SUZHOU 苏州 5D4N
We travelled to Suzhou from Hengdian via train (around 2.5hours)
Checked in to Pan Pacific Suzhou for 4 nights in Suzhou! The hotel itself is an attraction, transformed from a palace! The hotel was really nice, and it was fun to explore the hotel grounds + the next door Panmen, which guests get free entry to! Do checkout Panmen at night, as they look really pretty at night! But do get back to the hotel before their closing time, if not the connecting door will be closed and you’ll have to take the long way out via the main road!
Getting to the hotel room might be a maze due to the structure of the hotel and I think the hotspot of the hotel will be the laundry room 🤣🤣 felt like all the guest were using the laundry room and it was constantly busy. Would be great if the hotel had an additional laundry room or provided complimentary laundry services! It was nice to stay here for the first time in Suzhou, but I don’t think I would return to the hotel as I think there are newer and better hotels in Suzhou! But definitely nice for the first time in Suzhou!
After our check in, we went to Jinji Lake Wind Park the weather was so cold here, and the wind was brutal by the lake! We slowly walked towards 李公提, and had dinner at 📍 新郭里·新苏菜(李公堤店) The squirrel fish and braised duck was really nice! Don’t order the broccoli please, the worst and most tasteless broccoli I’ve ever had 🤣 but the vibe and the ambience in the restaurant was really nice too! They had a live performance with the 琵琶
After dinner, we took the train for 1 stop to 金湖 station, and went to walk 金水湾栈桥! Could catch a glimpse of the 东方之门🩳 but the weather was really hazy so I didn’t bother going around the Jinji lake to get a better picture of 东方之门!
Day 2
Started off our day at @哑巴生煎 and there was a queue at 8.30am! We got in around 30 mins later! It was not too bad as it was made fresh, but I don’t think I would go back for the queue!
We had the reservation at Suzhou Museum (done via WeChat 小程序 7 days prior!) but omg the queue was crazy. The queue was snaking around the corner of the museum! Took around 15 mins to enter the museum? The exhibits and architecture were really nice, but the crowd just wasn’t it ☹️ spent most of my time and money at the souvenir shop! But if you are unable to get into the museum, they do have the souvenir shop located in 平江街! Maybe heading to the museum during their closing time might be better as the tour groups usually arrive in the morning!
After the museum, we headed to 📍 平阊园苏式面馆 for lunch! There was a queue for the restaurant but entered fairly quickly as the turnover was pretty fast and they had 2 levels! The aesthetics of the restaurant was really pretty, with a huge koi pond in the middle! We didn’t get a seat next to the pond but still enjoyed our meal! I got the triple prawn noodle set, and the staff were so nice to mix the noodles for us!
Afterwards we headed to 📍十全街 a street filled with little shops and cafes! We were there for maybe an hour? Tried 📍九十葉 but it wasn’t my cuppa tea ☹️ might try their matcha ice cream instead! There were so many aesthetic cafes and bread shop but we had limited stomach space so we just enjoyed window shopping!
We had time before dinner so we went to 📍 苏州万象天地 a huge mall with both indoor and outdoor spaces! China do really go all out with their malls! Walked around and had dinner at 📍Mokpo since we were a little tired from Chinese food. Food portions were huge and the staff kept checking on us to ensure that we were enjoying our meal!
After dinner we went over to @七里山塘 via 山塘桥 and holy there was so much people, all I could see were heads 🙂 we quickly took photos, walked through the street (nothing much too as it was very commercial..) and went back to our hotel after!
Day 3
Started our day at Humble Administrator's Garden and damn the crowds 🫠🫠 the garden was not built for the masses! It was honestly very underwhelming due to the crowds (and smoking inside this pretty garden too wtheck) super crowded in the main attraction areas - literally body to body and you have no time to stop for photos couldn’t enjoy the garden at all and couldn’t wait to get out HAHA might be better to head to the garden during their closing hours cause it’s full of tour groups in the morning!
After escaping the garden, we headed towards 平江路 and had lunch at 📍 姑苏船宴·平江河景·苏帮菜(平江路店) we were lucky to get a table just right beside the canal! Very aesthetic place and food was not too bad too!
平江路 was a long stretch of shops and food, so we slowly strolled around and explored the allies! Could resist the dog cafes so I went to play with the doggos (around CNY68 inclusive of dog food!) it was fun but the dogs were very food driven and sleepy so I left after 30 mins haha
Another favourite drink of mine was from📍 三万昌(平江路1店) - 茉莉碧螺春奶茶!! They have multiple outlets in Suzhou!
We went to the nearby mall 📍苏州仁恒仓街商业广场 which was an upscale mall with mainly luxury brands! Visited a Songmont outlet there to try out their bags but didn’t purchase any! You could head up to the adjacent 相门城楼 and get a great view of Suzhou!
We also had a dessert stop at 📍汕心 similar to blackball, where you could customise which toppings you like!
Afterwards we took the train for 1 stop to 监顿路 and walked around 观前街! There wasn’t much too, so we just hung around the mall before our dinner at 苏园·苏式火锅(观前街店) the steamboat was so-so, and the meat tasted weirdly frozen 🙂🙂 but they had live performances to keep their customers entertained 🤣🤣 the 苏式 basically was just their ingredients arranged in 九宫格 so I think there wasn’t much to it.
Day 4 - we went for a day trip to Wuxi, and I will share more in my next post!
Day 5 - we explored Panmen in the morning, and ate at 瑞面 located within the hotel! We were sick of noodles so we ordered the shrimp fried rice, and it was really good! Portion was huge too and we struggled to finish it.
After check out we headed to our final city, Nanjing!
Visiting Suzhou truly felt like stepping into a living museum where history, culture, and nature blend seamlessly. Besides the places mentioned, I found that exploring the lesser-known alleys around Pingjiang Road in the early morning was especially rewarding. The quiet canals and traditional architecture offered a peaceful contrast to the busier tourist spots. It’s a great time to enjoy the authentic local vibe before the crowds arrive. One tip for fellow travelers is to time visits to popular gardens like the Humble Administrator's Garden and Suzhou Museum late in the afternoon or near closing time. This way, you can avoid the peak crowds and enjoy a more intimate atmosphere, plus the soft evening light is perfect for photos. Food-wise, Suzhou offers unique local flavors that are distinct from other Chinese cities. If you want to skip tourist-heavy restaurants, venture a bit off the main streets to discover small family-run eateries serving authentic Suzhou-style noodles and river delicacies like squirrel fish. Don't overlook trying the jasmine tea milk tea from local cafes like 三万昌, which provides a refreshing twist on classic drinks. Additionally, the Pan Pacific Suzhou hotel’s transformation from a palace adds an enchanting stay experience, although navigating its layout can be challenging. Future visitors might consider hotels closer to the city center for easier access and more modern amenities. For nature and photography enthusiasts, Jinji Lake at sunset is a must-see, offering beautiful reflections of the city skyline and landmarks like the Oriental Gate. Despite the chilly winds, the combination of urban lights and water creates a mesmerizing scene. Lastly, while day trips to nearby cities like Wuxi enrich your travel experience, planning them with a local guide or using reputable tour apps can save time and add depth to your sightseeing. Suzhou’s blend of traditional charm and growing modernity makes it a fascinating destination worth exploring thoughtfully.
