May Day Trip to Ningbo: A First Experience in a Starway Hotel Family Room

For our May Day trip to Ningbo, the three of us needed to book a family room. Family rooms are hard to book in general, and even more so during the May Day holiday. Luckily, a relative managed to book a family room at the Starway Hotel for us. I don't usually stay at Huazhu hotels. This was my first time staying at a Starway Hotel, and I was surprised by how good it was. The hotel is conveniently located. It's very close to Ningbo Railway Station, only a ten-minute walk away. You can also take the subway one stop. However, we drove, and parking was a bit tight during the May Day holiday. Especially since there are several well-known restaurants nearby, and people coming to eat also park here. Fortunately, we didn't have to worry about finding a place to eat, as famous Ningbo restaurants such as Yongshang Mingzao and Ninghai Shifu are nearby. The hotel's decor is simple and bright, making it more suitable for business travelers. The family room we stayed in was a small suite, with a small room inside containing a small bed, which was perfect for our child. The washing area is separated from the shower and toilet, and is located at the entrance. This design has its advantages, as it prevents conflicts between people using the toilet and people washing in the morning. However, I felt that a makeup mirror was missing, as the top lighting design of the large mirror was not very friendly for women applying makeup. What was more depressing was that the waterproof strip in the shower of our room was installed backwards, and the bathroom flooded after I took a shower. Fortunately, the room service staff were very helpful and arranged for someone to deal with it immediately after we reported it. They also reinstalled it the next day when we went out. Starway Noodles should be Starway Hotel's signature dish. Eating a bowl of hot, freshly cooked noodles or wontons in the morning is perfect for our Chinese stomachs. There are rib and chicken soup bases to choose from, and you can also add braised beef to the noodles. Our noodle-loving child raved about the noodles. In fact, for an ordinary business hotel, their breakfast selection is quite extensive. There are stir-fries, Chinese and Western pastries, coffee, milk, juice, and yogurt.