Xianlin Hotel

I've really enjoyed my stay at this hotel. Its close proximity to Nanjing Normal University campus is a big plus if you are here to visit the university (note that NNU has more than one campus; this one is called the Xianlin campus and is located about 30 min drive east from downtown Nanjing). I can easily walk to my campus destination in about 10 minutes and can ride a bike or take a taxi to several nearby shopping malls and restaurants. The restaurant in Xianlin Hotel is terrific-- the breakfast buffet, which is complimentary, offers an outstanding variety of Asian dishes and snacks, many Chinese (including mung cake, fried rice, stir fry noodles, fresh soy milk, a variety of soups and cooked vegetables) and some Japanese (sushi rolls, mochi, yakitori), fresh fruit, and hard boiled eggs. The food is prepared with care and I've been eating enough to get me through a good part of the day. The restaurant is also open during lunch and dinner. I haven't tried it yet but heard from my Chinese colleagues that the food is excellent. The staff at the reception counter are friendly and the room is very comfortable, with windows that actually open (rare for hotels in the US at least). The bed's mattress is supportive and firm and the room was very clean. The views are nice as one side looks out to the lake and the other side looks out to the forest. I would definitely recommend staying here especially if you are either visiting the university or looking for somewhere that feels a bit more peaceful and calm than downtown Nanjing.