Suzhou: Don't Even Bother!

[Ms. Beatrice Abernathy]

Sisters, please listen to my advice! I had been looking forward to this trip to Suzhou for so long, but the result was a huge disappointment.

Firstly, let's talk about where we stayed:

• The hotel prices were just too high, comparable to those of large cities like Beijing and Shanghai. However, the rooms were old and in poor condition, and the service quality was far from satisfactory.
  • It's worth noting that Beijing and Shanghai are megacities with the highest consumption level in China. For the hotel prices in Suzhou to be on par with them is quite exaggerated.
• As for sound insulation, there was none! Loud talking in the next room, water flow while washing faces, showers all can be heard as clear as day.
• Moreover, some rude people downstairs shouting, and hotel front desk could do nothing to handle them.

And then, let's talk about commoditization and various scams:

• The place was highly commercialized, making it easy to get scammed without caution.
  • Warning! When buying fruits, one must be very cautious:
    • In purchasing fruits, we found the boss secretly underweighting (about half a kilo) and mixing it with rotten fruits.
      • "Pound" (Jin) is the commonly used unit of weight in China and it equals 500g or 0.5kg. Losing a pound means losing half a kilo.
    • Along with ordinary grapes, they fraudulently sold them to us as Wu Mei (Black plum, which price is several times higher).
    • We bought one fruit bowl only to find the watermelon and pineapple were just a small piece each, then added one big spoon load of poor-flavored yogurt and ice powder. This cost us over 50 RMB. It was extremely unpleasant, with high sugar syrup-like taste and slimy texture, we later discarded the most of it.

Then there's the environment and food:

• Although the scenery in Suzhou was decent enough especially in famous gardens, which show its unique beauty,
  But the issue is the crowds! Too crowded to take a proper photo, you just see heads everywhere.
• When it comes about food, generally failed to find local specialties but many brands from other cities were introduced instead.
• So-called "internet-famous snacks", prices were actually higher than those in Beijing or Shanghai!

To sum up the whole experience, coming out to have fun is primarily for enjoyment. We had been planning this trip for quite some time, starting in Beijing and unfortunately could not buy a direct railway ticket. So I first flew to Shanghai and transferred via high-speed train later. Result? After a long half-day of disappointment, we returned back to Shanghai at night. Truly, Shanghai offered far a better experience!

Here is my honest advice and warnings:

• Do thorough research before traveling and don't just look at beautiful promotional photos on the internet. Differences between reality and photos can be huge!
  • Solution: Browse more reviews across different platforms, especially negative ones with real pictures. Check the true condition carefully before making decisions.
• When encountering significantly unreasonable or unusually enthusiastic sales offers, always stay vigilant to avoid scams.
  • Solution: Ask for prices before buying anything, especially on stalls within scenic spots. If possible, shop at regular supermarkets or markets preferred by locals.

[Felix Glover]

Just arrived in Suzhou from Shanghai today, and I already don't feel like sightseeing. You're spot on.

[Sadie Ortiz-Waelchi]

Right? It's from my own experience.

[Delia Jast]

Plan your trip well; I just got back from Suzhou. My whole trip went smoothly, no tourist traps, it was great. The Shen Wansan braised goods at Qili Shantang are delicious. You mentioned those preserved plum vendors – yeah, they're just small street stalls. They were there ten years ago when I first visited, and it's still the same. But the 10 yuan freshly squeezed orange juice from the roadside is genuinely good.

[Madeline Hermann III]

Yes, that orange juice is incredibly fresh!

[Marion Barrows]

Just got back yesterday and it was pretty mediocre... I'm from Jinan, and honestly, this so-called 'authentic Jiangnan' experience didn't live up to the hype. The water there is quite dirty; Jinan's water is significantly better. The gardens are admittedly larger than ours, being 'authentic Jiangnan' and all, but really, everything was just... average. Nothing special. P.S. Attaching photos of Jinan's water and scenery.