Where to Stay in Hangzhou

Pick by the trip, not by the map

• First visit: Hubin and Longxiangqiao, the lakefront strip on Metro Line 1. You can walk to the water in five minutes and reach the rest of the city without a taxi.
• Couples and slower trips: Nanshan Road and the south shore, where the museums, the academy and the quieter stretches of the lake sit under plane trees.
• Business: Qiantang New City, the new CBD across the river. Cheaper per star, better rooms, and a twenty-minute metro ride from the lake.
• Tea hills and wetlands: Longjing and Xixi, where the hotels are resorts rather than city hotels. You will use taxis.
• Local life, lower prices: Gongchen Bridge on the Grand Canal, a restored warehouse quarter with a neighbourhood feel and no tourist premium.

What the position buys you

• Location: the north-east corner of the lake, a five to ten minute walk from the water and from the promenade where the city comes out in the evening.
• Transport: Metro Line 1 runs through Longxiangqiao, two stops from Wulin Square and a straightforward ride from Hangzhou East railway station.
• Hotels: the densest cluster of international and upper mid-range properties in the city, which means more choice and more competitive pricing outside holidays.
• Evenings: you can eat, walk the lake edge and come back on foot. No taxi required, which matters after a long arrival day.

The quiet side

• Atmosphere: plane trees, low buildings and the art academy, with the lake on one side and the hills on the other. It feels like a different city from the shopping district.
• Culture: several of the city's best small museums sit along this stretch, and the walk south to the pagoda is one of the pleasantest in Hangzhou.
• Hotels: mostly boutique and heritage properties rather than chains. Room counts are small, so book earlier than you would elsewhere.

The practical centre

• Position: the commercial centre, two metro stops from Longxiangqiao and within walking distance of the lake's north-east corner.
• Value: business hotels here discount at weekends, when the corporate trade disappears. Friday to Sunday can be the cheapest nights in central Hangzhou.
• Convenience: department stores, the main shopping streets and a dense cluster of restaurants, including plenty that open late.

Across the river

• Rooms: newer buildings, larger rooms and river views at prices that buy a standard double by the lake.
• Transport: Metro Line 4 connects the district to the rest of the network. The lake is roughly twenty minutes away.
• Evenings: the riverside walk and the light show are genuinely worth an hour, though the street life is thinner than across the water.

The slow stay

• Setting: tea terraces, bamboo and water. The hotels here are resorts with grounds, spas and space, not rooms above a shop.
• Xixi: the wetland park west of the city is a half-day in itself, and staying nearby lets you start before the coaches arrive.
• Longjing: the tea villages in the hills south-west of the lake are walkable from several of the smaller properties.

The local stay

• Character: restored warehouses along the Grand Canal, a working neighbourhood rather than a tourist zone, and a morning market worth setting an alarm for.
• Prices: the lowest of the six areas, which makes it sensible for a week rather than a weekend.
• Transport: connected to the centre by metro and bus, roughly twenty minutes to Wulin Square.

Check the property accepts foreign passports

Most international and upper mid-range hotels in Hangzhou are registered to receive foreign guests. Some smaller guesthouses and homestays are not. Confirm in writing before you pay, particularly for the cheaper listings around the lake.

When prices move

Rates rise sharply around National Day in early October, Labour Day in early May and the spring tea season. Weekends in April and October are the most expensive nights of the year. Midweek in January and February is the cheapest, though it is also the coldest and wettest.

Arriving from the airport

Xiaoshan airport is about 30 km east of the centre. Metro Line 19 runs to Hangzhou East railway station in roughly 35 minutes for under ¥10, where you change to Line 1 for the lake. A taxi or Didi to the lakefront is 40 to 60 minutes and around ¥130 to ¥180 including tolls.

Arriving by train

Hangzhou East is the main high-speed hub, about 45 to 60 minutes from Shanghai Hongqiao. Line 1 connects the station to Longxiangqiao and Wulin Square directly, so there is no need for a taxi unless you are carrying a lot of luggage. For the wider comparison, see Where to Stay in the Yangtze Delta.

Primary documents

• Rail fares and timetables: China Railway's English booking site lists every service and the fare band it sells. The ranges on this page are those on sale in October 2026; fares move by departure, so read them as bands rather than prices.
• West Lake and the city: The Hangzhou municipal government publishes the scenic area notices, seasonal crowd controls and transport arrangements that the West Lake section summarises.

Is West Lake free to visit?

Yes. There is no admission charge for the lake or the promenade, which is open at all hours. Boat trips, some gardens and the pagoda charge separately, typically ¥20 to ¥80 depending on the ticket, and the lake is quietest before eight.

How far is Hangzhou from Shanghai?

About 45 to 60 minutes by high-speed train from Shanghai Hongqiao to Hangzhou East, with departures through the day. Metro Line 1 connects the station to the lakefront, so no taxi is needed on arrival.

Which station should I arrive at?

Hangzhou East for almost all high-speed services, including from Shanghai, and Hangzhou West for some longer routes. Hangzhou station, known as Chengzhan, is the closest of the four to West Lake. Xiaoshan airport is 30 kilometres east, with Metro Line 19 to the east station in about 35 minutes.

Do Hangzhou hotels accept foreign passports?

International and upper mid-range hotels generally do. Smaller guesthouses and homestays sometimes are not registered for foreign guests, so confirm in writing before booking and keep the reply with your reservation.

How many days do I need in Hangzhou?

Two full days covers the lake and Lingyin. Three allows Xixi or a tea village without rushing, and four makes a slow trip. Anything shorter and most of it is spent in transit from Shanghai.