Novotel Hangzhou East Railway Station

The room itself was clean, but I wouldn't stay here again or recommend it to international guests. The bathroom has no bidet spray or washlet, and the hotel felt set up for local Chinese guests rather than foreign travelers. I booked it because it was advertised as close to the high-speed railway station, but it's actually a long way off. Walking there isn't practical. You can take the metro two stops and then walk about 300 metres, or pay around 11 RMB each way for a taxi. The station closes at 23:00, so it was inconvenient to get back unless I planned to return before 22:30. After 20:00 the hotel and its surroundings were completely quiet, with nothing to do. I asked for a non-smoking room, but there was an ashtray in the room and a strong cigarette smell in the corridors. It seemed like smoking was allowed in every room. Communication was another problem: none of the staff I met could speak English, making it very hard to ask for help or information. The hotel advertised a shuttle, but there wasn't one, and no one could explain what was going on. I'm a platinum-level member, but got no special benefits such as free-flow drinks. Breakfast on the 19th floor had no real view, and the restaurant was extremely crowded and noisy. I also saw unhygienic behaviour, including a guest spitting water out right in front of the buffet area. Many guests were taking food back to their rooms.