When is a hotel not a hotel? When it’s the Doubletree Hilton Resort Wuxi Lingshan of course. Admittedly this isn’t one of the great philosophical questions of our time, but you’ll understand the relevance if and when you see the place. Located about an hour’s bus ride from the centre of Wuxi, this ‘hotel’ is about the closest thing to a countryside break you are likely to get this close to Shanghai. However before you write it off for being too far away, think about when you last saw some genuinely blue sky.

During your check in you are presented with a warm chocolate chip cookie – a pleasant surprise and a welcome relief after having taken the bus this far out of the city. Refreshed and with a belly full of all-American goodness, you are led to your room by one of the extremely helpful porters.

Room wise, the hotel is special. The beds are massive, easily large enough for two people or even more if need be. Comfortable, to a degree of over-indulgence, a night’s sleep on this bed is to be cherished.

Bed aside, the first thing you notice is the bath. Positioned looking out of a massive window on the balcony, it doesn’t take long for you to start imagining a relaxed evening soaking in the tub with a good book while your friends go off and enjoy the many things that the hotel has to offer. With either a mountain view or for a little more money a lake view you could spend hours marvelling at the natural beauty and spectacular vistas stretching over the lake and up the mountains.

At this point a segue into the activities that Doubletree has to offer has presented itself and with so many to get through it would be unwise to ignore this opportunity. Here are some of the highlights you can expect to enjoy during a stay: private KTV rooms, water bikes (just like regular bikes, but they work on the lake) and, if you’re there to get married, an integrated wedding photographer service. These things, along with all the usual amenities like swimming pool, spa, gym and tennis court, make the Doubletree a fully-equipped hotel experience. The list is seemingly limitless and even in a week’s stay you would be hard pressed to take advantage of all the hotel has to offer.

There isn’t much to eat around the hotel area without taking an expensive taxi towards the city. While this could have caused problems, the people running the hotel have made sure you have all your needs met on site. With both a Chinese and Western restaurant, and talk of Japanese one opening in the near future, you always have access to the food you want be it pizza or preserved egg.

Ultimately, the Doubletree Hilton is less of a hotel and more of resort. There is too much to do to fit it all into one trip, and it deserves at least a week’s stay to be fully appreciated. It’s a special place, with special atmosphere and without doubt one of the best hotels we have ever had the pleasure of staying in.