Located under the famous White Lotus Tower, the Dockside Boutique Hotel (Wangjinli Jingpin Jiudian) is close to Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. Once a guesthouse for boatmen and merchants on the canal, the property is now a garden-style hotel that has incorporated traditional elements into its design.Wi-Fi in public areas and parking for a fee are available to guests.The on-site restaurant serves both Chinese and Western fare for those looking for a convenient snack or a meal. A lobby bar offers an additional space for guests to meet with friends or relax with a drink.
"Overall, the hygiene, facilities, and service were mediocre.
**Cons:**
1. The hotel shares electric shuttle carts with the scenic area. This meant guests had to queue, wait, and even undergo ticket checks, just like regular tourists (despite being free for hotel guests). During peak hours, returning to the hotel often involved waiting in line for over 30 minutes. When departing from the hotel, the shuttle wouldn't leave until it was fully packed with other tourists, which was incredibly inconvenient.
2. Breakfast was acceptable, but it fell far short of the standard I'd expect from a five-star hotel. The dining area was also quite small, making it difficult to find a seat, especially during busy times.
3. The hotel itself is a beautiful ancient building with stunning courtyard views. However, there were no clear directions or signs provided by the hotel, so exploring its grounds felt like a hit-or-miss endeavor – you only saw what you stumbled upon.
4. For a five-star hotel, it was surprising that printing cost 2 RMB per page and required a trip to the scenic area's business center. The hotel's own printer wasn't even working.
5. If you wanted to order takeout, you had to take the electric shuttle all the way to the tourist service center to pick it up. It couldn't be delivered to the room, not even by hotel staff, let alone the delivery drivers themselves.
6. Regarding the room, the standard twin room I booked also fell short of five-star expectations. It wasn't particularly spacious, and for a hotel of this supposed caliber, the absence of a smart toilet felt outdated and unusual.
**Pros:**
1. The hotel's environment is truly stunning, making it perfect for photography.
2. During breakfast, items were consistently replenished, so nothing ever ran out.
3. Services like accepting courier packages or borrowing marker pens were handled efficiently. However, these items had to be retrieved from a central service center, leading to a waiting period, unlike hotels outside the scenic area where direct front desk delivery is standard.
4. The accompanying photos were all taken within the hotel premises, which are genuinely beautiful!"