[2025 Suzhou Stay] Travel Guide for Yihe Riverside (Updated Mar)

📍Address: SuZhou Yihe SongMaoJu, Located in the heart of PingJiangLu 💰Average Price: Rm700+ 💞As soon as I stepped in, I was blown away by the hotel’s design—even the room key was beautifully crafted. Upon check-in, the butler escorted us to our room and gave a detailed introduction to the fully automated facilities, motorized curtains and a smart TV. The bathroom come with a bathtub even provide a Dyson hairdryer, adding to the luxurious experience. After a long and tiring day, the butler thoughtfully brought us a bowl of sweet soup, which was a lovely touch. The room was so comfortable that I didn’t want to leave. The hotel offered both breakfast too, Western and Chinese breakfast as options. I highly recommend the Suzhou-style braised pork noodles🍜—they were absolutely amazing! 😋😋 Happy Stay!!! #discoverchina #couplestrip #travel

Transportation Guide: #苏式汤面 ##Historical Sites Mrs. Pan Zuyin’s residence. The pick-up service at Songmaoju Scenic Area was provided by Master Zhou, who was friendly and professional. He was not only familiar with the routes and introductions of the scenic spots, but was also punctual and polite. Highly recommend to everyone! Must-see attractions: Pingjiang boat trip, Lingering Garden, and Ouyuan Recommended hotel: Songmaoju Must-eat food: Squirrel fish Shopping guide: None

✨Green bricks and black tiles, willow trees and painted bridges, in the misty drizzle, the bell of Hanshan Temple, which has spanned thousands of years, rings gently at this moment. ✨Gusu is a hazy romance, a beautiful dream interwoven with ink and color. Pushing open the door of Songmaoju at Yihe, the past moment comes rushing back to you. ✨The ancient house spanning three centuries still allows us to get a glimpse of the style of the Qianlong period. The flower street pavement unique to Suzhou gardens is rarely seen in other places. Traditional Chinese aesthetics are fully reflected in this house. ✨The small bridges, flowing water, winding corridors, and the rich summer are filled with sunshine and lush greenery. ✨Open the window in the room and you will see the courtyard. You can make tea in spring, listen to the rain in summer, appreciate chrysanthemums in autumn, and watch the snow in winter. There are different beautiful scenery and different fun in each season. Strolling in the ancient streets, every brick and tile tells the past, and every bay of water reflects the deep love in the past. ✨In this misty Jiangnan, sip a pot of tea and feel the tranquility and elegance of Gusu that has been passed down for thousands of years.

Usually, when I go to Suzhou, I go there and back in one day, until this Yihe Songmaoju opened on Pingjiang Road. The predecessor of this old building was the former residence of Mrs. Wang, the wife of Pan Zuyin, a Suzhou family. It was built in the tenth year of Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty (1745) and has a history of more than 200 years. Speaking of Pan Zuyin, many foreign tourists may not be familiar with it, but if you mention the famous national treasures, the big Ke Ding and the big Yu Ding, I believe everyone knows that these two bronze national treasures were originally collected by Pan Zuyin and later donated to the Shanghai Museum by his descendants. Yihe Songmaoju has only 27 rooms. The ancient Jiangnan mansion is almost different in every room, and some even have their own courtyards. Black pine, banana, Taihu stone, pen, ink, paper and inkstone, landscape screen, every detail reveals the elegant late Qing classical aesthetics. Walking out of Songmaoju is Pingjiang Road. The morning Pingjiang Road has less hustle and bustle, and more tranquility of the Jiangnan water town, small bridges and flowing water, the morning glory protruding from the eaves, the old man who goes out to buy vegetables on the stone road... This is the true appearance of Pingjiang Road. The route of the "Searching for Song, Searching for Qing" cultural City Walk is to walk from Songmaoju to Ouyuan, and the end of Cang Street can go to Shuangta. The exquisite and exquisite Ouyuan has a romance exclusive to Suzhou people; Suzhou Shuangta has two brick towers built in the Northern Song Dynasty in 982 and the ruins of the main hall of the Song Dynasty. The exquisite stone carvings on the stone pillars are still vivid. If you are a cultural enthusiast like me, Yihe Songmaoju on Pingjiang Road will be the starting point for this "Searching for Song, Searching for Qing" journey.

One Pingjiang Road, half of Gusu City. When you come to Suzhou, you must take a walk on Pingjiang Road 🚶‍♀️. This time, let's just stay on Pingjiang Road! The hotel is located in an alley on Pingjiang Road, built by the river, forming a secluded corner. The Suzhou-style garden architecture is ancient and elegant, and the welcoming pine at the entrance is vigorous and graceful. Outside the door is the bustling Pingjiang Road, but inside is a serene and elegant garden retreat. Hidden in the bustling city｜Great seclusion in the city｜Quiet in the midst of noise 🍃. Although it is an ancient garden house, the hotel facilities are very advanced. Welcome fruits, snacks, tea, coffee, and minibar are all 🆓. The drip coffee is actually Vienna Little Red Riding Hood! This makes me nostalgic for my trip to Austria . The toiletries, toothpaste, toothbrush, tea set, and hairdryer are all my favorite brands. You can also change into the hotel's bathrobe and cotton-linen home clothes, which is very considerate . Unexpectedly, there is also an outdoor swimming pool and gym in the small garden. Swimming and exercising in the summer evening is very relaxing! ☀️ Breakfast can be chosen between Chinese and Western styles, both are exquisite, and my best friend and I each had one. 🍽️ Don't miss the Wanguochun Chinese Restaurant (Yihe Songmao Residence) for dinner. Every dish is exquisite and delicious, even if you don't stay at the hotel, it's worth coming in to taste the food! 🍦 Nearby food: Just across the bridge at the entrance is the very popular Shen Wansan Jiangnan Braised Flavor (Pingjiang Road Store). There are also plum blossom cakes, jasmine ice cream, and Biluochun milk tea internet-famous stores. 🚶‍♀️ Nearby, you can walk to Suzhou Museum, Humble Administrator's Garden, and Guanqian Street within 15 minutes, making it very convenient to travel. During the day, the bustling Pingjiang Road is crowded with people, but you can retreat to Songmao Residence and enjoy leisure. At night, when the tourists disperse, sit on the small bridge and listen to a melodious Jiangnan tune 🎵. Leisurely experiencing the slow life of Suzhou, this sense of relaxation is worth coming back for! 🏨 Hotel: Suzhou Pingjiang Road Yihe Songmao Residence 📍 Address: No. 54, Luojia Lane Suzhou store exploration｜Internet-famous check-in｜Suzhou food, drink, and fun｜My travel diary｜Weekend grass pulling

Discover a treasure hotel in Suzhou, which turns out to be an ancient house built in the tenth year of Emperor Qianlong's reign during the Qing Dynasty, located right at the heart of Pingjiang Road. The hotel perfectly blends the ancient style courtyard with modern living facilities. The hotel was formerly the residence of Madam Wang, the wife of Pan Zuyin, a high-ranking official in the late Qing Dynasty, and it has a history of 300 years! The original courtyard space has been almost completely preserved, and the ground is paved with flower-patterned streets unique to Suzhou gardens. Design The biggest impression upon entering the hotel is that there is no deliberate sense of design, but everything is well thought out. It seems that the intention was to restore the ancient house's appearance to the greatest extent possible. Suzhou embroidery, grotto stones, lattice windows, decorative tiles, and antique furniture from the Ming and Qing Dynasties were added later, yet they integrate seamlessly with the ancient house, without any sense of abruptness. Rooms The bedding is made of American Celanese, and a set of cotton and linen pajamas is provided during the night bed service. I also love the tea station, and it's the first time I've seen a 0-95 degree pure water dispenser installed directly in each room, which is truly fitting for the tea-loving people of Jiangnan. Dining The standard of dining is a critical factor for a boutique hotel. The Chinese restaurant 'Wanguochun' at Songmao Residence is a dining brand under the Yihe group, specializing in modern Huaiyang cuisine and creative Su-style dishes that incorporate local characteristics. The menu that evening was made with Suzhou embroidery, and the tableware was custom-made celadon from Jingdezhen. The head chef is said to have served state banquets and is among the top in the entire Jiangsu and Zhejiang region. Surroundings Located at the most central part of Pingjiang Road, the hotel is right next to the busiest riverside pedestrian street. The most famous ancient sites and gardens of Suzhou are all within walking distance, such as the very popular Ouyuan Garden, which is less than a 10-minute walk away. Brewing tea by the stove or arranging a photo shoot in ancient costume, you can spend a leisurely day without the crowds of tourists.

Suzhou Yihe Songmao Residence Hotel is located in Lujia Lane, Pingjiang Road district, which is quiet in the bustling Pingjiang Road. It is very convenient for travel and sightseeing. You can take a rowing boat on Pingjiang Road, or sit by the river and boil tea around the stove. As the 7th themed cultural boutique hotel under the Yihe Group, Suzhou Yihe Songmao Residence also shows extraordinary cultural charm. The building it is located in was the former residence of Mrs. Wang, the wife of Pan Zuyin, a high-ranking official in the late Qing Dynasty, and has a history of nearly three hundred years. On the topic of ancient buildings and boutique hotels, Yihe Songmao Residence provides a new modern high-quality living experience while restoring the traditional style of the old Jiangnan mansion.