When visiting Shaoxing, first decide which area to stay in: the scholarly Old Town, lively Anchang, or Keyan Scenic Area. Walking distances, luggage handling, and transport between sights vary a lot across these three zones. Below we break down lodging types by area and note whether each photo shows a guest room or an exterior view.
How to choose where to stay in the three areas
If you arrive by high-speed train at Shaoxing North Station or Shaoxing Station with luggage, book station transfers to your hotel in advance. If you need to adjust both your hotel and itinerary together, bundle them with our custom travel service. The Old Town works well for linking Lu Xun's Hometown and Shen Garden; Anchang is ideal for an overnight stay to enjoy the water lanes after dark; Keyan suits those who want to sleep near the scenic area and skip frequent trips into town.
The photo above shows Wupeng boats on an Old Town water lane. Staying in the Old Town saves your legs for leisurely morning and evening strolls.
Shaoxing Old Town: scholarly charm within walking distance
The Old Town covers Lu Xun's Hometown, Cangqiao Straight Street, and Shen Garden, so you can walk to the sights early in the morning with ease. Boutique homestays like Cuiyin, Dongyueli, and Qingteng Villa offer strong atmosphere, while chains like Kaiyuan Yiju provide more reliable comfort and elevators—better for older travelers. For historical commentary, add a private guide.
Cuiyin and Dongyueli: matching courtyards and rooms to the photos
Cuiyin Hotel's courtyard pool exterior and guest room photos are often mixed up—don't mistake the pool courtyard for the actual room when booking. Dongyueli Hotel's night-lit courtyard is great for an overnight stay with light luggage. For families with large suitcases or strollers, a chain hotel plus station transfers is more reliable; if you're heading to Anchang, add a private car.
The photo above shows Cuiyin Hotel's courtyard pool—an outdoor view, not a guest room. Don't assume this is what your room looks like when booking.
The photo above shows a king room at Cuiyin Hotel, a typical room type for boutique guesthouses in the old town.
The photo above shows Dongyueli Hotel's courtyard at night. Staying in an old town alley gives you a great atmosphere walking back to your room after dark.
The photo above shows the tea setup in a Dongyueli guest room, ideal for travelers staying overnight with light luggage rather than bulky bags.
Qingteng Villa and Kaiyuan Yiju
Qingteng Villa's gate and bamboo shadows feel more literary; Kaiyuan Yiju's twin rooms offer better soundproofing and a more standardized breakfast. If driving, note the old town's traffic restrictions and parking limits. For point-to-point trips into town, you can use a private car.
The photo above shows the gate and bamboo shadows at Qingteng Villa, giving a first impression of the old town's scholarly quarter.
The photo above shows a twin room at Kaiyuan Yiju. This chain hotel by the old town offers greater comfort, making it a good choice for older travelers.
Watch the video above to get a feel for Shaoxing's water towns and old town, then compare accommodations across the three areas. Opening hours and ticket prices are subject to the day's posted notices.
The image above shows the water lanes, stone bridges and pagoda reflections of the old town. Staying in the old town makes it easy to link Lu Xun's Hometown with Cangqiao Straight Street.
The image above shows the stone wall entrance at Lu Xun's Hometown. Staying in the old town area means you can walk there and save on transport.
Anchang Ancient Town: an overnight stay full of local life
Anchang is a drive from the old town, ideal for travelers who want to sleep among the water lanes and everyday bustle and explore the soy sauce gardens and river docks by day. For details, see our Anchang Ancient Town accommodation guide. To combine the old town and Anchang in one day, base your plan on a private car or a Shaoxing group tour.
Guantang, Sui'an and Lao Anchang: don't mix up rooms and exteriors
Photos of Guantang Hotel mostly show room interiors—don't mistake them for the entrance facade. For Sui'an Inn, restaurant and guest room photos are separate; the restaurant isn't the exterior of the rooms. In our library, the file named as the exterior of "Lao Anchang Inn" actually shows the Renchang Soy Sauce Garden river dock; the caption matches the image, so don't pass off the bridge as the inn's entrance. When booking a real inn, look at the guest room interior photos.
The image above shows the exterior of the riverside houses in Anchang. The Anchang area is known for its lively water lanes.
The image above shows the interior of a guest room at Guantang Hotel, not the exterior entrance. Boutique stays in Anchang focus on comfort.
The image above shows the dining room at Sui'an Inn. It's a dining space, not the exterior of a guest room.
The image above shows a twin room at Sui'an Inn. If you stay overnight in Anchang, you can easily find food and lodging nearby.
The photo above shows the exterior of the Renchang Soy Sauce Factory river wharf (not the inn entrance). You can visit it while walking through Anchang during the day.
The photo above shows the interior of a guest room at Lao Anchang Inn, a reference for staying overnight at an inn in the Anchang alleys.
After spending the night in Anchang, head back to the city or go to Keyan the next day using private car transfers between stops. For arrivals and departures at Shaoxing North Station, you can still use station transfers for door-to-door service.
Keyan area: stay near the scenic area, fewer trips into town
Homestays near Keyan Scenic Area, such as Huazhu Jianshui Ge and Lujia Inn, are ideal for staying close to the attractions and avoiding traffic into town. The photos of their entrances and rooms have been matched to the Keyan area. If you also want to visit Anchang or the old town, use a private car or custom private trip to rearrange your accommodation and itinerary.
The image above shows the entrance of Huazhu Jianshui Pavilion in Keyan—a guesthouse exterior in the Keyan area.
The image above shows the interior of a guest room at Huazhu Jianshui Pavilion, a reference for overnight room types in Keyan.
The image above shows the interior of a guest room at Lujia Inn, another overnight option in Keyan.
How to quickly compare the three areas
Choose the Old Town if you want to explore Lu Xun's Hometown and Shen Garden on foot; choose Anchang for an overnight stay along lively water lanes; choose Keyan to stay near the scenic area with fewer trips into town. If you're unsure, decide on luggage handling and transport between areas first, then set your walking radius.
Arriving or departing by high-speed train → station transfers; historical commentary → hire a guide; connecting multiple areas → private car or group tour; re-planning accommodation and itinerary together → custom private trip.
Train stations, luggage & getting around
Travel times from Shaoxing North Station to the Old Town, Anchang and Keyan vary. If you're traveling with kids or seniors, book a station transfer straight to your hotel. Dragging suitcases through the Old Town's narrow lanes is tough, and don't count on buses to connect Anchang and Keyan in one go — point-to-point private car service is more reliable.
Booking tips & checking the photos
In peak season, book 5–7 days ahead; double-check cancellation policies and parking. When browsing photos, tell the entrance / courtyard / guest room / restaurant apart — don't mistake a pool courtyard for your room, or an exterior shot of a soy sauce workshop for the inn's entrance. If your plans aren't set, consult our custom travel planning before booking.
Where to stay & how to plan two days
Stay in the Old Town: Lu Xun's Hometown + Cangqiao Street / Shen Garden → Anchang or Keyan the next day. Stay in Anchang: morning stroll along the river wharves and soy sauce workshops → back to town or Keyan in the afternoon. Stay in Keyan: full day at the scenic area → head into town the next day. For a ready-made itinerary, try the group tour "Hometown Dreams: 2 Days 1 Night"; you can also check the Shaoxing travel overview and tweak it to fit.
【故里寻梦2天1晚】绍兴、安昌古镇
【精华景点】柯岩、安昌古镇、沈园、鲁迅故居等！ 【舒适住宿】4星酒店/5星酒店任您选择！ 【贴心服务】专属定制车型，拥有多年安全行驶经验的华东司机，让旅途更安心！ 【纯玩享受】纯玩品质团，尽享纯净之旅，一次旅行，记忆一生！ 【超值赠送】品牌矿泉水每人每天一瓶！
To really get the stories behind the sights, hire a private guide; leave station-to-hotel and hotel-to-sight transfers to our station transfer or private car services; for an all-in-one package, use our custom travel planning.
FAQs
How to choose where to stay across the three areas?
The Old City is best for walking to Shen Garden and the former residences; Anchang suits an overnight stay with local life; Keyan works if you want to sleep near the scenic area and skip downtown. If you're crossing areas or carrying heavy luggage, book station transfers and a private car before reserving your hotel.
Which is better: staying in the Old City or Anchang?
Pick the Old City if you travel light and want literary charm within walking distance; pick Anchang for water lanes, local life, and a great overnight vibe. To cover both in two days, spend one night in the Old City and one in Anchang, linking them with a private car or a group tour.
How do I get door-to-door from Shaoxing North Station to my hotel?
Door-to-door service from Shaoxing North Station or Shaoxing Station to the Old City, Anchang, and Keyan is available. Travelers with luggage, seniors, or kids should prioritize station transfers. For multi-stop sightseeing the next day, switch to a private car to link the stops.
Which area is easiest when traveling with kids or seniors?
If you need elevators, reliable breakfasts, and less suitcase dragging, go for chain hotels near the Old City or properties in Keyan with better rooms. Use custom private travel to plan your route and afternoon naps, and add a private guide for the historical stories.
How do I combine a private car and group tours across areas?
For a well-tested 2-day Shaoxing itinerary, choose a group tour; for transport only, choose private car; for station transfers only, choose station transfer; for commentary only, choose guide only; to adjust both lodging and routes together, use custom travel.
What should you watch out for when booking from photos?
Tell the entrance, courtyard pool, guest room and restaurant apart. In this article, the Cuiyin pool is in the courtyard, the Sui'an Restaurant is not a guest room, and the Renchang Sauce Garden river wharf should not be mistaken for the Lao'anchang Inn entrance. If unsure, ask the property first, or switch to custom travel so we can book and verify for you.
For Shaoxing accommodation, lock down the area and whether the photo shows a guest room before considering vibe and budget. Need door-to-door service? Use station transfer. Need commentary? Use guide only. Traveling between areas? Use private car or a group tour. Reshuffling the whole trip? Go with custom travel.