried them again. Check-in was quick. The room (with view as reserved, without stench of cigarettes) was clean and well prepared. The property is kept spotlessly clean. Wifi continues to be a problem. In the room I stayed in, there were two bars of wifi signal, and the speeds were poor. So this is an area where the property could use substantial improvement, especially for business travelers. The breakfast buffet (I didnt eat breakfast on my first stay) is impressive, with an enormous selection of Chinese and Western options. Overall, the property is kept spotlessly clean, the food and catering is very good, the employees try to be helpful, and, except for faulty wifi, my latest experience at this property was positive. Any traveler who does not need internet access should have a very pleasant stay.

I stayed here one night on a business trip. This was one of the few Chinese hotels I stayed at which was not insanely overheated in winter. My room was crisp and clean feeling with a great bed. The restaurant has an excellent view over the marina and endless items on the breakfast buffet, only complaint the room is so huge it's quite a hike from the buffet to some tables. Spectacular lobby and lobby bar. I enjoyed not having to leave the window open all night in mid winter to avoid suffocating, unlike most China hotels in winter. Overall an excellent hotel.