Zhejiang Milan Continental Hotel

I stayed for about one week at the Milan Continental Hotel of Hangzhou while visited my friends there. It is a very nice hotel with easy access to nearby scenic spots like West Lake, Xixi National Wetland Park, Six Harmonies Pagoda and many others, besides the Lingyin Temple where I would go every time while visiting in Hangzhou. The hotel has about 19 floors, but is usually booked full due to its popularity, reasonable price and professional management. The staff is very friendly, polite and helpful and so made my stay especially comfortable. The people working at the front desk always tried their best to answer my questions and helped me to deal with whatever requests I might have. Once I asked them if they could help me to make a copy of my e-ticket for flying back to the US, one of the staff made the copy for me at their Business Center even without charging me. Each of the security guards in front of the elevator would greet me, remembered my floor and could swipe his card for the floor I needed to go to, without any error. The room was clean and spacious, with a computer and internet service, water bottles, tea and coffee supplies are always well supplied. Therefore it is extremely convenient for travelers like me. There is a restaurant, Bamboo Kitchen, downstairs that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and so was very advantageous for me when I had to have a quick bite before rushing out. At the front of the hotel, there is a ramp-like area that cars or taxis can deliver or pick up guests. It is extremely convenient for the staying guests and/or their visitors. This hotel is in a busy section of that area with various kinds of restaurants and tea houses within walking distance. If one would like to have some pot stickers or noodles, which belongs to northern China cuisine, there is one restaurant just across the street. In case you are going to meet some friends for an afternoon tea, there is a tea house just a few doors down the same side of the street. The Bamboo Kitchen serves sushi dishes in the evening. If one is longing for steaks or sea foods, he can find such restaurants also not far from the hotel. Right before I was ready to go back to the US, I would like to buy some gifts for my friends back in America. There is a store just next door to the hotel that sells teas, special Chinese cookies and other mouthwatering goodies. I got two big bags of shelled Hangzhou tiny walnuts for my friends back home. They are my friends' favorites, as those tiny walnuts are crispy, tasty, have a wonderful flavor, and they are so easy to snack on as the hard shells have been removed already! Next time when I have the chance to visit Hangzhou, I'll definitely stay at the Milan Continental Hotel again.

Hotel location is very convenient, just beside the railway station. Lots of shopping around and food chain. One thing which I don't really like is the toilet. Although it looks very special as its an open concept (glass door), I find it very irritating to juz bring down the curtain to bathe. The restaurant on the 2nd level serves great food. Its quite a distance if you are to walk down to West Lake but its worth walking around there to/fro the hotel.

One of the worst experiences I've ever had at a hotel that cost me more than £65/night! First of all, the area around the hotel is not very nice (not to call it dodgy), the hotel room smells and you can't have a decent sleep even though I paid for the business room. The furniture etc is old and worn out. It makes you feel that its purpose is very dodgy and certainly it doesn't have a business feel. Staff don't speak a single word of English. Far away from central Hangzhou; it costs over 120 yuan to get there from the airport and over 60yuan from Chengdu East train station. Avoid!