This Newly Opened Marriott Executive Apartments by Meixi Lake in Changsha Gave Me a Warm, Homey Experience
Changsha, as the Media Arts Capital and a top-tier internet-famous city, has so much to attract us. In the eyes of foodies, there are Hunan cuisine, Wenheyou, and Sexy Tea; in the eyes of culture enthusiasts, there are Yuelu Mountain and Orange Isle. As a hotel enthusiast and foodie, checking into new hotels is also a must.
This time, I traveled to Changsha with a friend and stayed at the newly opened Changsha Excellence Marriott Executive Apartments. This apartment is the 10th Marriott Executive Apartments in China and the first in Central China. Located by Meixi Lake, surrounded by green mountains and clear waters, it is sure to be the top choice for business and leisure travelers seeking a refined mid- to long-term stay experience in Changsha.
We caught good weather and took aerial shots of Meixi Lake—the emerald green lake reflecting the new city. In such an environment surrounded by green mountains and clear waters, whether for business or leisure, it is very pleasant.
The overall design inspiration of the apartment is presented through five elements representing Huxiang culture: chrysanthemum stone, Liuyang summer cloth, Wangcheng paper-cutting, Tongguan ceramics, and Xiang embroidery. I will introduce the hotel floor by floor, hoping to give you a brand new experience of Marriott Executive Apartments.
Driving to the hotel entrance, the red sign "Changsha Excellence Marriott Executive Apartments" comes into view. At night, when the neon lights illuminate the hotel building, it looks refreshed and gives a passionate feeling.
Passing through the hotel gate, a large screen shaped like Liuyang summer cloth separates the elevator hall from the revolving door. In the middle, there is an artwork shaped like chrysanthemum petals, symbolizing "people become elegant by stones, and stones become precious by chrysanthemums." To the right is the concierge desk.
Second Floor: Lobby, Lobby Lounge, Yiranju Restaurant, Meeting Room
Apartment Lobby & Lobby Lounge
Taking the elevator to the second floor, the lobby lounge and front desk come into view. Since the hotel building uses floor-to-ceiling windows, natural lighting is abundant. The sunlight streaming into the lobby lounge and front desk sweeps away the gloom of the past two rainy months in Changsha.
The front desk has two reception counters equipped with comfortable seats, providing guests with a relaxed and comfortable environment for check-in and check-out.
A screen and entrance separate the front desk from the lobby, creating a familiar and warm home-like feeling. The lobby lounge is furnished with sofas and tables arranged in a staggered manner, suitable for business meetings or chatting with friends. The lobby lounge offers freshly ground coffee, Chinese tea, and various alcoholic beverages.
Passing through the lobby lounge, you reach Yiranju Restaurant. The restaurant features floor-to-ceiling windows with abundant natural light, allowing guests to enjoy the view of Meixi Lake while dining. The screen design of the restaurant is inspired by Liuyang summer cloth, capturing time, seemingly light as the wind yet touching the heartstrings.
The restaurant also has an outdoor dining terrace. In good weather, guests can dine on the terrace, enjoying a dual experience of visual and taste pleasure in a quiet and comfortable setting.
Yiranju Restaurant serves international cuisine and Chinese specialty dishes. Breakfast includes distinctive Hunan rice noodles, traditional soy milk and fried dough sticks, as well as porridge and omelets.
For groups or large families, delicious Hunan dishes can also be enjoyed here.
Multifunctional Meeting Room
At the other end of the second floor is a small meeting room. Though small, it is fully equipped with a projector, projection screen, microphones, and audio equipment. The meeting room covers a total area of 102 square meters and can be divided into two separate rooms according to guest needs. The apartment also offers over 100 square meters of meeting space that can flexibly accommodate various meetings and events, such as board meetings, social events, family gatherings, and private romantic ceremonies and celebrations.
Third Floor: Gym, Swimming Pool, Kids' Playroom
Guests staying at the apartment can use their room card to access the gym on the third floor. The fitness equipment comes from the globally renowned brand Technogym. Guests can run and exercise by the floor-to-ceiling windows while enjoying the outdoor scenery.
Indoor Heated Swimming Pool
At the other end of the third floor is an indoor heated swimming pool with two panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows. The pool is kept at a constant temperature of 28-30°C year-round. The floor-to-ceiling window design allows guests to better take in the beautiful views of Meixi Lake. It is expected that many internet-famous young people will come here to show off their figures this summer.
Considering families with children, the apartment has specially set up a children's playroom. If you bring your little one on vacation, you can play here and enjoy warm family time.
Above the Fourth Floor: 173 Well-Equipped Luxury Apartments
Changsha Excellence Marriott Executive Apartments offers 173 well-equipped luxury apartments, ranging from Deluxe City View Apartments, Deluxe One-Bedroom City View Apartments, Deluxe One-Bedroom Lake View Apartments, One-Bedroom Executive Apartments, Deluxe Two-Bedroom Lake View Apartments, to Deluxe Three-Bedroom Lake View Apartments. Most apartments offer stunning views of the cityscape and the charming scenery of Meixi Lake.
This time I stayed in a one-bedroom apartment, the most common room type. The interior adopts a simple Nordic style, with a well-organized spatial layout that feels warm and comfortable like home. The one-bedroom layout resembles a hotel suite but includes more kitchenware.
There are some triangular and diamond-shaped elements in the guest room. The triangular design is inspired by the flying eaves of Aiwan Pavilion, while the diamond shape comes from the logo of Excellence Group.
The design of all guest rooms in the apartment reflects the "rhythm" and "purity" of Xiang embroidery, especially in small art pieces, vases, and paintings on the walls. The paintings are made of lacquer, showcasing a free, natural, and well-balanced aesthetic.
The kitchen in the living room is equipped with high-end cookware from well-known brands, such as full sets of Electrolux appliances, WMF knives, and the popular Cetis electric kettle. Guests can cook delicious food in the room and show off their culinary skills.
The dining area in the living room has a large dining table where you can enjoy the meals you prepared with family and friends. The room is cleaned by staff, so no need to worry about mess.
The room also features a large refrigerator for freezing and chilling various foods and drinks, as well as a washer-dryer combo. For guests staying longer, laundry is not a concern.
Although the one-bedroom apartment has only one bathroom, the space is cleverly designed. There is a door from the living room directly to the bathroom without passing through the bedroom, and the bedroom leads to the bathroom through the dressing room. This ensures bedroom privacy while allowing guests easy access. The bathroom is equipped with plenty of towels and bath towels for guests' convenience.
The bedroom has a TV but no excessive decorations. The bed features four large pillows, comfortable for leaning against before sleep or hugging while sleeping.
Next to the vanity, the shower area includes an egg-shaped bathtub with cute little yellow ducks. It is expected that families with children will enjoy playing here, and there is no worry about water splashing outside. Toiletries are the same as those in Marriott hotels: THANN, a natural skincare brand from Thailand.
The guest rooms also support electronic key cards, making it easy to use and eliminating the need to carry a physical card when going out.
The two-bedroom apartment is more spacious, with twin beds decorated in an ocean-themed style, likely to be favored by families.
The three-bedroom apartment includes two bedrooms and a study. Of course, the oversized living room will be a favorite for high-end guests or celebrities. The bathtub is placed in front of the wide floor-to-ceiling window.
Exploring Changsha's Great Places
|| Meixi Lake City Island Double Helix Observation Platform
The apartment is located by Meixi Lake, with 3,000 mu of blue water. The clear lake reflects the high-rise buildings and mountain scenery. The lake and mountains complement each other, offering proximity to nature without losing the urban atmosphere.
A few minutes' walk from the apartment takes you to City Island on the west bank of Meixi Lake. This is an artificial island at the east end of the city's central axis, now open to the public for free. The landmark on the island is a double helix observation platform. Climbing the platform, you see rows of high-rise buildings, intersecting roads, lake reflections, and the lush green Meixi Lake Park.
|| Meixi Lake International Culture & Arts Centre
A few minutes' drive from the apartment takes you to the Meixi Lake International Culture & Arts Centre. Hunan is known as the "Kingdom of Hibiscus." Viewed from above, the center resembles three hibiscus flowers blooming by Meixi Lake. The three hibiscus flowers complement each other, unified in style, harmoniously coexisting with the surrounding rivers and lakes. These three hibiscus flowers by Meixi Lake carry on Zaha's architectural philosophy, interpreting the stunning "Zaha" aesthetic: with attitude, warmth, and depth.
Yuelu Mountain is located on the western outskirts of Changsha, one of the 72 peaks of Mount Heng in Nanyue. The "Nanyue Ji" mentions: "Nanyue stretches eight hundred li, with Huiyan as the head and Yuelu as the foot." On the mountainside is the ancient Lushan Temple, known as "the first famous site of Han and Wei, the first Taoist temple of Huxiang." At the top is Yunlu Daoist Palace, and on the mountain is Aiwan Pavilion. All the scenery along the way can be taken in.
Many people are familiar with Du Mu's "Mountain Journey." The line "I stop the carriage to enjoy the evening maple forest; the frosty leaves are redder than February flowers" has been passed down through the ages. Aiwan Pavilion at the foot of Yuelu Mountain gets its name from this poem. Aiwan Pavilion has eight pillars and a double-eaved roof covered with green glazed tiles and a pointed top, very magnificent. Although it is now May, without fiery red maple leaves, the small stream and mirror-like lake, with green trees shading, have a charm of their own.
|| Yuelu Academy
Yuelu Academy is at the foot of Yuelu Mountain, where you can feel a strong scholarly atmosphere. Yuelu Academy is one of the four great ancient academies in China and the earliest institution of higher learning. "Only Chu has talent, and it prospers here." Over thousands of years, it has nurtured generations of "Yuelu giants." If you are interested in culture, come here to experience the cultural ambiance of a century-old academy.
The central position of Yuelu Academy is the "Lecture Hall," the core venue for teaching and major events. Southern Song Neo-Confucian scholars Zhang Shi and Zhu Xi once held "joint lectures" here. The academy also contains many stone inscriptions and plaques, such as the Tang Dynasty "Lushan Temple Stele," the Ming Dynasty carved "Yuelu Academy" stone archway with Emperor Zhenzong's calligraphy, and the "Chengzi Sizhen Stele." The Kangxi and Qianlong emperors bestowed plaques saying "Learning Reaches Nature" and "Dao Nan Zheng Mai" (hanging in the lecture hall). I personally recommend hiring a local guide for a full explanation; otherwise, just looking at the buildings and inscriptions may not convey the cultural atmosphere.
|| Local Eatery: Xiandi Local Restaurant
Actually, in Hunan, you don't have to wait in long lines at Wenheyou. Instead, explore small restaurants in alleys and streets, where you can taste the most authentic local Hunan dishes. This time we drove to Xiandi Local Restaurant, a small eatery in a residential area that serves pure, authentic Hunan cuisine.
|| Art Dining: Taoyuan Ji Baiyin
For those who prefer high quality, you can also go to the art restaurant Taoyuan Ji Baiyin in the Meixi Lake International Culture & Arts Centre, enjoying delicious food with friends in a cave-like setting. The interior style continues the design of Zaha Hadid, the architect of the Meixi Lake Grand Theatre, with a white, minimalist theme. The restaurant features innovative Hunan cuisine, gathering many local Hunan specialties.
|| Yuanjin Coffee · Meixi Lake Branch
Yuanjin Coffee · Meixi Lake Branch is converted from an abandoned warehouse. It transforms a disused warehouse, not far from the city but away from the hustle and bustle, into a coffee shop with a strong sense of design. The owner seems very thoughtful. It offers food, coffee, and desserts with great taste.
After dinner, we visited this unique coffee shop with friends, had a specially made coffee and dessert, and took some beautiful photos.
Sexy Tea seems to have become a must-have street milk tea in Changsha. You can see two or three shops every 50 meters, yet they are still very popular.
Order a cup of your favorite flavor, slowly drink it on the street, and feel the charm of the city.
Changsha Excellence Marriott Executive Apartments
Hotel Address: No. 32, Jinhu 7th Road, Meixi Lake Street, Changsha
