Coming to Guiyang, the highly recommended Guiyang Jinyang Hotel offers a comfortable experience

## Jinyang Chronicles: A Time Capsule of a State-Owned Old Hotel The moment you push open the revolving door, the air of 1998 rushes in. The three-tier crystal chandelier in the center of the lobby still shines, but the bulbs have been replaced with LEDs, casting overly bright spots on the beige marble floor. On the wall behind the front desk, beneath the four gilded characters "Jinyang Hotel," there remains a vintage four-star copper plaque— in an era filled with five-star hotels, it stands like a forgotten badge of honor. ### 1. Architectural Narrative of Time and Space The elevator is a classic model from Germany’s Thyssen, its slight vibration during operation reminiscent of an old green train carriage. My room is on the 17th floor; the corridor is carpeted in royal blue, with oil painting reproductions of Huangguoshu Waterfall hanging every five meters on both sides. The door lock of room 1608 requires a firm downward press to open; the feel of this old-style door handle strangely reminds one of childhood stays at government guesthouses. The room is about 35 square meters and surprisingly retains its original layout: an independent sitting area furnished with a solid wood tea table and a long sofa, and the bedroom separated from the bathroom by frosted glass sliding doors. The most delightful feature is the floor-to-ceiling window—not the panoramic glass popular in modern hotels, but three old-fashioned steel windows that can actually be opened. I struggled to turn the copper latch on the left window, and the early summer breeze mixed with floral scents flowed in, making the continuous traffic noise from Beijing West Road below suddenly vivid. The bathroom is a true time capsule: pale pink tiles, a cast iron bathtub, and a "Meijiajing" brand shower gel bottle packaging long out of production—later I learned from the housekeeping auntie that the hotel specially commissioned the manufacturer to reproduce this nostalgic version. Hot water takes three minutes to warm up, and the sound of water hitting the bathtub strongly resembles the big bathhouse at my grandmother’s house during childhood. ### 2. Contemporary Interpretation of State-Owned Aesthetics Breakfast is served on the second floor at the Sunshine Restaurant, where the traditional "meal ticket exchange" system is preserved. The aunties in navy uniforms carefully check room numbers before handing over an enamel tray printed with the hotel logo. The food is authentic Guiyang flavor: Changwang noodles, tofu balls, sour soup noodles, and sweet fermented rice served in insulated containers. I noticed an old-fashioned freezer at the corner of the serving counter, neatly stocked with glass bottles of Jinwei lactic acid bacteria drink—a beverage most familiar to Guiyang children in the 1990s. In the hotel garden stands a peculiarly shaped artificial rockery, which upon closer inspection is made from discarded boiler parts. Rusted steel pipes are cleverly assembled into an abstract landscape, with a small plaque beside it reading: "Remnant of the original hotel boiler room, 1993." This way of treating history feels far more sincere than those deliberately aged trendy hotels. During afternoon tea, I found a guestbook from 1996 in the lobby bar. Yellowed pages were interleaved with various tickets: old Pan-Asia railway tickets, matchboxes from the long-gone "Jinyang Nightclub," and business cards printed in traditional Chinese characters from Hong Kong merchants. The most touching was a pencil sketch depicting the hotel porter helping guests with luggage, with a note in the corner: "Xiao Wang’s first time seeing luggage wheels." ### 3. The Warmth Code of Institutional Service Yang, the head of housekeeping, is a living history of the hotel. She started working here at 18, taking over her mother’s position, and is now nearing retirement. "This place used to be Guiyang’s foreign affairs reception window," she said, pointing to the fire hydrant by the elevator, "During the 1995 fire renovation, German experts insisted on installing this red model, saying it matched their hometown tradition." Late at night, craving a snack, the front desk clerk surprisingly recommended the staff canteen. "At this hour, only our duty fried rice is available, if you don’t mind..." Twenty minutes later, he brought a portion of 'guailu' rice in an aluminum lunchbox topped with homemade pickled radish. Underneath the lunchbox was a note: "Just leave it at the door when done, I’ll collect it in the morning." On the day of checkout, it coincided with the monthly fire drill on the 15th. In the stairwell, I encountered the logistics team lined up in formation; their navy uniforms’ brass buttons gleamed, and the old electrician’s tool belt was still the 1980s state-owned factory style. When the alarm sounded, these employees, averaging over 50 years old, displayed astonishing agility, reminiscent of well-maintained old machines. ### 4. In the Cracks of Time A 300-meter financial center is under construction on the hotel’s west side, creating a curious gap between the construction fence and the old building. Every evening, retired workers set up outdoor chess tables here, using playing cards printed with the hotel’s old logo. An elderly master often practices calligraphy on a concrete block; today he wrote "The green hills remain," with ink spreading through the concrete cracks like a miniature waterfall. At night, standing by the room window, I observed the city’s blend of old and new: to the left, the colorful light show of Qianchun Overpass; to the right, the twinkling lights of the old town. The Jinyang Hotel feels like a clock temporarily stopped, its second hand forever frozen in 1999—the year Guiyang’s first McDonald’s opened diagonally opposite the hotel, now long transformed into a milk tea shop. [Practical Information Memo] 1. The old elevator requires patience during peak hours; it is recommended to avoid 8:00-8:30 during staff shift changes. 2. The hotel garden’s back door leads directly to the Qianlingshan Park trail, saving time queuing at the main entrance for morning exercise. 3. Paper maps of old Guiyang are provided in rooms, better suited for exploring nearby alleys than navigation apps. 4. Every Wednesday morning, retired staff organize the "Jinyang Story Club," and you can sign up to listen at the front desk. 5. The bathroom floor drain is slow; it is recommended to use the anti-slip mat during showers (available in the lower wardrobe).