My review of Alila Wuzhen

During a recent trip back to China, I planned to explore the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions with a few of my cousins. When I asked three friends for hotel recommendations, they all unanimously suggested Alila Wuzhen, including a highly respected travel blogger known for his insights. Given that I rarely stay at Hyatt properties, this was my first experience with the Alila brand.

As a Hyatt member without elite status, I needed to book two rooms. One was reserved using a corporate rate combined with a Guest of Honor (GOH) certificate, and the other through the Hyatt Prive program via Badazhou. The actual costs were similar, and since it was a spontaneous decision, I didn’t consider using a Category 4 free night certificate as that wouldn’t work together with GOH anymore.

At approximately 2,000 RMB per night, it’s a rare price point in China, and we were all quite eager to experience this insta-famous hotel. Alila Wuzhen is located some distance from Wuzhen’s Xizha Scenic Area, and the surrounding area felt somewhat desolate. However, it’s not a long taxi ride to the scenic spots.

After driving over four hours, we arrived at the hotel in the evening. The modern brick architecture, combined with thoughtful design and integration with the surrounding landscape, exuded the charm of a Jiangnan water town, harmonizing well with Wuzhen’s overall style.

It’s no wonder people say Alila is most beautiful at night.

During the day, under bright sunlight, the hotel’s environment didn’t feel as captivating. Such garden and waterside scenery seems to have more allure on overcast or even slightly rainy days.

I called the hotel a day in advance to request an upgrade, and both rooms were upgraded to Garden Villas. From friends’ experiences and online information, it seems Globalists are typically offered this room type.

Upon entering, there’s a small courtyard, but I noticed that the lower right corner of the second door was already quite damaged, which is surprising for a hotel that opened in 2018.

The interior is spacious, essentially a large open space without any partitions, which felt a bit too open for my taste. An impractical design aspect was the non-rotatable TV, making it viewable only from the sofa.

The design is undeniably beautiful, embodying a “return to simplicity” zen state. Behind the bookshelf is the bathroom, which has a skylight.

I was awakened early by the sunlight, realising that the bathroom’s semi-transparent door allowed light into the bedroom from the skylight- a challenging design for someone sensitive to light during sleep.

Opening the curtains during the day revealed a small courtyard.

The welcome amenities were thoughtfully curated: apples, nougat, and various candies.

I had read on Xiaohongshu that the minibar was complimentary, but upon calling the front desk, I was informed otherwise. So, I made do with the free bottled water and coffee instead.

We headed to the all-day dining restaurant, Shui Shi Kou, for breakfast. Given the low occupancy and our early start, we secured window seats with scenic views on both mornings.

The buffet wasn’t extensive but boasted high-quality offerings, including local specialties like bean curd rolls, spring vegetables, and yam pork rib soup. It’s very rare to see such a carefully curated spread at any hotel’s breakfast setup.

There was also a noodle station serving noodles and wontons.

A limited selection of Western dishes, including Eggs Benedict, was available à la carte, but having just returned from the UK, I opted to skip those.

Apart from Shui Shi Kou, the only other dining option is the Chinese restaurant, Si Shui, bit of a surprise given the size of the hotel. Since the Hyatt Prive rate included a $100 credit, we dined there for dinner.

The dishes were decent, and after the 20% discount for Hyatt members, the prices weren’t exorbitant.

There’s also a bar named San Bai, which had a charming ambiance in the evening.

However, the service left much to be desired. When we tried to purchase two decks of playing cards, we were left waiting for a long time, and our request to have them delivered to our room went unanswered.

The bar’s outdoor section features a sunken seating area at its entrance.

The indoor heated swimming pool opens at 9am and is impressively large, making for an enjoyable swim.

Having just undergone a laser eye surgery the day before, I needed to stay away from water and could only take a few photos.

There’s also an outdoor pool, but it wasn’t open due to the temperature not being high enough yet.

Gym:

A singing bowl experience is available for the rich, costing 598 CNY per person.

Interestingly, the hotel collaborates with an external photo studio, offering a complimentary photoshoot experience (including makeup and five photos) for one guest per room. My two cousins took advantage of this offer – after all, it’s free!

Lastly, a map of the hotel:

Overall, the hotel’s service felt rather indifferent. When checking out, I mentioned issues with the room and bar service. The staff nodded and apologized, saying they would report it, but it felt perfunctory. A few days later, I received a follow-up call and reiterated my feedback, including a problem with my points not being credited (showing zero points, likely due to a merged bill). The response was again a standard one, stating that points take time to post and they would follow up, but I ended up contacting Hyatt customer service myself.

They were obviously just interested in me rating them favourably on the Hyatt survey, by specifically mentioning that 9 was the passing score.

After staying at Alila Wuzhen, one of the most highly acclaimed hotel in the Greater Shanghai region, my feelings are mixed: the environment is undeniably beautiful, and the architectural style is unique. However, there are numerous shortcomings in details and service, which seem unworthy of the price. It’s worth experiencing once, especially as Wuzhen is a place of interest on its own, but I certainly won’t be returning.