The Astor Hotel, A Luxury Collection Hotel Tianjin

“Charming historic property; maybe not the best value?”

Like many, we stayed here recently for the overall historic experience - there aren't a lot of 150+ year old hotels in China (15 years is considered "old"). And it was a good overall experience - you got to see the space more and "live" in the room, getting a bit more of the atmosphere. But don't e… more

Like many, we stayed here recently for the overall historic experience - there aren't a lot of 150+ year old hotels in China (15 years is considered "old"). And it was a good overall experience - you got to see the space more and "live" in the room, getting a bit more of the atmosphere. But don't expect over-the-top service or tremendous luxury - this is a state-owned hotel operation primarily marketing to tourists taking selfies... - Our room in the old wing was solid - clean, good linens, spacious. Lots of marble in the batrhoom; room a good mix of old "Victorian" style but clean and well kept overall. Minor complaints would be the inconsistently flushing toliet (my wife called to have someone look at it, and was just told it was old and that's how it was) and the lack of the view - we looked out directly at the roof of the courtyared atrium - barely any light in the end. - Limited hours on the bar and western restaurant - Bar is officially open only Friday and Saturday (but on our Saturday stay was closed due to post-holiday workday swap); didn't look into restaurant hours specifically but seemed to be closed most of the time....courtyard cafe though seemed to be open for tea, snacks, non-alcoholic drinks etc fairly wide hours. - Hotel service was mixed - did seem proactive to great me as a foreigner in English which isn't always a given in China...but also some hassle like our 4 pm checkin was greeted with a request to wait "just a few minutes" to confirm the room; we finally pressed 15 min later for it to be solved and somehow was instantaneously resolved. - The hotel also has a museum in the basement about the property's history and role in Tianjin overall. Unlike many museums in China, it does acknowledge foreigners by name and their contributions so that was a solid plus. Of course it's not the deepest history, but fun to see some of the artifacts - old menus, room equipment, etc. That said - can also get much of the context from searching on YouTube for an old 3-part CGTN/CCTV Intl. series on the hotel's renovation. - Breakfast was fine - it's not a big space so can get somwhat crowded; food quality and service seemed average-ish. Overall, I'd recommend staying here once - it's a unique experience. But - given the prices aren't that much different from the major branded newer hotels (the St. Regis 2 km away was practically the same price, let alone Westin, Shangrila, etc) - it's hard to recommend the Astor House for a second stay or beyond. The "character" in the end is somewhat obscured by the tourism feel; the Taj Palace this is not (in terms of really distinctive luxury atmosphere)...

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“Very charming”

Although it’s not as luxurious as some of the city’s newest hotels, there’s an undeniable character to the place that’s hard to find elsewhere in Tianjin and even in China. Rooms in the historic wing feature four-poster beds, parquet flooring and bundles of charm. Breakfast is just average though, … more

Although it’s not as luxurious as some of the city’s newest hotels, there’s an undeniable character to the place that’s hard to find elsewhere in Tianjin and even in China. Rooms in the historic wing feature four-poster beds, parquet flooring and bundles of charm. Breakfast is just average though, despite its friendly and efficient staff.

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“Beautiful Property along the Riverfront”

I spent two weeks teaching in Tianjin and this was the hotel the school booked for me. I had expected a Luxury Collection Hotel, but they are no longer participating in that chain. That's not a problem in terms of cleanliness or quality of the hotel, but if you're a Marriott member it might influen… more

I spent two weeks teaching in Tianjin and this was the hotel the school booked for me. I had expected a Luxury Collection Hotel, but they are no longer participating in that chain. That's not a problem in terms of cleanliness or quality of the hotel, but if you're a Marriott member it might influence your decision. My room was very large, clean, and well-appointed. The walk-in closet area was smartly designed and featured a tea kettle, ice bucket, and coffee machine. The full-length mirror was also very useful! The bed was a little more firm than I generally like, but the bedding was just heavenly. The bathroom was enormous and just about everything in it was marble... it was very important to lay down towels after stepping out of the enormous tub or spacious shower. I really loved the room. The only problem with the room is that it was at the end of the hall and I think some of the cleaning staff stored items on the other side of the wall the head of the bed was up against. During the day and until at least 8 or 9pm it was not uncommon to hear things banging against the other side of the wall. This was difficult when trying to get over colossal jet lag. The breakfast offered is outstanding, an enormous selection of both Chinese and western options is provided. The pastries were especially out of this world. I'd normally do one plate of Chinese options (omg, the dumplings) and one plate of western items. By the end of my stay the staff always welcomed me with a fresh cup of coffee. Many of the staff did not speak much English, but they always did their best to show the greatest and most generous hospitality, being quite patient with me (Canadian living in the United States). Microsoft Translator did a good job on communicating specific details, like requesting a late checkout, which they were always happy to assist with. The location was also lovely, right along the riverfront. There were so many places to walk around to: great scenery, tasty coffee shops, two different metro stations. If I return to teach and this is where they'd like to put me, I'll happily return... just maybe get a quieter room.

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“Spacious rooms - good service”

Centrally located, interesting design, relatively dated facilities, spacious rooms, fast and smooth internet connection. The breakfast buffet was also rich and the service was good. All in all, it is a good and affordable hotel for business travelers.