An alfresco tea session with Longjing tea and traditional Hangzhou pastries is not to be missed at the Xiyuan tea parlour especially over spring and autumn when nature and weather is at its comeliest. Mudan restaurant is helmed by national grade chef Zhu Qijin whose skills with technically challenging Zhejiang cuisine is unparalleled in the city. 

Not entirely attuned to the rigours of the international scene, service here might be seen as a tad 'old school' but is nonetheless effective and courteous.

Whilst the buildings are mostly painted with an unfashionable hue of green, the rooms are surprisingly modern with handsome fixtures that can rival any 5 star hotel in the city. The sense of space afforded by the generous hectares of greens inaccessible to non-residents injects a sense of otherworldly exclusivity. The fine gardens here are invested with colourful tulips and graceful cherry blossoms that add to the visage over spring time.