Nike City Hotel

The owner was especially lovely, friendly and caring. I left something behind, and he went out of his way to send it to me, so I had it back the next day. I’d choose this hostel again whenever I return to Hangzhou. The location is great, about a 5 minute walk to the nearest metro station, with one station to the railway station. The east railway station is on the same line too. It’s a nice area in general. The rooms are nice and clean. I stayed in a 4 bed dorm, and each bed had its own sockets. The bathroom was clean, and the shower was really nice. Definitely one of the best hostels I’ve stayed in.

The owner is friendly, and it’s really comfy and good value for the price. The small ensuite room had two single beds and was reasonably clean. I didn’t spot anything dirty or smelly.

For the same price, you can find much better places in town, so avoid this one. The room had a horrendous smell of smoke and putrid air, along with dust and mould. It needs a proper clean.

The owner of Memory Travel Hotel in Xihu Hangzhou was genuinely helpful, even carrying our very heavy luggage since there’s no elevator. We could also borrow umbrellas at no extra cost, and the rooms were clean and modern. That kind of considerate hospitality is a rare find in Mainland China. Getting around takes a bit of effort: the nearest subway station and the shore of Xihu lake are both about a 20-30 minute walk away. There’s a large Carrefour around 1 km from the hotel, also a 20-30 minute walk. A taxi is about CNY 11 for the first 3 km. A few things to know before booking: the room partitions don’t block much sound, so bring earplugs or keep the noise down. There’s no elevator, so pack light. The hot and cold water pressure can be unstable because the mix is off, and the water sometimes gets too hot or too cold. The washing machine costs CNY 9 in CNY 1 coins, with another CNY 5 if you want an extra spin to get more water out of your clothes.