Standing just five stories tall, is a rising star � the Royal Lagoon Hotel � Dongguan � which for the un-initiated, lies about half way between Shenzhen and Guangzhou, PRC.  With nicely appointed rooms, and almost every one featuring a balcony which if you are lucky enough overlooks the enormous (70 metre diameter) circular swimming pool is complete with a central cluster of Coconut Palms. Definitely no expense has been spared (about US$40 million in fact) in the making of this 268 room 5-star hotel which finally threw open its doors at its Grand Opening on March 18th. 
 

The mosaic floored bathroom contains one of the biggest bathtubs I have ever seen and deep enough for a good long hot soak which is made especially easy by the piping hot water supply. The toilet, often an overlooked area, has its very own touch-sensitive sound control and is great for masking out unfriendly sounds at the same time providing a soothing and relaxing background to help you on your way. All they need now are some light reading materials.  Although the amenities are complete allowing you to bring just a tiny overnight bag, do BYO cotton buds since they unfortunately overlooked those.

Royal Lagoon Hotel Hu Yink Park, Yin Bin Road,  Dong Cheng District  Dongguan 523129  Guangdong, PRC

An almost boomerang shaped desk is very comfortable, and well equipped with stationery supplies like pencils and paperclips. It is of the right working height and has good lighting in addition to easily accessible power points. A 2-line telephone is provided complete with data-port, and although broadband should be there, I could not find it. Sadly, the TV remote control which is nicely housed in a leather pochette has been built for local consumption and so is in Chinese � but for the coach potato, it won�t take long before you are channel hopping though the 40 different programmes complete with CNN, BBC, HBO, CNBC and Star Sports. I like the spacious wardrobe and I cannot fail to mention the clothes hangers which must be amongst the heaviest I have ever lifted. They are huge and nicely hug my jacket, as well as having a rail high enough to allow my trousers (I�m six feet two) to hang fully extended off the clips. A full length shoe horn is also welcome, and so is the clothes brush � hopefully they�ll soon hang them on a clip so you don�t have to pick them up off the cupboard floor.

The room stock is complemented by 20 duplex suites starting at RMB2,000 ++,  some of which have three bedrooms and a fully fitted kitchen making them perfect for the long staying guest, or a family on a weekend break who are seeking a homely environment and seclusion while on-the-road. The bed is comfortable, and the night stand contains a reminder notice not to smoke in bed, plus a carefully placed ashtray for me to stub out my smoke prior to retiring for the night. I�m also very pleased that the complimentary drinks in the room include a sachet of Nescafe and not just black, red and green tea.

A fully decked out health club caterers to the most fastidious workout enthusiast by providing some amazing machines. I just hope they recruit the right level of staff to help the user get wired-up and become one with the machine. An adjacent wooden floored sunken studio has been set aside for such things as Step and yoga classes � my wife will love that!

For the foodie, the hotel is complete with six outlets, the most interesting of which is B.B�s a Brazilian Currascaria. For those of you unfamiliar with this dining concept and that will be the case for most residents of Dongguan, since it�s a first in this factory laden town - Currasco is a Brazilian BBQ. All foods are served on an eat-as-much as you can basis by the chefs who have painstakingly prepared the delicacies. The BBQ is dispensed table side by taking a large knife and carving them off huge skewers which contain such items as spicy steak, prawns, lamb, ribs and even pineapple � which is the perfect accompaniment for the delicious chocolate cake. Come with an empty stomach, and you�ll be sure to leave with a full one. It�s not a place for the feint hearted the cholesterol watchers or vegetarians. For them, the hotel has provided the Café Royal and a Chinese Restaurant located in the adjacent block located across the huge courtyard.

There are some interesting art pieces strategically located around the building to include gold colored rock carvings in the lobby and colored glass water effects. Knowing it�s a Chinese owned business, they must be Feung Shui related.

Banquet and Convention business is they key driver to this property, and the 400 seat pillar-less Convention centre will I�m sure be very busy drawing companies from a catchment area as wide as Hong Kong on one side and Guangzhou on the other. So confident of draw for these facilities, the hotel has translated all documents into English and Japanese catering to the language requirements of the multinational businesses in this flourishing industrial zone.

If you are into post dinner Jazz, or Karaoke a short walk away are two outlets catering to your music needs. If you prefer something more relaxing, then take a stroll in the sprawling gardens of the Royal Lagoon, where you will be serenaded by the fragrance of Osmanthus � and depending on the time of the year, you can pick your own Lychees and mangoes from the wild fruit trees. Adjacent to the property is what has been described as Dongguan�s premiere golf course complete with some amazing villas, and I understand the hotel is trying to create a package to include green fees. 

The Royal Lagoon is the latest addition to the Zenith family of hotels, and the General Manager � Peter Erler who has put a personal touch to the Room Service menu by adding Wiener Schnitzel must be very proud at how the product has turned out. I can see from the glow on his face that he is glad the Grand Opening has finally arrived and that he can hopefully do some good business.

All in all, the Royal Lagoon is an oasis in the middle of this industrial city where a tremendous of construction and development is taking place � such is the price we pay for progress. When we talk about things missing in this hotel I�m very pleased to report that there is no weighing scale in the bathroom which I suspect has been consciously overlooked bearing in mind that many guests would have pigged out in B.B�s the night before and don�t want to be reminded the morning after of having done so.

Terence Ronson  +852 946 80848 [email protected] http://www.pertlink.net

Terence started his career as a Chef, and acquired his wealth of practical experience and knowledge whilst holding various management positions with   Hilton International in Asia and at several prestigious establishments in the U.K. After developing a personal interest in computers and technology some twenty years ago, Terence has turned his attention on to this exciting and rapidly evolving aspect of the business, working with several  prominent IT related companies in the hospitality industry, applying their products and services so as to streamline businesses, improve profitability, and the guest experience.