The Westin Nanjing Xuanwu Lake

The room type I originally booked had an issue, so they upgraded me to an executive floor. Five stars!

Traveling during the off-season, we were lucky enough to get a complimentary upgrade to a Premium Lake View room at the Westin, offering stunning views of Xuanwu Lake's sunrise and sunset. From the concierge on the first floor to the check-in and check-out desk on the 23rd floor, everyone was warm and friendly. The room was clean and tidy, and my child absolutely loved it.

This is my second time staying at this hotel. I've tried both the Executive Lake View and the standard Lake View rooms, and while they offer a partial view of the lake, it's still quite nice. What I love most about staying here is its convenience. It's just three stops from Nanjing Railway Station, and you can access the hotel directly from Jinmao Shopping Mall after exiting the subway. The mall itself has some great shops I enjoy browsing, like POP and Cha Yan Yue Se. Dining is also easy, though I've unfortunately missed out on Nanjing Dapaidang twice now! The main reason I keep coming back, however, is the opportunity to run around Xuanwu Lake, from pre-dawn until sunrise. Xuanwu Lake also offers many other places to wander, including a Cha Yan Yue Se and a Xueba Creative Store, neither of which are available in Shanghai. There are also plenty of attractions nearby. My absolute favorite is Hongshan Forest Zoo. All the informational signs are handwritten, the animals have spacious habitats, and their fur looks so glossy and well-maintained – they must be living well. The park itself also has a wonderful wild charm.

The room was okay, but the 'lake view' only offered a peek at Xuanwu Lake from the side. The parking lot, shared with the Jinmao commercial building, was incredibly cramped, and it's a multi-story garage, so larger vehicles can't even get in. The facilities are outdated; the hairdryer and TV looked like they were from the early 2000s. Breakfast was just passable, nothing particularly delicious.