Hangzhou Capital Star Hotel

For 580 RMB, or a little less than $90, the Capital Star hotel is an affordable option in Hangzhou, about 1.5 mile away from the famous West Lake (Xi Hu). At that rate, I was given a very spacious room on the 15th floor, with a king size bed, and a large bathroom. Interestingly enough, the shower had a window with a view of the room — something I had never seen before. The room was equipped with a large desk, divan, and big TV screen. The included breakfast served on the 4th floor was both hearty and varied, with a large variety of savory and sweet dishes. Two minuses worth mentioning. First, common to many venues in mainland China, the internet connection was extremely slow, and, for all intents and purposes, nearly unusable (with or without a VPN). Second, equally common to many venues, especially outside very cosmopolitan cities like Beijing and Shanghai, the hotel staff could only communicate in broken English, which can be problematic if your command of the Chinese tongue is nil. All in all, a good option in that price range, close to the main attraction of the city.