Hangzhou HaiWaiHai Hotel

The location was inconvenient, with no subway or major bus station nearby. Staff barely knew any English at all, not even a single word. Cleanliness was disgusting: there was dust under the nightstand, and the closet carpet was covered in dried paint and stains. I’d only just checked in when I found the safe had a dead battery. The next day the closet light went out. For two days in a row, the shower leaked out of its stall and flooded the bathroom floor badly. I guess drainage problems like this are normal in China, as they are even in my friends’ US $5000-a-month apartment. There were practical annoyances too. The elevator doors opened on each floor with no sign saying which floor you were on, so you had to look at the tiny display inside the elevator. Once a tall guy blocked it. The lobby seating area was too small and was all occupied by beauty consultants from a cosmetic confrtence. If you’ve never stayed at a hotel managed by a non-Chinese company, you might think this one is first rate. If you have, you’ll never come back.