Like so many things in China, consistency is a problem. So those expecting an all round 5 star experience should move on to the Shangrila or the Crowne Plaza and pay accordingly. In some ways the Huiqan Dynasty is definitely worthy of 4-5 star status but in other ways it falls short. For example, Lobby and main floor are spotless, but rooms in the south tower have not been renovated since the addition of the tower in the early 90's. I had to swap rooms until I found one that had a door lock in proper order and a more functional bathroom. While clean, carpets and furniture were worn. Travelers should choose a room in the newly renovated North wing as these rooms are far nicer, which I was unfortunately unable to secure

Amenities of the hotel were also hit and miss. Pool and health club need renovation. The sushi restaurant and the Shandong restaurant were quite poor. But the rotating restaurant on the 25th floor offered great views and tasty buffet breakfasts and dinners. Everything was very fresh and well prepared. Even more of note is the Hong Kong restaurant. During my stay we ate dinner there most nights because it was simply offered the best Southern Chinese cuisine- certainly equal to the Shangrila. And it was far from expensive.

Despite these deficiencies I have to recommend the Huiqan Dynasty for it's level of service and location. Most staff could speak some English and were very helpful and considerate. The location of the hotel could not be better, since it is right on No. 1 bathing beach and conveniently placed between the old town of Qingdao and the new downtown. The scenic Badaguan area and the buildings of the old town are all in walking distance.

Reasonable rates, good service, great scenic location and one of the best restaurants in Qingdao would have me happily check into the Huiqan Dynasty once more.

We arrived at the hotel, and although we were like first in line, it look like 20 minutes to check in. Reservations were written by hand. There were no computers.

We arrived at the rooms. Two tiny beds. My dad could barely fit in it alone. The TV was tiny and even had pornography on it. We booked an ocean-view room, but we had to stick our head out the balcony until we almost fall off in order to see the ocean. The disgusting bathroom was most disappointing. The toilet, sink, and shower were at least 10 years old. There was mold everywhere. Definitely never staying here again.

The first thing I noticed walking into the lobby was a musty smell. I don't know if it was because the hotel is near the beach and the smell from outside comes into the lobby, but it was there for the entire five days I was there. The hotel is across the street from the beach. If you are a beach person, there is very easy access to Bathing Beach #1. Check-in was painless and quick. The room was okay for the price. The bed was as hard as a rock. If you like a firm mattress, you will be in heaven. The bed linens were always clean and white. Large floor to ceiling window with a view of part of the beach. The air conditioning worked, but took quite a while to cool off the room. The high setting did not seem to be much different from the low setting. The television had problems with color settings and also the remote control would frequently stop working. Sometimes the picture would just turn to snow and I would have to fiddle with the setting for a while to get the picture back. The typical English language channels were offered (CNN, HBO, etc.). There was no comfortable chair to relax in in this room. The room could use a nice soft chair or love seat which would have fit easily in the space. There was a small round table and two hard backed chairs to sit in at the table. There was a desk with free internet access. The bathroom was small, but adequate. The towels were always fluffy, clean and white. However, the shower had a great deal of rather disgusting visible mildew in the tile grout on the shower walls. The shower itself was powerful enough and had plenty of hot water. One day, housekeeping forgot to replenish the toilet paper. The restaurants were okay. Nothing exciting, but adequate, especially if you like seafood. If I go back to Qingdao, I will try the Crowne Plaza, instead.