Originally Posted by
SaltySteak
Sad to hear this. This property was receiving good ratings from influencers, but opposite reactions from regular stays. Disappointing to see a brand like this paying for fake reviews. Suzhou, in general, does not have the best hotels and is in no way comparable to what Shanghai or Hangzhou offers. The only other luxury brand would be Park Hyatt and the service there is also a mess on its own.
Don’t let this hotel put you off on a visit to Suzhou!
Suzhou is a lovely quaint little town that has very nice and chill locals. The FS is far removed from all the cultural part of the city (30 mins away) and is in a soulless new-build area. Either the Marriott, Pan Pacific (ex-Sheraton) or new Kimpton have much better locations.
The FS branding seems to be going in the wrong direction. Their new hotel/new renovations (e.g. FS HK) aesthetics are unbearably ugly and cookie-cutter. Perhaps they are more focused on ESG rather than actual service!
Suzhou in general is much more relaxed and more like a resort town than Hangzhou. Plus you can call a didi taxi (Chinese Uber) to Suzhou in around 1hr10mins for around 60 dollars.