Sofitel West Lake Hangzhou, a free guide to overlooking the West Lake

The Sofitel West Lake Hotel in Hangzhou is located on the east side of the West Lake, just across a road in a prime location. Highly recommend the terraces on the sixth and seventh floors of the hotel, where non-guests can also overlook the beautiful scenery of the West Lake. The hotel lobby has an elevator that goes directly to the sixth floor without the need for a room card. Route one: Turn left and walk to the end to reach the sixth-floor terrace. Route two: Turn right, see the sign for the Sky Garden, enter the stairwell, and go up to the seventh-floor terrace. There are fewer visitors on the seventh floor, and the view is even better. The terrace faces west, so it's recommended to pick a nice day to check in, and you can enjoy two types of views: the blue sky with white clouds and the sunset. Bask in the sun, have a coffee, listen to the magpies quarreling, and enjoy the comfort. Thanks to the privileges of the Accor Platinum membership, my stay was upgraded to a Sofitel suite. Unfortunately, the room does not have a lake view. Due to the low floor levels of the hotels around the West Lake, the view from the windows is generally obstructed by trees. The executive lounge on the fifth floor has a small terrace that allows you to glimpse the lake and mountains through the shade of the trees. The view is not as good as the terraces above.