There are five reasons to consider Shichahai Shadow Art Performance Hotel. 1) The modern guestrooms at this smartly decorated boutique hotel are spacious, clean and all en suite. 2) The hotel sits on a quiet street (hutong) and is located near the ever-popular Houhai Lake. 3) Shadow play performances, free to guests, are held at 19:00 each Wednesday and Saturday. What's more, the in-house puppeteer is happy to teach his craft to children. 4) The staff is helpful and friendly, albeit not all are confident English speakers. 5) Breakfast is included and airport transfers can be arranged. There are five things to keep in mind. 1) Shichahai Shadow Art Performance Hotel is a 20 minute walk from the nearest subway station. 2) Noise travels quickly in this courtyard hotel. 3) Not all rooms have windows and, at most, can accommodate one extra bed. 4) WiFi is erratic. 5) The hotel website is in Chinese only making direct booking difficult. Email the hotel or book through a third party site, such as Expedia and Booking.com.