Since I had not heard of this hotel before my hosts had booked it, I was a little apprehensive about their booking. To my surprise, it turned out to be a very good choice. Although not on the West Lake, it was a robust 45-minute hike away and great for the waist-line, important given the evening banquets to come that week.

The room I was allocated was well sound-proofed, the king-size bed was just right and the pillows soft. The room was impressively large and the 'feng shui' in order. There was even a view of the hills, even if a little haze-covered. I slept very 'soundly on it all.

The staff were very friendly, the breakfasts abundant, the buffet food excellent [as were the specialist Chinese and Japanese restaurants] and the bar 'cosy'. I had a very commendable 'whisky-sour' there.

The pool was a little 'off the track' but immense, with sauna and hamam. The gym was little banal but reasonably equipped. [They might refurbish these facilities in due course, maybe]. All this being said, there was no 'coffee-shop' ,except an inside 'tea-garden'. Also, the shops had ludicrously expensive branded-goods on sale but no Western newspapers or post-cards. The vicinity of the hotel, in addition, did not offer much to see and there was no garden to walk around.

Yet as a business hotel, it worked very well and I would recommend it without hesitation. It's a place you could stay at for a couple of weeks without complaining!