From the moment we arrived in Datong until we left, we had a truly enjoyable trip thanks to the wonderful care from the Anhe team. Datong in summer is a popular destination, and while there are many hotels and guesthouses, it's rare to find one that truly excels in comfort, quality, aesthetics, and operation. Those that do reach a similar standard usually aren't cheap, but it's great to find excellent value for money. And it seems like the premium during the peak season in July wasn't too high compared to off-peak times.
We chose to stay here for several reasons (which were confirmed to be excellent after checking in):
1. It's newly opened this year, so the facilities and hygiene are guaranteed.
2. It's a renovated villa in the ancient city's residential area, offering a local atmosphere and peace and quiet. Although it's about a 20-minute walk to the ancient city center, it's not tiring, and getting a taxi is easy. The guesthouse is just a two-to-three-minute walk from the North Gate entrance of the city wall, perfect for an evening stroll.
3. The aesthetics are fantastic. You can tell they invested in good design. The common areas and rooms are decorated in a warm and rustic style. The rooms feature a consistent, understated Bauhaus style from the ancient period. The common areas also incorporate local elements like stone walls and bricks. Even the entrance hall to the underground garage is well-decorated, with stone used extensively on the floors and walls. Every detail, from the room numbers to the toiletries bags and even the fonts on the light switches, seems custom-designed. There's nothing unsightly in sight, making it very visually relaxing.
4. The amenities are top-notch. The toiletries are Le Labo 33, the mineral water and minibar are excellent, and the hairdryer is a high-end Dyson set (though there was a minor issue with the temperature control button, which affected its use slightly).
5. They offer a triple room type, where one bed is a loft bed that you can't stand up in, but it's perfectly fine for children or slender adults. (P.S. As it's a renovated villa, the overall building and room layouts are on a family scale. The stairs and elevator are small, and the room's activity area is limited, so it might not be ideal for elderly guests with mobility issues).
6. They offer pick-up and drop-off services from the station, which is a huge convenience when traveling as a family in the summer.
Regarding pain points, one issue is that the bathroom mirror lacks front lighting. There's only a side ambient light and an overhead spotlight. Because there's a window directly opposite the mirror, it creates backlight when you're looking into it, making it hard to see for makeup. The small magnifying mirror is also at an inconvenient height. I wonder if they could consider adding an extendable, lighted makeup mirror on the side wall. Another minor point is a large green plant in the bathtub area right in front of the window, which makes opening the window a bit awkward.
A special thanks to the guesthouse's management team (I have to call them a team because there were quite a few of them, and someone was always available downstairs, offering various help and care 😊) for making our Datong trip perfect.
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