North star Hangzhou Expo Center Hotel

The gardens were incredible to walk around, and getting to the subway was easy. The hotel is attached to the main convention center, and the buffet meals were great, including a lunch with a chocolate fountain. Service was excellent throughout. If I come back to Hangzhou for a conference, I'd insist on staying here again.

The rooms and the views were amazing. I was disappointed, though, that only a few staff members spoke English. That made things really frustrating at times.

The rooms are new and big, which is the only real plus. It's a long way from the city center and the metro, and nobody speaks English.

The room was spacious and very clean, and they left four bottles of water each day. Breakfast was delicious too. The hotel connects directly to the convention center, with access from every floor. There's a 24-hour convenience store, though it's unmanned and hard for tourists to use. Lots of sights are within walking distance, but you'll need a car or train to get to West Lake. There's also a big gym nearby and a large shopping mall below it, with plenty of shops and restaurants.