Zhangjiajie's BEST Hotel Near the High-Speed Rail? (Friend He Hotel Review!)
Zhangjiajie's Friend He Hotel: My Honest, Messy, and Maybe Slightly Chaotic Review (and Offer!)
Okay, buckle up, because I'm about to unleash on you my full, unvarnished, and potentially rambling review of the Friend He Hotel in Zhangjiajie. Let's be real, I'm not a polished travel blogger; I'm just a person who lived this experience and wants to share the messy truth. And trust me, with all the hotels near the high-speed rail in Zhangjiajie, you need the truth.
First Impressions (and a near Disaster):
Landing at the Zhangjiajie West high-speed rail station after a ridiculously long trip already, the last thing I wanted was hassle. Friend He, bless their hearts, IS conveniently located. Like, right there. Score! But getting out was a bit of a…comedy of errors. The signage wasn’t crystal clear, and for a hot minute, I thought I was going to end up wandering the endless expanse of the train station forever. Thank goodness for the helpful staff who eventually guided me, my suitcase and all, towards the hotel.
Accessibility & Safety – The Good and the…Potentially Better
- Accessibility: They have a decent elevator, which is a godsend when you're lugging luggage. I didn’t personally need a wheelchair-accessible room, but from what I saw, they do have facilities for disabled guests. Whether those facilities are truly top-notch, I can't definitively say – but they seem to be making an effort.
- Cleanliness & Safety: Okay, this is where Friend He really shines, especially in the post-pandemic world. Seriously, the level of hygiene certification and their dedication to cleanliness was seriously impressive! Hand sanitizer everywhere, staff masked up, and I swear I saw them wiping down surfaces with some kind of anti-viral space-age spray. They're serious about daily disinfection, and it's a HUGE comfort. Plus, they also have those individual food options and a safe dining setup - which is essential. And a safe dining setup is everything. And they had a doctor on call. I mean, seriously? Pretty great.
- Check-in/out: Check-in was a breeze with the contactless option, which I am all about. The whole ‘handling paperwork’ thing after a long journey? No thanks.
Rooms: My Little Sanctuary (with a few minor quirks)
My room? Pretty darn good. It wasn't the Ritz, but it was clean, comfy, and offered everything you need.
- Essentials: Air conditioning? Check. Blackout curtains? Double check! After a long day of hiking, those things are gold. They have all the usual amenities: tea/coffee, complimentary bottled water (always appreciated), and a decent little desk space for my laptop and internet access.
- Internet: Yeah, you guessed it: Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! Seriously, the internet was surprisingly good, especially considering the remote location.
- Little details that made me happy: The fresh towels, the bathrobe, and the availability of an iron!
- What could've been better? The bathroom… was a little basic, it could have been more modern. And while the lighting was good, a slightly bigger mirror would have been a plus!
Dining – A Culinary Adventure (Mostly Positive!)
- Breakfast Bonanza: The breakfast buffet was a winner. I’m a sucker for a good Asian breakfast – and Friend He delivered. From the Asian cuisine to the western breakfast, there was something for everyone. I particularly loved their congee. And the free coffee in the restaurant was a bonus!
- Restaurants: The restaurant offered both Asian and international cuisine - you could taste the freshness.
- The occasional mishap: One morning, the buffet was a little slow to refill, which left a bunch of us scrambling for the last of the scrambled eggs. But frankly, those things happen.
Things to Do & Ways to Relax – (Finally, let's unwind!)
Okay, I'll be honest, I went for the hiking in Zhangjiajie, not the spa. But Friend He has a fitness center, a sauna, and a swimming pool. From the pool, it was beautiful and peaceful.
- The Gym: Had a basic gym - but it did the trick!
- The View: Even from the hotel room, if you got the right view, you can see the majestic Zhangjiajie.
Getting Around – Convenience is King!
- Airport Transfer: They offered airport transfers, which is always a massive help.
- Car park: They had free parking, so no worries there!
- Taxi service: Taxi service from the hotel.
Okay, So…The Verdict?
Would I recommend Friend He Hotel? Absolutely! Especially if you're looking for convenience, cleanliness, and a decent value for your money. It's not perfect, but it's a solid choice that offers a comfortable base for exploring the breathtaking scenery of Zhangjiajie. It's the best hotel near the high-speed rail, no contest. It's not perfect, but it is worth every penny.
Now, for the Sales Pitch (because you deserve this!)
The Offer of a Lifetime!
I've teamed up with Friend He Hotel to bring you an exclusive offer you can't refuse!
Book your stay in the next 30 days, and receive:
- A 20% discount on your room rate
- Free breakfast for the duration of your stay
- Complimentary airport transfer to make your arrival smooth and stress-free!
This is more than just a hotel; it's your gateway to an unforgettable journey in Zhangjiajie. Don't miss out! Book your stay at the Friend He Hotel today and experience the beauty of Zhangjiajie in comfort and style!
Click here to book now and claim your exclusive offer! (Insert Booking Link Here!)
And don't forget - let me know what you think! Happy travels!
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Alright, buckle up buttercups, because we're heading to Zhangjiajie, China, with me, your resident travel tornado, at the Friend He Hotel (Zhangjiajie High-speed Railway Station Store). This ain't your glossy travel brochure, folks. This is real life, with all the questionable food, baffling signage, and existential crises that implies. Here goes my attempt to untangle this glorious mess:
Day 1: Arrival & First Impressions (aka, I think I'm lost already)
07:00 - 09:00: Train arrives! Hallelujah! I'm pretty sure I slept through the scenery because I'm pretty sure it involved a lot of green hills - probably. Getting off the train was a stampede. People going everywhere, suitcases being chucked every which way – utter chaos! I felt like a salmon swimming upstream (or maybe just a slightly bewildered guppy).
- Emotional Reaction: Panic - the good people of Zhangjiajie move with a confidence I'm clearly lacking.
09:00 - 10:00: Finding the Friend He Hotel (Zhangjiajie High-speed Railway Station Store): Alright, so the name sounded promising. Friend He Hotel. Like, a "hey, let's be friends" sort of place, which is kinda what I needed. Google Maps seemed to suggest it was… somewhere. Okay, I swear I saw a sign once… but it was written in Chinese (obviously), and I was too busy dodging a rogue scooter to get a good look. After questioning approximately 5 different people, each offering a confusing mix of pointing & frantic Mandarin, I eventually (and thankfully) arrived. It's pretty close to the station, which is a major win.
- Quirky Observation: The sheer volume of scooters on the roads is astounding. They weave through traffic like caffeinated fireflies. I'll have to dodge them on my first adventures.
10:00 - 11:00: Checking in. The front desk lady was super sweet, even despite my stumbling Mandarin. The room… well, it's clean. And it has air conditioning, which is already a godsend in this heat. No complaints!
- Emotional Reaction: Relief. Pure, sweet relief. I can unpack, I can shower, I can maybe even lie down and have a brief moment of peace…
11:00 - 13:00: Lunch! Found a small noodle place. The menu? Entirely in Chinese. Luckily, I saw a couple of locals slurping something that looked vaguely appealing so I pointed and smiled. Verdict: Spicy. Very, very spicy. But also… strangely delicious. I’m pretty sure I've cried from the heat and the tastebuds stimulation.
- Anecdote: I think I may have accidentally ordered a dish containing something I didn't recognise. I won’t ask; I survived, and I lived.
13:00-16:00: An early afternoon exploration (involves getting lost). Armed with a map (that's probably upside-down) and a vague sense of adventure, I decided to wander. I thought I was heading downtown. I think I ended up somewhere else… a local market! The smells… the sights… the people! I spent way too long just watching. The vendors were selling everything from vibrant fruits I'd never seen before to… let’s say “questionable" meats, from what I could discern.
- Quirky Observation: I found a guy selling what I think were candied ginger on a stick. I've tried it. And my tastebuds are not sure what to think.
16:00-17:00: Back to the Hotel to check emails, to prepare for the evening.
17:00 - 19:00: Dinner! I’d heard the name of a restaurant in the old city, but it’s a bit further, so I decided on checking out the local options again.
- Emotional Reaction: I really, really hope the food is not as spicy as lunch…
Day 2: Tianmen Mountain (aka, Height Anxiety & Skywalk Shenanigans)
- 07:00 - 08:00: Breakfast at the hotel. Buffet! It's… interesting. Trying to figure out what's edible. The noodles seem safe enough.
- Messy Structure/Rambling: Food everywhere, but not exactly what I would call a great breakfast. Okay, let's face it, I went for some noodles.
- 08:00 - 10:00: Getting to Tianmen Mountain. This is serious business. The cable car is supposedly one of the longest in the world. And the reviews? Mixed. Some people call it breathtaking. Some call it terrifying.
- Emotional Reaction: I'm going with "cautiously optimistic". Okay, I confess, I'm a little freaked out.
- 10:00 - 13:00: Tianmen Mountain Experience – Up, up, up we go! Okay, the cable car ride is incredible. The views are… well, they're something else. The sheer scale of the mountains is unbelievable. I also nearly had a panic attack at one point.
- Anecdote: I saw a woman take out her phone, take some pictures, and then throw up from fear. Not sure what to do, I took more pictures.
- 13:00 - 14:00: Lunch (picnic style): Managed to grab some supplies from a local shop. The air is crisp and fresh – almost too fresh! The view? Unreal. I'm sitting on a rock, eating some questionable bread, and feeling… humbled.
- 14:00 - 15:00: Skywalk! Alright, so I was not prepared for this. Glass bottom bridges, clinging to mountain sides. Do not look down. Do not look down. I may or may not have crawled. Might have even screamed.
- Stronger Emotional Reaction: HOLY.FREAKING.COW. My legs are still shaking. This is both the most terrifying and most exhilarating thing I've ever done. And I'm pretty sure I'll need therapy afterwards.
- 15:00 - 16:00: More mountain exploration. There are walking paths and stairs. More stairs. And they just keep going upwards. If I could jump out of the cable car and head straight back to the hotel, I would. But I won’t.
- 16:00 - 17:00: Back down the mountain. The descent feels a little easier, but my knees are not happy.
- 17:00-19:00: Dinner and sleep.
Day 3: Departure (Goodbye Zhangjiajie!)
- 07:00 - 08:00: Breakfast. Repeat: The noodles save the day.
- 08:00 - 10:00: Last minute souvenir shopping. Tacky magnets. Maybe a tea set.
- 10:00 - 11:00: Packing. Trying to figure out how much I'm allowed to carry on the train to the next place. I need a suitcase.
- 11:00 - 13:00: Checking out of the Friend He Hotel – (Farewell!) – it's been real. A couple of last pictures.
- Opinionated Language: Seriously, a very decent hotel.
- 13:00 - 14:00: Lunch. A quick final meal – I hope not too spicy.
- 14:00 - 15:00: Heading back to the high-speed railway station. It's gonna be a while.
- 15:00 - onwards: Boarding the train to the next destination…
This itinerary is a rough draft, a messy sketch. It's about the experience, the highs, the lows, the "what-the-heck-is-that?" moments. It’s about embracing the unexpected, and hopefully, coming out the other side with a few good stories (and maybe a slightly traumatized therapist). Wish me luck!
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Zhangjiajie Friend He Hotel: The Good, The Bad, and The Absolutely Hilarious (Maybe)
Alright, buckle up. You're about to get the *real* lowdown on this hotel, and let me tell you, it's a ride. Especially if you're trying to catch that bullet train!
Okay, so *is* the Friend He Hotel actually near the high-speed rail station in Zhangjiajie? Like, a *good* near or a "walking on a prayer" near?
Yes! And that's the *only* reason I booked it, honestly. I'm talking practically spitting distance. You can practically *see* the station. It's probably, oh, maybe a 5-minute walk? Totally walkable, even if you're hauling a suitcase that feels like it’s filled with bricks. Seriously, the convenience of the location is *gold* when you're trying to catch that train to, well, anywhere! It's a massive win. You can roll out of bed (after a questionable night's sleep – more on that later…), grab a quick, greasy breakfast from a street vendor (delicious, by the way – try the baozi!), and be at the platform before you know it. No frantic taxi rides, no heart-stopping traffic jams. Phew!
What's the *actual* hotel like? Is it all Instagram-worthy or more…rustic?
Okay, this is where things get interesting. Forget the perfectly filtered photos you see online. The Friend He is…*charming*. In the way an old, slightly eccentric aunt might be. It’s not luxurious. It’s not sparkling. Let's just say "rustic" is putting it *kindly*. The lobby is…well, it exists. It has a slightly dated feel, like it hasn't been fully renovated since, oh, the late 90s. Think slightly faded floral wallpaper (possibly original), definitely not a fully-stocked minibar (more like a "minibar-ish" collection with prices that somehow seemed to change every hour), and a general vibe of "we try our best." But honestly? That's part of the charm. It’s a real, lived-in kind of place.
The rooms! Tell me about the rooms! Are they clean? Are they…safe?
Okay, the rooms are where the "charming" starts to *lean* towards "questionable." Yes, they're *generally* clean. But let's just say my inner germaphobe had a few moments of near panic. The beds...well, they are beds. Comfortable? That's subjective. I'm a pretty easy sleeper, but even I had a few moments of tossing and turning. The pillows? Let's just say they’ve seen better days. Safety-wise? It's China, so you're probably safe. There's a lock on the door. There aren't any obvious signs of imminent danger. But it's not exactly a place where you'd feel completely comfortable leaving your Rolex lying around, you know? Oh, and the noise! The walls are thin. Prepare to hear your neighbors snoring/arguing/whatever-else-they're-doing. Earplugs are your friend. Seriously, pack them.
What about the staff? Are they friendly? Can they speak English?
The staff are…lovely! (Mostly). The language barrier is a *thing*. Some of them speak *some* English. Enough to get the gist of what you want. Pointing, miming, and Google Translate are your best friends here. I had this absolutely hilarious interaction with the front desk where I tried to order a taxi. It involved a lot of frantic hand gestures, me repeating "taxi? Taxi!" and the poor receptionist looking utterly baffled. Eventually, we figured it out. They were super accommodating, but be prepared for a little bit of a communication challenge. It’s part of the adventure, right? And their eagerness to help makes up for the language struggles. I swear, they tried their best, even when, bless their hearts, they clearly had *no* idea what I was trying to say. It was endearing.
Breakfast? Is it included? And is it…edible?
Breakfast *was* included, I think. Or maybe I paid extra. Honestly, I can't remember. It's all a blur. The options were minimal. Let's just say it's not a gourmet experience. There were some…interesting…concoctions. I remember, vividly, some kind of congee that resembled wallpaper paste. And scrambled eggs that looked… well, let’s just leave it at that. I ended up eating a lot of the previously mentioned (and heavenly) baozi from the street vendors instead. Much better! My advice? Lower your expectations. Or, better yet, skip the hotel breakfast altogether and explore the local food scene. You won't regret it. Trust me.
Okay, okay, let's talk about *that one time* you mentioned. Any particularly memorable experiences (good or bad) that you wouldn't mind sharing?
OH. MY. GOD. This is gonna be good. So, there was this *incident*. Picture this: I'm exhausted after a full day of hiking in the stunning, mind-blowing, utterly spectacular Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. I'm dreaming of a hot shower, a comfy bed, and, you know, *not* having to interact with humans for a few hours. I get back to the hotel, finally make it up to my room (after what felt like climbing Everest in my hiking boots), and… the power's out. *Complete* darkness. I mean, it was pitch black. Now, I’m not the bravest traveler in the world, and I have a slight… *ahem*… aversion to the dark. I fumble for my phone, trying to find the flashlight, and I hear this *thump* from the hallway. Then another. I swear, it sounded like someone was *dragging a body*.
My imagination, already fueled by travel fatigue and a healthy dose of paranoia, went into overdrive. Was it a power outage? Was there a villainous plot? Were *they* coming for *me*? (Dramatic much? Maybe.) I eventually managed to find the flashlight and tentatively opened the door. The hallway was deserted. Just…darkness and the sound of…dripping? I couldn't figure it out. I went wandering the hallway, saw a maintenance guy who just shrugged his shoulders. He didn't speak English. Great. The power eventually *did* come back on after about an hour, thankfully. (The dripping? The condensation from the aircon was probably the answer.) But for that hour, I was absolutely convinced I was trapped in a budget horror movie. Looking back? It's hilarious. At the time? Not so much. It’s a fantastic tale to tell now, though! That’s a Friend He Hotel experience you won't forget!
