Scholars Shushan Hot Springs Resort

We enjoyed the tranquility of the location and the green environment around. The medicinal hot springs were quite proper and help to relieve the fatigued bodies of the travellers.

We enjoyed our stay. It was quiet and friendly. The restaurant was tasty and the hot springs were clean. We were able to take a nice hike around the hotel and visit the temple.

This hot springs resort on the far side of Suzhou from Shanghai depicts itself honestly in the photos...and they were very kid friendly. My children had a great time in the various pools and the restaurant/lobby staff were very accommodating. I have already recommended this place to two friends with small children. The hot springs aren't open until the afternoon though, so you won't get a dip in the morning before you check out. I'd recommend getting to the hotel close to check-in time or a little before to maximize time enjoying the pools. The breakfast was big, but mostly Chinese dishes. The area around the hotel has an eco village but it is mostly vendors and roads with cars and bikes flying past...a safety concern when traveling with kids. We didn't get a great feeling of nature here, although we did find one pathway up the nearby mountain which was fun.

Hot spring pools didn't vary much, and occupied what seems to be a small area, which worked to our advantage because we stayed when the wearther was 1-2degC. Restaurant offered fair-priced dinner options, breakfast spread was fair as well. Not much happening in the surrounding area, until one takes the tourist shuttle (or the ebikes for rent parked around the area) where folks can check out other quaint village/farm cafes and restaurants.

The hotel is really good: it has 10 hot springs, and there are not so many people inside, so you can even swim there. Please notice: you can only use hot springs from 13:00 till 23:00, after that they are being cleaned. So in the morning I can recommend to walk around in the park near the hotel.

This hotel is located just 25km from Suzhou city centre under a beautiful mountainside (hillside, really), area that has soft hiking, tea picking, and excellent countryside cuisine. The hot springs are well maintained and clean, with a variety of temperatures and mineral waters. It's a really nice place to take a date, though I recommend going to the pools a little later in the evening to avoid families and their kids. A particular highlight was the Dr. Fish pool, where the little fish are happy to rid your feet of any excess dead skin. Breakfast was decent, though caters to the Chinese tastes, but there is bacon, eggs and hash browns for those who need something a bit easier on the stomach (like me.)