Canopy by Hilton Hangzhou West Lake

I had no view from my room, but I still loved this Hilton brands hotel. It’s within walking distance of west lake, and the room is pretty in every corner. The amenities are top notch, especially the Dyson hair dryer and steam iron. The toilet is automatic, with a bidet and heated seat.

I booked for three adults, expecting the existing bedding to sleep all of us, but there was only one king bed. Then I had to pay extra for another bed. The room design is modern, though a bit tacky, and the space is used efficiently. The Dyson hairdryer was its one redeeming feature. The Westlake view is far away, with only little bits of the lake visible. For the same money, I’d go to Grand Hyatt instead.

The rooms are a little small, but the location is hard to beat, just a five-minute walk from West Lake, bars, and plenty of shops. Inside, the hotel has a hip, modern look, and parking was free during my stay. It was a good experience. Very clean and affordable, and I’d stay again.

Getting my 2,000 cny deposit back at checkout took a reminder, since they didn’t return it automatically. The room had plenty of dodgy details, and things seemed easy to break. The shower’s hot and cold controls were mixed up, and the sink leaked badly while I was washing my hands. On the way to my room, my backpack caught on a door handle and the handle fell off. I booked for three adults, which I understood to include an extra bed. They tried to charge me more when I arrived. After I complained, they gave us one, but it was super hard and not a proper bed. To me, this felt like a three-star hotel dressed up as a four- or five-star one.