After spending two nights at the Alila Wuzhen resort, we decided to have a stopover before heading back home. This is when Crowne Plaza Suzhou East Taihu caught my eyes, which has been a favourite hotel because of their extremely generous lounge offering.
The hotel’s location is somewhat remote, situated in Wujiang District. Despite “Taihu” in its name, it’s actually about three kilometres from the lake. The nearest metro station is a ten-minute walk away, and reaching downtown Suzhou takes over half an hour, making it not ideal at all for tourists. Many guests seem to come here primarily for the dining experience, though tour groups are also common.
Adjacent to the hotel is a Holiday Inn Express, owned by the same company. Interestingly, its building is even taller than the Crowne Plaza.
Opened in July 2024, the Crowne Plaza Suzhou East Taihu is quite new. The lobby exudes a sleek, upscale business hotel ambiance.
Next to the check-in area it offers a variety of fruits, juices and coffee, a thoughtful touch.
The hotel’s marketing efforts are impressive, with weekends often fully booked. We arrived around 1pm on Saturday and were pleased to find our rooms ready on the 20th floor. Due to tour group bookings, all twin rooms were occupied, leaving only king rooms available.
I needed two rooms for the four of us. I booked a supreme suite paid with cash that included breakfast and club lounge access. The second room was just a standard room paid using points, as I’d have those benefits for my Diamond status and annual lounge pass anyway.
The hotel offers only two room types: standard room and supreme suite, so don’t expect much in terms of upgrades. The king room was spacious, featuring modern business-style decor with comfortable colour schemes.
Amenities included a Washlet smart toilet seat and electric curtains, indicating no expense was spared.
The supreme suite featured a small kitchen and living area, complete with a table perfect for card games.
The bedroom layout mirrored that of the standard room, and the bed was exceptionally comfortable.
A walk-in closet separated the bathroom and kitchen, and there was an additional small bathroom.
The minibar’s first round of drinks, including soft drinks and beer, was complimentary. As a Diamond member, I received a fruit platter and two drink vouchers.
The hotel’s most shining feature is its dining.
The breakfast buffet was one of the most extensive I’ve seen anywhere in the world, with a vast selection and a bustling atmosphere.
The biggest selling point though is its club lounge. The lounge, located adjacent to the lobby bar, had an unconventional design, possibly a repurposed space.
Afternoon tea started at 12:30pm, effectively serving as lunch, showcasing the hotel’s generosity. The offering of Wanglaoji and Evian also reflected that.
Food includes fried items, cheeses, snacks, and various pastries, ample enough to rival many Western hotels’ happy hour.
After an afternoon of card games, we headed down at 5:30pm for dinner.
The three signature dishes are: caviar, foie gras and abalone, all of them being expensive ingredients normally only seen in premium cuisine. I mean obviously they were probably the cheaper kind, but still there’s no way one would expect to see them in a club lounge’s happy hour.
There were also several home-style dishes, ensuring a satisfying meal.
Local specialties like Aozao noodles and Italian pasta were available upon request. While I’m not typically a noodle enthusiast, the Aozao noodles were delightful.
The lounge’s beverage selection was standard for Chinese hotels. I enjoyed a couple of Baileys.
The service was exceptional; staff promptly offered the abalone rice upon our arrival and were attentive throughout. Despite it being a Saturday, the lounge was busy but never overcrowded, with seats always available. A contrast with many Marriott hotels, with the inflation of Platinum membership.
Access to the club lounge costs 168 RMB per person, which I think is more than reasonable. For context, in-room menu prices were 22 RMB per slice of foig,me gras and 59 RMB for abalone rice.
In hindsight, purchasing lounge access for a standard room might have been more economical than booking the supreme suite, but the experience was worthwhile.
The hotel also features an indoor heated pool, a gym, and a yoga room, with complimentary yoga classes available.
Among the hotels I stayed at during this trip to China, Crowne Plaza Suzhou East Taihu was the most satisfying. The dining was excellent, service attentive, and the new facilities made for a refreshing stay. Even my cousins remarked that it offered better value than Alila Wuzhen. However, due to its remote location, I recommend it for those planning nearby excursions or with flexible itineraries. Avoiding weekends might enhance the experience.
Recent Comments