Stay here when you come to West Lake!

1. Location: The location is a double-edged sword. The hotel is located in West Lake, specifically on the less crowded Yanggong Causeway, and you can walk to attractions such as Quyuan Fenghe, Guozhuang, Turtle Pool, Maojiabu, and Bathing in the Pavilion Bay. But! During weekends and holidays, traffic control means you can't drive in via Nanshan Road or Shuguang Road, so we had to drag our suitcases and walk several kilometers after switching from bus to walking to reach the hotel. Additionally, the 2-kilometer lakeshore line offers a view of the inner lake separated by the Su Causeway. 2. Choosing a Building: I stayed in Building 2 this time, where the corner room has a 270-degree window view and a partial view of the inner lake, but it's probably the smallest room. It was renovated in 2021, so the room is new. It's also close to Building 8, just a 3-minute walk away. Both Buildings 1/2 have separate access control, and many facilities and supplies are consistent. Building 1 is where you check in, while check-ins for other buildings are at Building 8. Building 1 is closest to the lakeshore with the best view; Building 3 is also near the hotel's lakeshore but looks a bit old; Building 5 has a broad view facing a small lake and the Southern Fishing Platform; Building 7 is on the side of Dingjiashan, not far from the lakeshore; Building 6 houses the exhibition hall, library, and afternoon tea; Building 8 is convenient for check-in, dining at the ZIwei Hall and coffee shop (breakfast and buffet lunch and dinner), and accessing the swimming pool and gym. After walking around the garden, I feel that each building's location is quite good, but if you care about the garden's geographical position, just book the cheapest room type (though I don't know what the cheapest rooms are like inside). Overall, Building 8 is the most convenient, especially considering that calling for a shuttle within the garden is really slow. If you have requirements for the scenery and want West Lake right outside your window, choose Building 1. 3. Shuttle Service: It has the same setup as the Wuyishan Chuanbo, but! During the Qingming holiday at Wuyishan Chuanbo, the shuttle arrived quickly every time, and it would stop to ask if we needed a ride if it passed us on the road. This time, staying at the West Lake State Guesthouse on a regular Sunday, I took the shuttle 5/6 times, and each time I waited more than 10 minutes, and the shuttle wouldn't stop when passing by. 3. Service: The staff are very friendly and considerate. After checking in, the shuttle driver took us around the garden to introduce the attractions, and after arriving, they helped deliver the luggage to the room. The cleaning auntie would tell us the best spots for photos when she saw us taking pictures. 4. ZIwei Hall: Due to the rain, it was inconvenient to go out, so we ate at ZIwei Hall twice. The experience was good environment, good service, high price, and ordinary taste. Not used to Hangzhou cuisine, we ended up ordering from the spicy Sichuan and Chongqing page. It's best to make a reservation for dining in advance. If you miss the first round of meals, you can get a number and they will contact you by phone when it's your turn. 5. Breakfast and Afternoon Tea: The breakfast variety is not very extensive, nor is it very delicious. The specialty is Ding Sheng cake. Afternoon tea is included with the room package, and it's quite good. If you just want to visit the State Guesthouse, booking afternoon tea is probably the most cost-effective way.