I was in Hefei, Anhui for a conference and my wife joined me. We stayed at Sofitel at the recommendation of the local confernce organizers. Apparently it had only been opened 2 months earlier, and we could tell. Everything is new and clean and modern. This hotel will not give you the sense of being in China if you are looking to be immersed in Chinese culture (but then why would you be in Hefei?) but it will make you stay comfortable.

Rooms are spacious and clean and the beds are soft (a rare find in China). The tap water is not potable but we were provided with 2 complimentary bottles of water everyday. The wall sockets are universal so just about any type of plug can be used (115V, 220V, whatever). There is also free, wireless internet in all rooms (and free interenet access at the business center for those without a laptop). The staff at the reception desk and bellhops all spoke english very well and were most helpful if you needed to take a cab somewhere. The included breakfasts were average but had a nice selection of European/American/Chinese breakfast dishes.

Just about the only downside to the hotel was you had to pay to use the pool.

I would not recommend Hefei as a prime destination in China, but if you do find yourself needing a place to stay in Hefei, than Sofitel is the only place to be.