West Lake State Guesthouse

Everything was great, except for the air conditioning in West Building 3, which was a bit noisy when adjusting the temperature. The West Lake Vinegar Fish at the dinner buffet was tender and fresh, the Braised Pork Belly (Dongpo Pork) was rich but not greasy, the swimming crabs were plump and delicious, and the Arctic sweet shrimp were of excellent quality.

No wonder it's rated the number one garden! The scenery is beautiful, and the service is meticulous and thoughtful. The hotel facilities are comprehensive, the rooms are spotlessly clean, and the environment is very comfortable. The breakfast is abundant, and the dining area is pleasant. You can even see the visitors on Su Causeway and Leifeng Pagoda from the hotel grounds.

Excellent in every way – the accommodation, breakfast, the Ziwei Hall, and the ambiance were all impeccable. We were very satisfied. After dinner, we took a stroll and the West Lake was right there. Seeing the West Lake at night and the Leifeng Pagoda was absolutely beautiful.

This is an established state guesthouse, and I personally think both the food and accommodation are excellent. The courtyard room on the first floor has a small, private courtyard, which I didn't really get to use much. The breakfast is very rich, with Ding Sheng糕 (a local pastry), tofu pudding, and preserved vegetable pancakes all made fresh. At night, when you turn off the lights, it's pitch black – you can't see your hand in front of your face, with no electronic device interference whatsoever. Electric buggies are available for transportation around the hotel, and staff will call one for you at the entrance. The hotel itself is located within West Lake, offering beautiful scenery. It's a great hotel for a relaxing family vacation.

I booked this room last minute and stayed in Building 5. Honestly, I was a bit disappointed the moment I opened the door. The sofa, coffee table, and other furniture were quite old, and the cabinet door in the bedroom's bathroom was broken. However, the cleanliness was good, and the service was also excellent. They even proactively escorted us to a table during breakfast, and the food was delicious. The exterior environment of the State Guesthouse is definitely a bonus. It's across from Su Causeway, and the views in the morning and evening are beautiful. Most importantly, it's very tranquil. I'll likely go back in the future, but I'll try a different building; I believe the experience will be even better.

Building 8 at the hotel was very comfortable, especially the silent air conditioning in the room which kept the temperature just right. The room air was fresh. Overall, aside from being a bit pricey, this hotel is flawless. The travel photos were even taken on-site at the hotel.

The hotel's location and ambiance are beyond reproach, truly excellent. The Zaiwei Hall staff were great; they mentioned they'd do a simple setup for my birthday and provide a small cake and longevity noodles. As for the room, the natural light was poor all day, but thankfully, the room's cleanliness was okay, with no strange smells. Since I didn't spend much time in the room during the day, I just made do. Breakfast was average. The service was unremarkable; only the lady who checked me out had a good attitude. Overall, it's a shame that a hotel with such a great location and heritage couldn't do better.

## Amenities: The facilities are quite dated. When I tried to kill a mosquito on the wall with a towel, a large chunk of dust came off. Checking in at Building 8 and then walking to my room in Building 5 was about a 5-minute trek, which was really inconvenient with luggage. The shuttle service was also very slow; I waited over ten minutes for a shuttle to check out from Building 5, and it never showed up. ## Cleanliness: The cleanliness was just average. Personally, I think it's not as good as chain hotels like Atour (known as Atour in China) at a similar price point. ## Environment: The environment is decent. It's located near the North Gate, which offers direct access to West Lake's inner lake. A walk of about 1.5 km will get you to Yanggong Causeway (or whatever it's called) to see the main West Lake. ## Service: There's not much service to speak of. For over a thousand yuan a night, the experience felt worse than a 200-300 yuan chain hotel. If you're staying near the South Gate within the scenic area, getting around is inconvenient. It usually takes about ten minutes just to get out of traffic. If you don't eat at the hotel, your takeout options are limited.

Nestled in a bustling area yet surprisingly tranquil, the hotel offers a serene escape. From the lakeside, you can hear the lively sounds of Su Causeway across the water, but within the hotel grounds, lush greenery surrounds you, creating a peaceful and relaxing resort atmosphere. I stayed in the newly renovated Building 3, which is centrally located within the property. It was spotlessly clean and had a beautiful environment. Building 1 is closest to the lake, while Building 2 offers convenient access and overlooks an inner lake. Building 5 is older, and it's where the kids' activities and travel photography services are concentrated. I experienced a professional service team, enjoying the breakfast and dinner buffets, children's activities, travel photography, as well as daily front desk inquiries and housekeeping. Staff across all departments demonstrated the high standards and professionalism expected of a state guesthouse. The shuttle service was prompt, and the Tang-style tea and fruit event for children, though free, was of high quality. The travel photography session produced excellent pictures. Breakfast was better than expected; for a price of 147, I thought it was quite good. The fruit was exceptionally fresh, though the Western pastries were, admittedly, just average for a hotel of this caliber. Overall, even for a 2-day, 1-night stay, it was an incredibly wonderful vacation experience and definitely worth revisiting.