Suzhou Shantang Street City Gate Hospitality Courtyard Hotel Reviews

What we liked about the place: - Convenient location; surrounded by happening commercial area and near local attractions - Great service overall - Room design and space was amazing considering the price What were meh: - Really poor soundproofing; could hear lots of loud noises and conversations from outside directly in the room; woke us up a couple times - AC system took a while to figure out, feels like there’s a lag - Because the hotel is in a commercial building itself, most rooms do not get a window; however, how they’ve mitigated this is by having artificial internal windows with a bright mini-garden view which I suppose was a relatively good fix. But can feel a little “tight” Important: The hotel is at the 4th floor of a commercial building, and is a short walk in from the Didi/car drop point. Do not be confused with another “Humble Hotel” opposite the Mercure hotel, contact the hotel for directions.

When visiting Suzhou, this hotel boasts an excellent location, just a five-minute walk from Shantang Street. The area is superb, with a wide array of dining, entertainment, and shopping options right around the corner. The hotel's second floor features a variety of authentic Suzhou specialty dishes. Check-in at the front desk was very quick, and the staff were incredibly friendly and helpful, even assisting with luggage to our room. The room itself was spotless and well-equipped with all necessary amenities. As a newly opened hotel this year, the ambiance is fresh and pleasant, ensuring an extremely comfortable stay. A special shout-out to the hotel's memory foam pillows; they were so comfortable I drifted off to sleep instantly! The breakfast was a real highlight, even featuring Suzhou's famous Dumb Shengjian (pan-fried buns), a signature dish. The bottom of the shengjian was fried to a golden crisp, and with one bite, the savory soup burst out. The meat filling was tender, juicy, and subtly sweet – the taste was absolutely superb and instantly won over my visitor's palate! Moreover, the hotel offers free parking, which is incredibly convenient for those traveling by car, meaning no worries about parking whatsoever. Overall, my stay here was outstanding. I will definitely choose this hotel again on my next trip to Suzhou!

The 200-meter walk to Metro Line 2 was the absolute selling point for choosing this hotel! You just exit the hotel, turn a corner, and follow the signs for a couple of minutes to reach the subway station. This means no dragging luggage around or frantically rushing, making it incredibly convenient for reaching city attractions and the high-speed rail station. The extra half-hour of sleep I get from the saved commute time is pure bliss! What's more, the room didn't disappoint. It was clean and bright, with incredibly soft bedding. Coming back at night meant no transportation hassles – just pure comfort and relaxation. The breakfast congee and Yaba Shengjian were also perfectly to my taste. The value for money is truly exceptional! I'll definitely pick this place again next time; the superb transportation convenience alone makes it a clear winner!

The hotel I chose this time has an absolutely fantastic location! You can immediately feel its convenience upon stepping out of the car, as it's unbelievably close to Shantang Street and the main pedestrian shopping area. Within just a few minutes' walk from the hotel, you'll find yourself on Shantang Street, where you can stroll along the ancient canal, admire the traditional white-washed walls and dark-tiled roofs, and browse the unique shops. If you get tired, just pop into any teahouse, order a cup of Biluochun tea, and immerse yourself in the relaxed ambiance. Shantang Street transforms at night, becoming even more enchanting with its brilliant lights and lively buzz – no wonder everyone loves Jiangnan so much! No matter how late you stay out, returning to the hotel is hassle-free. For shopping enthusiasts or foodies, the pedestrian street is literally right around the corner. There's an endless array of malls and snack streets; from exquisite Suzhou-style pastries to a wide variety of regional cuisines, every palate will be satisfied. The hotel rooms are thoughtfully decorated, feeling both cozy and comfortable. The bedding is wonderfully soft, and the bathroom facilities are spotless. The staff are incredibly welcoming and attentive, ensuring a wonderfully peaceful and safe stay. Choosing this hotel truly made our trip exceptional, and I definitely plan to stay here again on my next visit!

Overall, this is a truly impressive hotel. The moment I stepped into the lobby, I was captivated by their Instagram-worthy rooftop terrace. The views are absolutely stunning – whether you're admiring the city skyline by day or the glittering lights by night, the atmosphere is simply incredible, and every photo taken there turns out like a masterpiece. Another highlight is the exquisite afternoon tea. The pastries are delicious, and the freshly ground coffee is top-notch, with an incredibly rich flavor. Each sip and bite fills you with a sense of pure bliss. Sitting on the terrace, enjoying the gentle breeze and indulging in afternoon tea, was truly delightful! If you're visiting Suzhou, choosing this hotel is definitely the right decision!

After considering many hotels, I finally settled on Houju Courtyard Design Hotel. I must say, the ambiance is truly delightful. The bathroom features a convenient wet and dry separation for the toilet and shower, and the toilet itself is quite smart. What's more, the room's voice-controlled smart assistant, 'Xiao Du Xiao Du', allows you to effortlessly control the air conditioning, lights, curtains, and TV on/off, making everything so much more convenient. The bedding was incredibly comfortable – soft, gentle on the skin, and ensured a fantastic night's sleep. The texture was truly top-notch! Once out of the room, a quick elevator ride downstairs brings you within easy walking distance of Shantang Street Scenic Area, and returning in the evening was also a breeze. Overall, choosing to stay at Houju Hotel, located on the 4th floor of Shangchengmen at No. 29 Shilu Pedestrian Street, was definitely a fantastic decision!

Highly recommend! I booked this hotel quite spontaneously and was so pleasantly surprised by how great it turned out to be! Even though it's newly renovated, there wasn't any lingering new-construction smell. Deliveries (like food) were handled smoothly, and we never had an issue with items reaching our room. The room was impeccably clean, and the bedding was my preferred crisp white. The mattress was incredibly comfortable and felt quite luxurious, making for a very restful sleep. The entire room is equipped with XiaoDu smart voice control, which was incredibly convenient, especially for older guests. They could easily adjust the room temperature even when we were out. All the facilities provided were also very comprehensive. It's incredibly convenient, and the price is quite reasonable, making it a hotel with excellent value for money. Highly, highly recommended!

I stayed at Houju Courtyard Design Hotel (Also known as The Humble) during my trip to Suzhou, and while the place is definitely Instagram-worthy, my overall experience was quite disappointing. I had high expectations after seeing the gorgeous photos and videos online, the traditional Suzhou-style architecture and the tranquil courtyard vibe looked amazing. But when I arrived, reality didn’t quite live up to the aesthetics. The location is near Shantang Street, which is great for exploring, but the hotel is about a 5–10 minute walk from the main road. If you have large luggage, this walk can be really inconvenient — especially during rainy season, which was the case for us. We had to drag our suitcases through narrow alleys in the rain just to check in. Another thing that surprised me was that this isn’t a standalone hotel building. The hotel is on Level 4 of a mixed-use building, with restaurants and other businesses on the lower floors. That means anyone can use the same elevator — not the most private or secure experience, especially if you were expecting a more exclusive boutique hotel feel. When we entered the room, the bathroom wasn’t properly cleaned — there were hairs around the toilet bowl area, and the bathroom doors felt flimsy. On top of that, the toilet kept making bubbling noises. We had to call staff to fix it, and they explained that it was due to water pressure issues common to all rooms. That said, I have to give credit where it’s due — the staff were very helpful and attentive, and they responded to issues quickly and politely, which definitely softened the experience a bit. Final Thoughts: While Houju Courtyard Design Hotel (The Humble Hotel) looks stunning in photos and has a great location near Suzhou’s attractions, the actual stay didn’t live up to expectations. It’s more about the aesthetic than comfort, and you should be prepared for shared spaces, limited privacy, and some maintenance issues. If visuals are your priority, it’s worth a short stay — but if you’re after a more comfortable, hotel-like experience, this might not be the right fit.

This hotel seems new, i had a great experience here! Everything is fine!

I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at this hotel and hope to return in the future. I appreciated the welcome tea and snack service, and the room was beautifully designed and very cozy. The bed was so comfortable that I wished I hadn't made my itinerary so busy so that I could sleep in!

Strategic location for traveler

Good service

The entrance is in the commercial plaza, the decoration and facilities are very new, nice; it is also close to Shantang Street, you can stroll around at will on weekends, the service configuration is worthy of the price; I will stay here again next time 🍜😎

The hotel is in a great location, close to the subway station. It's only two stops away from the Humble Administrator's Garden and Pingjiang Road, making it very convenient for travel. After dinner, we were able to stroll along Shantang Street to enjoy the night view. The room was clean and tidy, and the pillows were very comfortable. The front desk and customer service lady were very welcoming and friendly. They would greet guests in the hallway and were very kind. After check-in, they provided afternoon tea. The floral tea was beautiful and tasted great, and there were also small fruits and snacks. I really enjoyed them, so I asked for a few extra. Overall, we were very satisfied with this hotel. Recommended.