PACE hotel — Hotel in Suzhou City

This follows my very memorable stay at their other branch near the famous Guanqian pedestrian district and historic gardens. I had a such a good stay there.||||This branch is 2 subway stops away, a bit further from the CBD, but its closeness to the historic Suzhou moat makes it ideal for weekend getaways. I suggest packing comfy walking shoes, pick up the really entertaining walking map from the reception and ask them for directions. Basically, head south 200 meters from the hotel lobby, and follow the moat. You’ll see the famous land-and-water gate called Panmen, famed for protecting Suzhou from various sieges throughout its 2500 history. Along the way you’ll see a dozen or so remaining gates, wall remnants and gardens with neat floral and horticultural arrangements. The end of October meant the Osmanthus was in full bloom, and one literally gets enveloped in a wave after wave of Osmanthus scent. It was surreal.||||Compared to their other hotel, this hotel has a more minimalist feel to it. The other newer hotel has decidedly better fixtures and furnishings, but the simple, clean and functional layout is still very good, and even better considering the exceptional value at less than 40 bucks a night! The Family Mart right next door is great for refreshments, beers, mid night snacks. Like their other hotel, the free in-house coffee is very good. Fresh beans, good espresso makes for a great start of the morning. The breakfast was simple, though between the toast, jam, peanut butter, sunny side eggs (ask for them, they’re free!) and good cereal selections, I was a happy trooper.||||Ultimately, it was the friendly faces that made my stay really cheerful. The ladies at the restaurant kept asking if I wanted more. Ladies at the reception gave me so many pointers on little shops and attractions tucked in small alley ways etc. It was terrific. Wish I had more time to spend here, I’ll certainly be back....

This follows my very memorable stay at their other branch near the famous Guanqian pedestrian district and historic gardens. I had a such a good stay there.||||This branch is 2 subway stops away, a bit further from the CBD, but its closeness to the historic Suzhou moat makes it ideal for weekend getaways. I suggest packing comfy walking shoes, pick up the really entertaining walking map from the reception and ask them for directions. Basically, head south 200 meters from the hotel lobby, and follow the moat. You’ll see the famous land-and-water gate called Panmen, famed for protecting Suzhou from various sieges throughout its 2500 history. Along the way you’ll see a dozen or so remaining gates, wall remnants and gardens with neat floral and horticultural arrangements. The end of October meant the Osmanthus was in full bloom, and one literally gets enveloped in a wave after wave of Osmanthus scent. It was surreal.||||Compared to their other hotel, this hotel has a more minimalist feel to it. The other newer hotel has decidedly better fixtures and furnishings, but the simple, clean and functional layout is still very good, and even better considering the exceptional value at less than 40 bucks a night! The Family Mart right next door is great for refreshments, beers, mid night snacks. Like their other hotel, the free in-house coffee is very good. Fresh beans, good espresso makes for a great start of the morning. The breakfast was simple, though between the toast, jam, peanut butter, sunny side eggs (ask for them, they’re free!) and good cereal selections, I was a happy trooper.||||Ultimately, it was the friendly faces that made my stay really cheerful. The ladies at the restaurant kept asking if I wanted more. Ladies at the reception gave me so many pointers on little shops and attractions tucked in small alley ways etc. It was terrific. Wish I had more time to spend here, I’ll certainly be back....

Stayed at this hotel for a weekend getaway in Suzhou. The hotel is well positioned, being away from the main CBD area of Suzhou, but only a few minutes walk away from a subway station. Very near the hotel is also a convenience store so easy access to get some snacks/beverages or toiletries.||||The hotel also offers free coffee or tea throughout the day for guests, which is a nice touch. I hugely benefitted from the self-service espresso machine since I was an afternoon coffee person.||||Check-in/out procedure was easy and efficient (I suspect partially due to myself being a Chinese speaker). My stay included complimentary breakfast, which was actually decent, with cereal, fruit, eggs, hash-brown, sausages as well as some Chinese selections like hot soy milk, porridge and fried noodles.||Must say I am quite impressed given the price range of this hotel.||||The room was reasonably clean, and spacious. Includes towels and other basic amenities. The in-room TV also included free movie on demand, which was a big plus, given I had stayed at a rather rainy evening.||||Worth noting is that while the elevator appears to require electronic key card to access each floor. This was not the case and even without tapping the card, you can access any floors through the elevator. So just a heads up on security.||||Overall an enjoyable stay. Have heard good things about this hotel chain, and can definitely understand why it has a positive reputation. Do be aware there are a few PACE hotels in Suzhou, so might need to be extra clear when emphasising to taxi drivers on where...