"My spontaneous family trip led us to the Hilton Garden Inn. Xi'an has quite a few Hiltons, so make sure to check the exact name and address. This one is near the Bell Tower, offering a quiet retreat in a bustling area. It's a renovated old hotel, so there was some ongoing construction. Upon entering, there was still a slight renovation smell. However, they didn't do any construction at night, so it didn't really bother us since we were out exploring during the day.
Before checking in, they asked about our preferences. We like quiet rooms, so they arranged a corner room for us, a bit further from the elevator and relatively good for sound insulation.
The breakfast restaurant was excellent, with a variety of snacks and dishes that rotated daily. The only downside was that it could get very crowded during peak hours, and you might have to wait for a table. The restaurant is also quite narrow, so if you're seated near the entrance, you'll have to walk back and forth a lot to get food. As the hotel adds more rooms, the restaurant might need to be expanded overall.
What delighted me most about this hotel was the free laundry room! After a few days, I took our worn clothes downstairs, and they were clean, fragrant, and warm within an hour. It was fantastic! It saved me from the laundry pressure of unpacking after getting home, haha!
Regarding housekeeping, the standards varied. The first night's housekeeper was very meticulous. She noticed what we used and replenished it, put out three towels since we had a child, and even left a spare tissue pack when ours was running low. She even placed my child's plush toy in the bed for a 'rest.' However, the housekeepers on subsequent nights were a bit less attentive. Cotton swabs weren't refilled, they didn't notice the toilet paper was almost out, there were still hairs after the bathroom was mopped, and drinks were only replenished if we'd already finished them. These are minor details and didn't affect our stay much. The bedding, duvet covers, and pillows were all quite good, and the memory foam pillow was excellent for neck support.
For transportation, there's a bus stop right outside. We mostly used the bus or taxis. The subway station was a bit far, and we weren't keen on walking that much.
If you turn right and walk about 100 meters down Juhuayuan Street, there's a post office where you can send postcards. A bit further, if you turn left, there's a Zheng Yuanyuan (a massage place) to relieve travel fatigue. Across from Zheng Yuanyuan is a Zhao Yiming (a snack shop), essential for satisfying cravings!
There aren't many dining options directly nearby, but diagonally opposite, there's Wei Ji Liangpi and Hutuji Shaanxi Cuisine, which are both good. About 50 meters to the right is Xi'an Restaurant. For a wider variety of food, I'd recommend the Muslim Quarter, where you'll find old established shops for Pao Mo, soup dumplings, and Biang Biang noodles, haha. There are also 'bouncy cars' (electric rickshaws), so you can just call one to pick you up when you're tired from exploring – super convenient. Well, that pretty much sums up my travel diary!
The hotel front desk service was also excellent. They were clear-headed, answered all our questions, and were very responsive to our requests. I'd definitely recommend this hotel to friends visiting Xi'an!"