At the end of October, I was sent to Chang'an Town, Dongguan for work. Before departure, I casually booked the Chang'an International Hotel without much expectation, thinking that it was just a place where I would spend the night on a business trip. Unexpectedly, the moment I pushed the door open and entered, I was caught by an indescribable sense of security.
The lobby of Parklane Hotel Changan Dongguanis not grand, but clean and spacious. Warm colored lights shone on the light beige stone wall, and the receptionist softly asked me if I wanted a high floor or a quiet floor. Upon learning that I had a morning meeting the next day, she took the initiative to arrange a room on the inner side. When checking in, I brought a cup of warm chrysanthemum tea with a few goji berries at the bottom, which was just right warm on a slightly cool autumn night.
The room is on the tenth floor, with the window facing the street view of Chang'an Town. Opening the curtains in the evening, one can see a continuous low mountain ridge in the distance. Nearby, a string of warm yellow street lamps light up along the street, as if tying a light strip to the small town. The furnishings in the room may not be luxurious, but everything feels comfortable: there are pillows of two different heights at the bedside, a desk lamp with three levels of brightness on the writing desk, a showerhead with ample water pressure in the bathroom, and even a bathrobe neatly stacked at the end of the bed. As someone who travels on business all year round, I am most afraid of hotel slippers being too thin to hurt my feet. However, the cotton slippers here are thick and soft, and I don't want to take them off when I put them on.
The next morning, being woken up by an alarm clock and going downstairs for breakfast was the real surprise. The restaurant was filled with local neighbors, and the pushcart auntie warmly greeted, 'Handsome guy, shrimp dumplings just came out of the cage.'. I carried the plate around and found that the rice noodle soup was freshly pulled and steamed, so thin that it was translucent. It was so fresh when topped with soy sauce that even eyebrows would fall off; Fried white radish patty is golden on both sides, and its mouth is full of sweet radish when you bite it; There was also a bowl of hot pig Congee, which was as good as free. Halfway through the meal, the uncle at the table next to me noticed my out of town accent and took the initiative to recommend that I go for a walk in the nearby Lianhua Mountain at night, saying that osmanthus flowers are fragrant in the mountains this season.
After finishing work during the day, I really took a stroll to Lianhua Mountain in the evening. When I came back, it was already dark. The security guard at the hotel gate recognized me and shouted 'back' from a distance, like a neighbor who had been waiting for a long time. In the lobby bar, several guests were chatting in low voices. I ordered an American style drink and sat in the corner flipping through my phone for a while. Suddenly, I felt that this undisturbed relaxation was more comfortable than any luxurious lobby in a five-star hotel.
On the day of check-out, the girl at the front desk handed me a small bag of egg rolls made by the hotel and said they were for regular guests. I was stunned for a moment. Although it was only my first time here, she smiled and said, 'Then consider it as a first time greeting.'.
Stepping out of the hotel gate, I turned around and glanced at the warm yellow lit lobby, silently jotting down this name in my heart. Parklane Hotel Changan Dongguanis not ostentatious, but uses a bowl of Congee, a cup of tea, and a "back" sentence to firmly hold the simplest goodwill of a small town in the palm of your hand. If I come back to Chang'an again next time, I probably won't just "book casually" anymore, but will take it seriously and come back specifically.Show more