Shangri-La Hotel, Hangzhou

The one reviewer who panned this place had it 💯 right. This place is a dated, dimly lit, and run-down property unworthy of the Shangri-la name. And yes the first room I was offered had an awful musty smell, with a giant stain on the carpet. The staff are decent and accommodated my ask for a different room. But yea I would give it zero stars if I could.

Stayed here with a cruise ship shore excursion overnight group and had a perfect experience in every way. The location steps from West Lake can’t be beat, the accommodations are spacious and luxurious, the breakfast buffet offering the best of Asian and Western fare is nothing short of astonishing, and the service is impeccable. I disagree with reviewers who find it dated in any way. This is simply the best place to stay in Hangzhou.

The hotel is in a relatively secluded spot in a perfect location on West Lake next to the Yue Fei Temple and the famous island. Our room had a balcony at the front of the hotel. The breakfast room has a view of West Lake through the trees. The corridors look a bit rundown - the building is 70 years old - but the rooms are fine and the breakfast is top notch. Much nicer than just another cookie cutter recent hotel. Hallways have photos of famous people who stayed there like Vladimir Putin and Nelson Mandela...

Although it was a brief stay, but the breakfast was delicious and room (suite, I should say) was luxurious. Very comfortable and modern and chic.

The only good thing about this hotel is its location — just a few steps from West Lake. Unfortunately, that's where the positives end. The hotel is very dated. The rooms have a musty smell, and the carpets along the corridors are stained. When I was checking in, I overheard another guest checking out a day early, saying he was moving to another hotel because the aircon in his room was noisy. I initially thought he was exaggerating — until I experienced it myself. The aircon was indeed loud and disruptive at night. Overall, I’m really disappointed. This is not the standard I expect from a Shangri-La property. This particular hotel falls far short of the brand’s usual quality.