After trying some international upscale hotels in Shanghai, one might expect another accommodation experience in Suzhou.
The 2,500-year old city has a variety of styles to suit different tastes and budgets.
For a true “local” experience, try the hotels that were once homes on Pinjiang Road and Shantang Street. They provide a glimpse of how life used to be for Suzhou residents.
In these places one can sleep in an old-fashioned curtained bed with wood-carved decorations on the frames, or listen to a famous Suzhou story told in the local dialect right in the yard. The lantern-shaped lamps shed warm light on waiters and waitresses in costumes and hark back to the legendary days of old China.
Those on a tight budget can find dormitory rooms at youth hostels or many other chained economy hotels. Asides from the national-renowned economy hotel chains like Home Inn and Hanting Hotel, the Suzhou-based Scholar Hotel also combines affordable prices with a Suzhou-style hotel experience.
If you stick to the international standards of luxury hotels, there are many choices. Pan Pacific, Shangri-la, Crown Plaza, Intercontinental, Kempinski, and Renaissance are but a few of the familiar names for international business guests. Some top-luxury hotel brands are coming soon, according to local tourism authorities.
