The West Lake Area, Hangzhou
Walk out of the hotel, cross one road, and you are at the lake

The appeal of the West Lake east shore comes from how close everything sits, in a way that is genuinely rare in a big city. In the morning you walk the shore and watch Hangzhou residents practising tai chi and exercising; mid-morning you step back into the pedestrian street for something to eat; in the afternoon you sit in a café looking at the water; and in the evening you walk up to Broken Bridge for the cooler air. You can do the whole day without getting into a vehicle once.

• 1
  For first-time visitors to Hangzhou

  First-timer base · walk to the lake · Metro Line 1

  If this is your first trip to Hangzhou, the area is the safest answer. You will not get lost, and you will not have to work out how far away the lake is — because it is directly in front of your hotel. Once the city becomes familiar, Longxiangqiao station on Line 1 lets you head out and explore everywhere else without changing your base.

• 2
  For morning and evening lakeside walks

  Lakeside walking · Broken Bridge · Bai Causeway

  Staying here means you can walk the shore whenever you like. Early morning brings soft light and few people; from the pedestrian street it is a short walk north to Broken Bridge and the willow-and-peach-lined Bai Causeway. In the evening the lakeside lights come on and the air cools — the time many people say West Lake is at its most beautiful.

• 3
  For shopping and food near your bed

  Hubin pedestrian street · malls · food

  The Hubin pedestrian street puts department stores, brand-name shops, restaurants and cafés within walking distance of the hotels. By day there are restaurants at every price level; by night the lights and the crowds give it real energy. If you want a late meal or forgot to buy something, it is a few steps down from your room.

• 4
  For using the metro to reach everything else

  Metro hub · HSR connection · day trips

  Longxiangqiao on Line 1 makes the area an easy base to travel from. Whether you are heading to Hangzhou East high-speed railway station for a train to Suzhou or Shanghai, or catching a bus out to Lingyin Temple and the Longjing tea fields, you start from here. There is no need to stay far from the centre just to keep transport simple.

The strongest argument for basing yourself on the West Lake east shore is that you buy all the convenience in one place. You wake up and walk to the lake; lunch and shopping are on the pedestrian street behind the hotels; and Longxiangqiao on Line 1 takes you to other sights or to the high-speed railway station. Room rates here run a little higher than other parts of Hangzhou, but for a first trip where you do not want to waste time in transit, many travellers find it worth it.

One thing worth knowing: hotels that face the lake directly (lake-view rooms) cost noticeably more than rooms facing the city. If your budget is tighter, choose a hotel in the area that is walking distance to the lake without paying for the lake-view room — you keep the good location at a much lighter price.