Jiangyin Life Island Hotel （Northwest Gate） — Hotel in Wuxi City

This hotel claims to be 5 Star however although I had no major problems during my stay it would not hold 5 stars in Europe. ||||It is a non descript building from the outside however when entering the massive lobby (3000 sq/m and one of the largest in E. China) you can't help but be impressed. The traditionally dressed Bell-hops are another impressive feature. Check-in was painless and I was soon in my room after a longish walk from the lift. The furnishings were smart dark wooden and in a traditional formal style. The bed was King size with a particularly hard matress. Not however uncomfortable as my initial reaction was to it. Other amenities included a mini-bar and fridge (beer priced at RMB15 and minatures RMB30), TV with only 3 english speaking channels, safe, coffee table and 2 chairs, desk / dresser with stool, iron & ironing board, robes & slippers, LAN internet connection and complimentary toiletries. Another facinating display in the bathroom was a selection of items the Management must think guests may find usefull. These were all for sale and included a razor, condoms (including one that had a vibrating attachment), special wipes for both male and female genitals and a lotion that claimed to kill not only all common STD's but also the HIV 1 virus when out of the body. Amazing and perhaps something the WHO should know about. The bathroom itself was clean and the towels large and fluffy. ||||All in all it was a comfortable room but certainly not 5 Star. One handy addition was a universal socket at the desk / dresser which would accept any type of electical plug. The hotel boasts a swimming pool and recreation centre but I didn't use or see either of them during my 2 night stay. ||||The hotel is very central in the small city and shopping is about 10 minutes walk away. Bars and restaurants only...

The hotel itself is ok with great lobby, welcoming staff and the restaurants are good. However the manager lets the whole place down by turning the air conditioner off in the middle of the night in rooms with no windows/ windows that do not open! There are about 25 of our company workforce here and we all complain of the same problem, waking up early because it is too hot. The staff are really good but I can't give a better rating while the manager does not listen too us. We believe if other people feel too cold, then they can adjust the temperature in each room as all have individual controls. We have asked many times and I asked 5 separate times to keep it on and they say ok, but then keep turning it off again. We have talked to other contractors staying at different hotels and they do not have this problem. The company have booked me here for three months I will ask them to move us soon if we can not get a good sleep. Save yourself a lot of trouble and stay...

on a business trip, my relatively long term stay at Life Island was quite pleasant...the room was spacious with a king size bed. staff was very helpful & responsive and language didn prove to be a hurdle. no hassles on money exchange. breakfast was complimentary and spread was good for a short term stay. wouldnt recommend for long stay. they pack up their dinner buffet a bit early at 8. the german pub HB with their own brewed beer is great and serves continental stuff till midnight.strongly recommend the sushi bar adjacent to the hotel. location of the hotel right in the heart of city's night life area. bus service to both airports in shanghai starting from close to the hotel. wifi blocking Google and facebook is a big dampner. good inddor court for badminton, table tennis.....good parks with lake for water...