Suzhou Spa Hotels

Took my kids to Suzhou Tongli Lake Hotel for a weekend stay. Their logo is a hoopoe bird, and the experience exceeded our expectations! The room was new, spotless, and thoughtfully detailed, making our stay incredibly relaxing and comfortable. The family-friendly facilities were fantastic: outdoors, you can feed bunnies, and the kids' play area was clean and safe – my child didn't want to leave! The heated pool had crystal-clear water, perfect for both adults and kids to enjoy. The buffet offered fresh, diverse, and delicious food with plenty of choices. On Sunday morning, we did a travel photoshoot in the Suzhou-style garden right next to the hotel. With its white walls, dark-tiled roofs, winding corridors, and ornate windows, every step offered a picturesque scene. It's a wonderful family-friendly hotel with a serene environment and attentive service!

Our villa had a king-size bed and a terrace right by the water. The room was spacious and well-designed, with all the amenities we needed. Elld at the front desk was always asking if we needed anything, and Chen Liang, the shuttle driver, was so thoughtful. He noticed I had a bit of trouble getting in and out of the shuttle and immediately offered me a footstool, which was really touching. The staff at the Chinese restaurant recommended a set menu that was delicious and generous; they even helped us pack up the leftovers to take back to our room and heated them up for us later that evening. They truly go above and beyond for their guests.

The overall service was excellent, everyone was friendly and smiling. For our anniversary, they decorated the room and sent us a small cake and cookies. The infinity pool was beautiful and great for photos, and they even offered us mini popsicles. The kids' club was large, making it a perfect place for families with children. We originally booked a 'Yiyuan' King Room, but the front desk said they upgraded us to a courtyard room. This room, however, was on the ground floor with a courtyard, which was useless since it rained all day Sunday. Moreover, it was located at the very end of the East Wing, making it extremely inconvenient to get around with a child. We had to walk so much extra. The room was on the first floor, while the front desk was on the second, and we had to take a connecting elevator. The actual 'Yiyuan' rooms are usually on the second floor or higher. So, this felt more like a downgrade disguised as an upgrade, and we were quite uncomfortable. The duvet cover and duvet were separate, the cover had no zipper or ties, and the edges were torn. I strongly advise against staying in the ground-floor rooms with courtyards. They are dark and gloomy, and on rainy days, a room with a balcony upstairs would be much airier. Since we were traveling with a baby and spent most of our time at the hotel, every time we had to go out, it took forever, and our child got tired. Therefore, I felt the room experience this time was very poor – it was remote, and the lighting was bad.

The front desk staff (specifically, a gentleman) was incredibly kind and upgraded me to an executive suite for free. The hotel environment is very high-end, and the hygiene is up to par. The room smelled lovely! I'll definitely stay here again next time I'm in Suzhou. (¯▽¯)ゞ

Had a wonderful 3-day, 2-night trip with my good friends and their families. Regarding service: Our butler, Cindy, was always online and ready to help. The engineering uncle braved the heavy rain to set up the projector for the kids and greeted us warmly the next day. Xu Chenhao from the activities department was a warm and engaging young man, teaching us kayaking techniques, sharing the resort's development story, and taking beautiful photos for every family. The children's club staff were also very welcoming, inviting us to try out various fitness equipment. Regarding cleanliness: Housekeeping was prompt and thorough. Regarding dining: The Chinese restaurant was quite good. However, breakfast was a bit mediocre with limited options. By 10 AM, they almost stopped restocking food. Suggestion: Upon check-in, we were offered an upgrade from 2 rooms to 3 rooms, but then told the third room was locked, effectively making it no upgrade at all. They only reluctantly opened it after we complained. I suggest training the front desk staff on what a room upgrade actually means. It might have been better not to offer an upgrade at all if they weren't clear on it.

Let's start with the positives – the butler service was very friendly, and the lobby staff were enthusiastic. When I was leaving with all my bags, one of them even proactively asked if I needed help. The hotel room was very quiet, and I slept wonderfully, waking up naturally at 9:45 AM. It's been a long time since I've had such a good lie-in! Next, I really appreciate the little surprise the hotel prepared for our anniversary; my family was very happy. All these points deserve a five-star rating. Now for some personal suggestions. The main area I recommend improving is breakfast. Having stayed at various family-friendly hotels, from far-flung places like Atlantis to nearby ones like all the Kaiyuan Senbo and Giraffe Hotels, including other Club Med locations, this was my first time at the Taicang branch, and I had a poor experience with the beverages. On the first day, we went around 8 AM, and on the second day, after 10 AM, some food stations weren't open. Normally, everything is open during the summer holidays, but I'll set that aside, as every hotel has its own plans. However, let me address the specific beverage issues. On the first day, the freshly squeezed juice in the restaurant was consistently only filled to one-third of the glass. There's really no need for that; if people want more, they'll simply get refills. Two-thirds is a normal serving, especially since the cups are small. On the second day, I went for freshly squeezed juice at 10:05 AM and couldn't get a single cup; there were only a few scattered watermelon slices. The hot milk was also not refilled and was consistently out of stock. This really feels a bit stingy. The evening activities felt less engaging compared to Nanjing. Nanjing's activities had much more interaction. I still vividly remember children and adults gathering in a circle, singing and dancing together, everyone enjoying drinks, chatting while watching the show, and kids participating on stage.

Banyan Tree, as always, is wonderfully secluded and comfortable! The butler, a lovely lady, upgraded our room again. And we even ran into Alice Xiaoxiao, the butler who assisted us during our stay last year – it was great to see her again! She proactively reached out before check-in to ask about our needs and was incredibly responsive to all our requests. The concierge service upon arrival was also very thoughtful. The courtyards, lush greenery, and water features are beautifully designed, offering a new picturesque view at every turn. The views from our room were truly refreshing and invigorating! Kids' toiletries were fully stocked, and the complimentary soft drinks were of good quality, not just an afterthought. The hotel also offers free activities like Baduanjin (a traditional Chinese exercise), cocktail making, and night runs! Overall, a very satisfying stay! Excellent value for money! **Dining:** The hotel's Baiyun Restaurant is also fantastic. Even though dinner was a set menu from a group deal, every dish was surprisingly delicious! It's a perfect alternative to the Rongsheng Restaurant next door, where you often have to queue for two hours if you don't want to wait. They've changed breakfast to a mostly buffet style, which can sometimes mean colder food with a less-than-ideal texture. However, they still offer à la carte service upon request, which is great! And the champagne was delicious! **Activities:** This trip, we came specifically to climb Lion Mountain, and we successfully reached the summit – the entire scenic area is very thoughtfully developed! Safety measures are also very well implemented! Whether looking out from the mountain or gazing at it from the hotel, it's a view within a view – perfect for photos! There are several well-designed buildings nearby, like museums and science centers, all within walking distance. The hotel key card provides direct access to Lion Mountain Park, and in the evening, they even offer transportation for a golf course tour. The park has added more activities since last year, including a mini-train, cycling, and boating. This year, we even tried kayaking – so much fun! We'll definitely be back next year! Our sincere thanks to Alice Xiaoxiao, our butler, who made our first stay enjoyable and our second even more comfortable. Also, a big shout-out to the handsome concierge who helped with our luggage! The auntie providing turn-down service gave our child small gifts and drinks, and the three lovely ladies at the bar patiently taught us cocktail making… All the hotel staff made us feel so warm and welcome. Looking forward to our next stay!

The pool and playground are fantastic! It's perfect for families with kids – you can easily spend a whole day at the hotel, giving parents a well-deserved break. The beds are super spacious too! A special shout-out to Zhu Zhenyuan; I needed iodine late at night and it was brought to me immediately, along with several bottles of water. Much appreciated!

This stay exceeded my expectations, a definite must-praise! The hotel is overall clean and fresh, the bedding is soft and gentle on the skin, and the soundproofing is excellent, allowing for a really peaceful night's sleep. Whenever I needed anything, the hotel staff were incredibly prompt with their service. Plus, their attitude was gentle and friendly, giving a comforting 'home-away-from-home' feeling. During my stay, I reported a toilet issue, and Haley immediately assisted with a room change, which was handled very efficiently! The location is convenient, close to shopping districts and attractions; Suzhou Center is right outside, making dining and shopping very easy. I'll definitely choose this hotel again when I return. Highly recommend it! ૮(˶ᵔᵕᵔ˶)ა

The hotel has its own onsen area that's open to non-hotel guests. So the entrance starts with the shoe cabinets before reaching the front desk that serves both onsen day-use guests and hotel guests. The Japanese themed room was luxurious. Very clean and impeccably maintained, good sound proofing I could hear a pin drop in the room. Double basins, Dyson hair dryer, bidet toilet bowl, standing shower and a huge zen sofa couch area by the window, complete with tea and chess set. Pity there's not much of a view out there. There's also no phone here, just a speaker by the bedside table or one can use WeChat to communicate with the front desk and of course robot deliveries. Bed and pillow was too soft for my liking. Service is excellent and they even provide turn down service. I left the room for onsen and came back to a room where the curtains are drawn, a plate of fruits on the table, floor towel laid out in the shower area with the bath towel, originally under the basin, now hung on the door of the shower. The stay package came with an Afternoon Tea set of fruits, desserts and crackers. The cheesecakes were meh but the pineapple tart made up for it. Fruits were fresh and yums. In-house guests were given unlimited access to the Onsen and I took my time to enjoy it fully. It's a full Jap style onsen, meaning going fully naked. A rather small onsen with just 3 pools but the outdoor one was the best, soaking in 43 degrees pool in the cold. There's a chill out area outside including a lounge, meditation room and a movie-cum-reading room (what an irony though). They also have private onsen rooms for rent at additional costs. Leisurely breakfast the next morning at 930am. Yes, I had to choose a specific hour to be at breakfast as it's a Jap bento set with a partial buffet (of noodles and porridge). Not outstanding for me. But otherwise, it was 5* experience and I recommend this to anyone planning to come to Taicang to experience the onsen.