West Well

Wanted to experience the water town of Zhujiajiao and this hostel/hotel is right on the canal and in the middle of the water town. Had a little difficulty finding it as not much English is spoken however when we showed the guard at the entrance gate to the canals our reservation paper, he understood enough to point us in the right direction. It was just a matter of following the canal part way down. The front of the West Well is a bar/meeting place and you walk thru the establishment, thru several court yards to get to the rooms. We had booked 2 rooms, each with its own bathroom and they did not disappoint. The bathrooms were small but modern, the large kingsize bed is up a very steep set of stairs in a loft however there is also a bed/couch on the main floor. The footprint itself is small but laid out well and we did not feel crowded. The bedding and room was clean. We could not get the a/c working however it was not so hot that we needed it. They close off the bar and lock the front door so safety was not an issue. I couldn't find out if the building was old or just made to look old. Lots of wood and really cool doors leading the the courtyards. We had several drinks in the bar, sitting in the front window overlooking the canal and people watched. The drinks were pretty good considering. Across the canal is a starbucks and a pretty decent bar/restaurant featuring western food. Note, Starbucks is not open until 9.30 and had long lineups. If you want to experience the hustle and bustle of the canals this is a perfect place to do so. Would recommend.