Kimpton Suzhou Bamboo Grove, an IHG Hotel — Hotel in Suzhou City

In 1981, when Bill Kimpton founded the Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants Group, the first hotel was established in San Francisco, CA. 40 years later, Kimpton finds itself opening its first-ever hotel in the Chinese Mainland, on the grounds of a renovated Bamboo Grove Hotel dating back to the 1990s. As the 10th Kimpton Property I have ever visited, and the first I have visited a property outside of the America, I wanted to know what a Kimpton stay was like in China and give the audience my view of whether the hotel is worth visiting.||Here is my breakdown of my visit to the Kimpton Bamboo Grove Suzhou:||Pre-Arrival: ||Travelling as a group of 3 people, I needed to book two separate reservations for two separate bedding accommodations. A Twin Room for myself and my mom and a King Room for my 3rd guest and friend. An average room rate on a weekday was ¥1,500 RMB ($206) from July 4th to the 5th. I thought for a boutique hotel in the premier central district of Gusu in Suzhou, it wasn’t all too bad. Kimpton in China is known for being more expensive than the InterContinentals or Hotel Indigos, so for an extra 500 RMB as opposed to the InterContinental in Jinji Lake, its a reasonable add-on value hotel based on location and its 2022-opened modern design. ||As a Diamond Elite IHG One Member, I was given a call by the hotel’s guest services to ask for any room preferences or requests upon my arrival. I noted that we had an old 77-year old lady and that we needed a room closer to the elevator. Much to my surprise, we were both rooms were upgraded from the entry-level Essentials Rooms to the Essentials Outdoor Living Area Rooms on the first floor, which was appreciative. ||Arrival:||Upon turning into the Bamboo enshrined compound entrance of the hotel, I noticed how extravagant the hotel looks. The entrance is grand from its Suzhou style architecture and groves of Bamboo lives up to its hotel’s name. With 5 pieces of luggage amongst 2 people, the bellmen surprisingly did not bring out luggage cart lying outside the door. Instead, he took our senior guest’s luggage and left ours to carry. I felt that was rather disappointing for a group with much luggage. Even the InterContinental Shenzhen WECC had bellmen on standby when I only bought 2 carry-on suitcases and a backpack, and that hotel costed 3 times less than the Kimpton. A much to be desired arrival when entering the door, however the doormen were quite kind and keen on assisting whenever you enter or exit the hotel door. There was no IHG Elite Member’s Desk for Diamond Members upon arrival, however the check-in agent Wency got us checked-in smoothly and recognized me as the Diamond Elite member. However, no late-check out was offered during check-in, which was usually the case at other IHG hotels. ||The Rooms: ||Unlike the other Kimpton hotels I have visited, the room layout of the 2 Twin Essentials Outdoor Living Area Room (Room 1120) was with an exposed bathroom in the central middle of the walkway between the door and the bedroom. A partition door is available for privacy between the bathroom and the bedroom. In the bathroom is the sink, large soaking bathtub, an electric toilet cubicle, and a shower cubicle with soap amenities from Kimpton’s Signature Partnership with Atelier Bloem. Basic amenities like dental kits and combs are hidden in a fabric bag next to the sink. In the bedroom are two twin beds with individual lighting panels and curtain controls. A sofa area is provided along with a flatscreen TV. A complimentary minibar service is provided with beer, soda, and specialty drinks. Outside is a small terrace area with views of the manmade canal and a two comfortable chairs. A complimentary turndown service is provided, which was a great way to end the night.||There was a lot left to be desired when in this hotel room. First, the Villeroy & Boch branded electric toilet in my room was partially unworkable, specifically in regards to the toilet dryer after bidet-using was unresponsive. The layout for the Twin Room was just inconvenient with specifics of the location of the bathroom. Why would anyone want to pass by their roommate taking a bath whilst entering or exiting the room? It might sound silly, but it’s something the hotel should have considered. Only one out of two of my booked rooms were given an IHG One Membership fruit plate, and it was given to the room without the member (me) staying inside of it. The hotel’s front desk lacked coordination in knowing which guests were staying in which rooms on multiple-room bookings. ||Social Hour: ||The hotel provides a complimentary happy hour from 5PM to 6PM daily for all staying guests at the hotel at the Bar 168 located in its own Suzhou-inspired building. Automatically, that is certainly an excellent complimentary service provided to everyone staying. At the complimentary happy hour were free beer & wine with an option to upgrade for ¥38 ($5) to get a shaken cocktail lesson. We were given IHG One drink vouchers which only could be applied to tea and coffee at Social Hour. This begs the question, why not let IHG One members use those drink vouchers as a way to get those cocktails during Social Hour? ¥38 is the usual price of ordinary drinks at lobby lounges at InterContinentals, so the price compared to this is literally equivalent when redeeming drink vouchers. In addition, small appetizers were provided at the Social Hour. This included chicken nuggets, truffle fries, vegetable crudité, cookies, and pickles. I felt maybe they could provide something more complex to the simple concept of chicken nuggets or cookies. The food selections could have been more innovative in my opinion, especially for a Kimpton hotel .||Breakfast: ||Breakfast Buffet was provided at The Grove Huaiyang Chinese Restaurant. The restaurant in its modernized dining atmosphere provides a new perspective on Traditional Huaiyang Cuisine. In addition, The Grove provides Western Dishes as a fusion for guests wanting something different. Breakfast Buffet was surprisingly excellent in terms of variety and quality with a twist of inspiration with what we see in other Kimpton Hotel’s Breakfast. I had the scrambled eggs topped with Parmesan Cheese, Suzhou-Style wonton soup, toast, a Large Coconut, Fresh Seasonal Fruit, and more. An impressive buffet selection in my opinion. My only wish is that the hotel buffet provides a place to collect extra cutleries like forks, because I had to ask for one when it was taken away by staff. ||Fitness Center & Swimming Pool: ||In the basement, there is an indoor pool and a fitness center. Whilst the indoor pools were well-maintained and seemed to be quite popular with guests, I felt the changing rooms lacked a dryer for those who want to dry their swim gear. Many of the new (and old) IHG hotels already have such machines equipped. The fitness center was well-equipped with all the workout gear needed. In addition, a dedicated community room was provided next to the fitness center for special workshops and activities provided by the hotel.||Check-Out and Post-Departure: ||We checked out at noon, but only with the staff collecting my key and not asking any questions about how my stay went. The bellmen however were very kind in loading our luggages onto the taxi. Later in the evening, the hotel’s Duty Manager Mr. Wang called to ask me about my stay as a standard procedure. I told him much of the issues mentioned so far. I’m yet to receive the points for the second room I booked for my guest, which I reported missing at the time of writing this review.||Conclusion: ||Overall, a solid but inconsistent stay at the historically-prized Kimpton Bamboo Grove Hotel in Suzhou. Much was|left to be desired when it came to the missing aspects of our stay. However, it was mostly a positive stay and I hope the hotel can use this review as a way to boost the customer’s experience moving forward with the suggestions and problems mentioned. This is an already aging hotel, but I’d give the hotel a chance for new guests out there. Just beware of the potential issues you may face at the Kimpton Bamboo Grove Suzhou Hotel, like the room type you book and the shortcomings of service that may...

In 1981, when Bill Kimpton founded the Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants Group, the first hotel was established in San Francisco, CA. 40 years later, Kimpton finds itself opening its first-ever hotel in the Chinese Mainland, on the grounds of a renovated Bamboo Grove Hotel dating back to the 1990s. As the 10th Kimpton Property I have ever visited, and the first I have visited a property outside of the America, I wanted to know what a Kimpton stay was like in China and give the audience my view of whether the hotel is worth visiting.||Here is my breakdown of my visit to the Kimpton Bamboo Grove Suzhou:||Pre-Arrival: ||Travelling as a group of 3 people, I needed to book two separate reservations for two separate bedding accommodations. A Twin Room for myself and my mom and a King Room for my 3rd guest and friend. An average room rate on a weekday was ¥1,500 RMB ($206) from July 4th to the 5th. I thought for a boutique hotel in the premier central district of Gusu in Suzhou, it wasn’t all too bad. Kimpton in China is known for being more expensive than the InterContinentals or Hotel Indigos, so for an extra 500 RMB as opposed to the InterContinental in Jinji Lake, its a reasonable add-on value hotel based on location and its 2022-opened modern design. ||As a Diamond Elite IHG One Member, I was given a call by the hotel’s guest services to ask for any room preferences or requests upon my arrival. I noted that we had an old 77-year old lady and that we needed a room closer to the elevator. Much to my surprise, we were both rooms were upgraded from the entry-level Essentials Rooms to the Essentials Outdoor Living Area Rooms on the first floor, which was appreciative. ||Arrival:||Upon turning into the Bamboo enshrined compound entrance of the hotel, I noticed how extravagant the hotel looks. The entrance is grand from its Suzhou style architecture and groves of Bamboo lives up to its hotel’s name. With 5 pieces of luggage amongst 2 people, the bellmen surprisingly did not bring out luggage cart lying outside the door. Instead, he took our senior guest’s luggage and left ours to carry. I felt that was rather disappointing for a group with much luggage. Even the InterContinental Shenzhen WECC had bellmen on standby when I only bought 2 carry-on suitcases and a backpack, and that hotel costed 3 times less than the Kimpton. A much to be desired arrival when entering the door, however the doormen were quite kind and keen on assisting whenever you enter or exit the hotel door. There was no IHG Elite Member’s Desk for Diamond Members upon arrival, however the check-in agent Wency got us checked-in smoothly and recognized me as the Diamond Elite member. However, no late-check out was offered during check-in, which was usually the case at other IHG hotels. ||The Rooms: ||Unlike the other Kimpton hotels I have visited, the room layout of the 2 Twin Essentials Outdoor Living Area Room (Room 1120) was with an exposed bathroom in the central middle of the walkway between the door and the bedroom. A partition door is available for privacy between the bathroom and the bedroom. In the bathroom is the sink, large soaking bathtub, an electric toilet cubicle, and a shower cubicle with soap amenities from Kimpton’s Signature Partnership with Atelier Bloem. Basic amenities like dental kits and combs are hidden in a fabric bag next to the sink. In the bedroom are two twin beds with individual lighting panels and curtain controls. A sofa area is provided along with a flatscreen TV. A complimentary minibar service is provided with beer, soda, and specialty drinks. Outside is a small terrace area with views of the manmade canal and a two comfortable chairs. A complimentary turndown service is provided, which was a great way to end the night.||There was a lot left to be desired when in this hotel room. First, the Villeroy & Boch branded electric toilet in my room was partially unworkable, specifically in regards to the toilet dryer after bidet-using was unresponsive. The layout for the Twin Room was just inconvenient with specifics of the location of the bathroom. Why would anyone want to pass by their roommate taking a bath whilst entering or exiting the room? It might sound silly, but it’s something the hotel should have considered. Only one out of two of my booked rooms were given an IHG One Membership fruit plate, and it was given to the room without the member (me) staying inside of it. The hotel’s front desk lacked coordination in knowing which guests were staying in which rooms on multiple-room bookings. ||Social Hour: ||The hotel provides a complimentary happy hour from 5PM to 6PM daily for all staying guests at the hotel at the Bar 168 located in its own Suzhou-inspired building. Automatically, that is certainly an excellent complimentary service provided to everyone staying. At the complimentary happy hour were free beer & wine with an option to upgrade for ¥38 ($5) to get a shaken cocktail lesson. We were given IHG One drink vouchers which only could be applied to tea and coffee at Social Hour. This begs the question, why not let IHG One members use those drink vouchers as a way to get those cocktails during Social Hour? ¥38 is the usual price of ordinary drinks at lobby lounges at InterContinentals, so the price compared to this is literally equivalent when redeeming drink vouchers. In addition, small appetizers were provided at the Social Hour. This included chicken nuggets, truffle fries, vegetable crudité, cookies, and pickles. I felt maybe they could provide something more complex to the simple concept of chicken nuggets or cookies. The food selections could have been more innovative in my opinion, especially for a Kimpton hotel .||Breakfast: ||Breakfast Buffet was provided at The Grove Huaiyang Chinese Restaurant. The restaurant in its modernized dining atmosphere provides a new perspective on Traditional Huaiyang Cuisine. In addition, The Grove provides Western Dishes as a fusion for guests wanting something different. Breakfast Buffet was surprisingly excellent in terms of variety and quality with a twist of inspiration with what we see in other Kimpton Hotel’s Breakfast. I had the scrambled eggs topped with Parmesan Cheese, Suzhou-Style wonton soup, toast, a Large Coconut, Fresh Seasonal Fruit, and more. An impressive buffet selection in my opinion. My only wish is that the hotel buffet provides a place to collect extra cutleries like forks, because I had to ask for one when it was taken away by staff. ||Fitness Center & Swimming Pool: ||In the basement, there is an indoor pool and a fitness center. Whilst the indoor pools were well-maintained and seemed to be quite popular with guests, I felt the changing rooms lacked a dryer for those who want to dry their swim gear. Many of the new (and old) IHG hotels already have such machines equipped. The fitness center was well-equipped with all the workout gear needed. In addition, a dedicated community room was provided next to the fitness center for special workshops and activities provided by the hotel.||Check-Out and Post-Departure: ||We checked out at noon, but only with the staff collecting my key and not asking any questions about how my stay went. The bellmen however were very kind in loading our luggages onto the taxi. Later in the evening, the hotel’s Duty Manager Mr. Wang called to ask me about my stay as a standard procedure. I told him much of the issues mentioned so far. I’m yet to receive the points for the second room I booked for my guest, which I reported missing at the time of writing this review.||Conclusion: ||Overall, a solid but inconsistent stay at the historically-prized Kimpton Bamboo Grove Hotel in Suzhou. Much was|left to be desired when it came to the missing aspects of our stay. However, it was mostly a positive stay and I hope the hotel can use this review as a way to boost the customer’s experience moving forward with the suggestions and problems mentioned. This is an already aging hotel, but I’d give the hotel a chance for new guests out there. Just beware of the potential issues you may face at the Kimpton Bamboo Grove Suzhou Hotel, like the room type you book and the shortcomings of service that may...

Our recent two-night stay at the Suzhou Kimpton Bamboo Grove Hotel exceeded all expectations, creating a memorable experience that exemplifies luxury hospitality at its finest.From the moment we arrived, we were greeted by their adorable canine ambassador, Kylie the Labrador, setting the tone for the warm hospitality to follow. The check-in service was remarkably efficient, with special recognition to Rainbow who ensured our party of three couples, including elderly parents, received accessible room upgrades. The staff's attentiveness was evident throughout our stay—they greeted us in corridors, anticipated our needs, and maintained a perfect balance of professionalism and friendliness.The rooms were impeccable, featuring premium bedding, turndown service, and high-end amenities including Dyson hair dryers. The quality of in-room offerings far surpassed what one would typically expect from a hotel at this price, demonstrating their commitment to excellence down to the smallest detail.The property beautifully integrates historical courtyards and buildings, creating tranquil outdoor spaces perfect for relaxation. Bar 168 became our favorite evening gathering spot for social hour and drinks, offering the perfect atmosphere to unwind after exploring the city. We were there during a heat wave and were perfectly contented to not leave the hotel at all. Breakfast was truly an event worth anticipating each morning at their black pearl rated restaurant. The diverse selection included both Western and Chinese cuisine, with standout features being the made-to-order noodles, wonton, and egg station. We particularly appreciated how staff consistently offered tea or coffee upon arrival, ensuring we always had a warm beverage to enjoy with our meal.The hotel's strategic location offers unparalleled convenience—situated directly above an MRT station and adjacent to a modern shopping area. For those seeking cultural experiences, a short 15-minute walk leads to the historical tourist district, making this property perfect for first-time visitors to Suzhou through winding neighbourhood streets. We extend our gratitude to Cherry for a smooth checkout process, and even the hotel's merchandise—particularly the keychains—provided charming mementos of our stay.The Suzhou Kimpton Bamboo Grove Hotel represents hospitality at its finest, and we cannot recommend it highly enough for travelers seeking an exceptional...