Plan at a glance
One residence, two gardens
Couple's Retreat Garden is at 6 Xiaoxinqiao Lane, Cang Street, in Gusu District. The residence sits between an eastern and a western garden; there is one entrance and the exit is nearby. A quick visit takes about 1–1.5 hours, while a first full visit is better with 2–3 hours.
Tickets and timing
The ticket price is CNY 25 in the peak season from March 1 to October 31 and CNY 20 in the low season; the Suzhou Garden Card and Leisure Annual Card are accepted. Advance reservation is normally not required, and visitors can scan to pay on site or buy at the ticket office; regular hours are 07:30–17:00, with ticket inspection ending at 16:30. A summer night schedule may extend hours to 21:00 from July 1 to August 31, with last entry at 20:30.
Tickets and visit details
View visit options for this attraction and confirm the visit date and current arrangements before you go.
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Eastern garden, western garden and residence
The appeal is the relationship between the residence and the two gardens: the eastern garden centres on Huangshi rockery and Chengqu Thatched Hall, while the western garden is more delicate, with Zhilian Old House, lake rocks and study spaces. Zaijiu Hall, Shanshui Room, Tinglu Tower and Kuixing Pavilion offer different framed views and waterside perspectives.
Who it suits
The garden suits visitors who enjoy quiet gardens, classical buildings and window-frame compositions, as well as couples and photographers who want a slower walk around Pingjiang Road. Its small scale makes it a useful stop after a larger garden; choose the 2–3 hour route if you want to understand the full layout rather than stopping near the entrance.
Build your day
A 1–1.5 hour route
Enter from Xiaoxinqiao Lane, visit the central residence and Zaijiu Hall, continue to the eastern garden's Huangshi rockery and Chengqu Thatched Hall, then enter the western garden and Zhilian Old House before leaving nearby. This route quickly shows the one-residence, two-garden structure and connects easily with other stops on Pingjiang Road.
A 2–3 hour route
Start in the western garden to look at its lake rocks and study spaces, return to the central residence to see the “Drunk in the Eastern Garden, Tipsy in the Western Garden” plaque, and finish in the eastern garden around the Huangshi rockery. Afterward, walk to Pingjiang Road, Dongyuan or Xiangmen City Wall; nearby restaurants are separate from the garden ticket.
Get there
Metro and walking
Take Metro Line 1 to Xiangmen Station (相门), Exit 3, and walk about 800 metres to the entrance. Xiaoxinqiao Lane is less prominent than the main streets, so follow the garden entrance and lane signs instead of navigating only to Pingjiang Road and searching from the main street.
Driving and parking
Parking near the garden is limited, so driving is not ideal for a last-minute visit. If you must drive, consider Dongyuan Parking Lot and walk to the garden; do not use private roadside spaces, and confirm the available spaces and charges on site.
Know before you go
Entry timing
Regular ticket inspection ends at 16:30, so late-afternoon visitors need time for walking and ticket purchase. The summer night schedule applies only to particular dates and seasons; confirm whether it is operating and follow that day's entry rules rather than assuming a regular day ticket covers it.
Rest and nearby stops
There is no food service inside the garden, so arrange water and meals before or after the visit. Couple's Retreat Garden can be combined with southern Pingjiang Road, nearby Dongyuan or Xiangmen City Wall, but each place has its own hours, tickets and entrance.