I chose to stay in Shenzhen for five days, since I wanted to maximize the Chinese visa I paid heftily for. On my first couple of days, I stayed in the city center, exploring the city’s attractions (most notably its parks), as well as its plethora of shopping centers. By the third day, I was running out of things to do, so it was great that I was staying at Hilton Shenzhen Shekou Nanhai, which, with its style and location, was akin to a resort getaway.
Hilton Shenzhen Shekou Nanhai is in a far corner of the city, quite a distance from the city center. However, its location has its advantages—it’s near the port that directly links Shenzhen to Hong Kong (city and airport), Macau, and Zhuhai by fastcraft, and its relatively quiet surroundings contrast the hustle and bustle elsewhere in Shenzhen. And besides, with Shenzhen’s extensive metro and bus system, it’s easy to get around.
From Shenzhen’s downtown, I took the subway to the hotel, and from the station, it was a quick, convenient walk. I was surprised how sprawling it was, and admittedly, I did get somewhat lost. But with directions from the friendly staff (despite a small language barrier), I got to the right place.
I found out then that the hotel had two wings—the Shekou Wing, which seemed more like a business hotel, and the Nanhai Wing, which felt more like a resort. I stayed in the latter.
The Nanhai Wing’s lobby looked airy and gorgeous—it gave the impression that it was more a resort than a cookie-cutter hotel. After being handed my keys, I immediately went to my room.
My Premium Room was spacious at 45 square meters. Since the Nanhai Wing was just reopened recently after a complete renovation, the room looked and felt modern, up to par with the nicest hotels in the region.
As expected from the Hilton, the room had all the necessary features of a five-star hotel room, starting with the bed, which had a Serta mattress that I always found to be comfortable. The bathroom was spacious and immaculate, and it had amenities by Crabtree & Evelyn—a new standard for Hilton Hotels and Resorts.
Since I spent a lot of time enjoying the hotel, I had the chance to try out its dining outlets. On my first night, I dined at Open, which offers an international buffet that rivals the stupendous ones we have back in Manila. On the night I was there, the seafood (think crayfish, prawns, and crabs) was overflowing, making it great value for money.
The following night, I had my dinner at Kitchencraft, which has a Szechuan-style hotpot buffet at dinnertime. I loved how flavorful the broth prepared for me was, and I enjoyed the experience altogether. It was also in Kitchencraft where I had my breakfasts, and on offer was an extensive selection of both Western and Asian items.
Lastly, I had lunch on my last day at Sui Xuan, the hotel’s Cantonese restaurant. Its dim sum selection at lunchtime was excellent and better than most of what the restaurants offered back home.
I spent lots of my time in the room to catch up with work, but I was still able to check out the hotel’s facilities in both wings, such as the three swimming pools, the two fitness centers, and the kids’ play area.
HILTON SHENZHEN SHEKOU NANHAI
Wanghai Road, Nanhai District, Shenzhen, China
Telephone: +86 755 2162 8888
Email: shenzhenshekou.info@hilton.com
Website: www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/china/hilton-shenzhen-shekou-nanhai-SZXSSHI/index.html
Note: A Chinese visa is required to enter Shenzhen; however, some nationalities may apply for a five-day port visa exclusively for the Shenzhen Economic Zone (SEZ) at land and sea borders. Unfortunately, Philippine passport holders do not qualify for this visa and must apply for a full Chinese visa from a diplomatic mission.
