Outstanding location, incredibly helpful and friendly staff, INCREDIBLE breakfast (inc. ESPRESSO coffee, freshly squeezed juices, and a western/asian array of extremely high quality foods). Opt for a lakeview room- so worth it! This is BY FAR the best, slickest, most immaculate hotel in town. If you are deciding between this hotel and The Sofitel (I, too, was perplexed!), trust me when I say there is NO comaprison. My ONLY minor complaint is that smoking rules are not enforced.

I selected this hotel based on its reviews.
The food, service, rooms and facilities are excellent.
Although we loved being in China it was great to come back to the hotel and just enjoy the luxury.
This hotel along with the Peninsula in Beijing and Le Meridian in Shanghai are all highly recommended

This was my first stop on my China trip and I was very impressed. The hotel is relatively new and quite modern. Service was impeccable. The breakfast buffet was fantastic and the place was swarming with wait staff who were almost too eager to please. The hotel is located right on West Lake, and the view of the lake from my window was wonderful. There is an old neighborhood adjacent to the hotel and, of course, the newer boutiques and shops around West Lake. I was glad I had a Chinese speaker with me, though, because outside the hotel few people spoke English. I'd love to go back and spend more time there.

this was a nice place, but i can't understand the amazing review.
we had a lake view room, in the center of the arc-shaped hotel, on the top floor, other than a suite, i can't imagine a better roomin the hotel. The room was small, and the amenities only ok. the service was ok too.
Compared to the peninsul in hong kong and raffles in beijing this is like staying at the holiday inn.
book no more than 2 nights in advance (when not traveling new years or cherry blossom time) and u will recieve HUGE discount, we paid $150. night including breakfast, afternoon tea and all-u-can=drink , cocktails with snacks.