I've been so incredibly busy lately that I couldn't plan anything in advance. It was only the night before the Mid-Autumn Festival that we decided to go to Mount Emei for a few days. Hongzhushan was our only choice for accommodation in Emei, especially after the Zen Mountain Dwelling was built; everyone loves it even more, hahaha!!! Luckily, there were still rooms available even with the last-minute booking. It was quite late when we arrived, and the XC customer service was actively helping me communicate the check-in details, making changes again and again. Thanks to both teams!
1. Hotel Activities
【Singing Bowl Meditation】(3:00 PM - 3:40 PM)
The holiday activities were really abundant! We participated in the meditation activity that afternoon. After lunch, we drove two hours from the city to the hotel, and I was so tired. As soon as the teacher started playing the singing bowl, we all fell asleep. It was so funny; I closed my eyes and thought I heard birds chirping in the music, but then realized it was real birds outside, haha!!! Actually, I hadn't taken a nap when we arrived, and coupled with my recent sleep deprivation and a post-lunch 'carb coma,' my head was throbbing. The meditation allowed me to sleep for half an hour, and when I woke up, my headache was gone – it really worked!!!
After waking everyone up, the teacher patiently introduced all the tools used, and we had a brief chat for a few minutes before class ended.
【Former Residence Visit】(4:00 PM)
We've stayed at Hongzhushan many, many times, but this was genuinely my first time participating in the former residence visit, complete with a guide. (And this timing was perfectly arranged, half an hour after the meditation ended. In between, I quickly went to the hotel front desk to buy a [Spicy Crispy Double-Flavor Ice Cream] to eat, rested a bit, and then rushed to the next event. This arrangement was excellent; our afternoon activities were very fulfilling – hats off to the planner!) As it was a holiday, the tour group was quite large, but after everyone gradually left, I wanted to take some photos, and the guide patiently allowed us to stay and take pictures. I felt so lucky!
【Rabbit Lanterns】(7:00 PM)
Coinciding with the Mid-Autumn Festival, adults could also participate in making rabbit lanterns, but you had to be on time! If you were late, the materials would be gone, and the teacher couldn't provide guidance. The rabbit lanterns were quite simple and very fitting for the occasion!
【Hongzhuding Blessing】(9:00 AM on the 1st and 15th of the ***** month)
This time, I was incredibly lucky to catch the Hongzhuding Blessing (note the timing; the manager said it's usually only on the 1st and 15th). Everyone wrote wishes, struck the gong (9 times per person), and finally received a osmanthus sachet (reportedly made from osmanthus picked from trees personally planted by famous individuals). It was very commemorative, and my family had a great time!!
Also, any questions could be directed to the butler at any time. Thumbs up for the excellent service; I'll definitely stay here again if I have the chance!
Activities we didn't have time for included: handmade sachets and mooncake ring toss. These were the Mid-Autumn Festival activities; the National Day activities are even more numerous and happen daily. Remember to book in advance!
2. Room Environment
Previously, we stayed in a mountain-view room, but everyone found it just average, so this time we chose a pine-view room. The pine-view rooms are on the side facing the road, but I didn't notice any noise, so either room type is fine. Personally, I prefer the pine-view. All rooms come with a private soaking tub. Soaking in it in the morning and evening means you don't need to go to a hot spring; it's really convenient (this time I brought elderly relatives, and I was particularly worried about them catching a cold after hot springs, so ever since the Zen Mountain Dwelling was built, we've been staying here... I think this is a major reason why we choose this building). And after climbing to the Golden Summit during the day, coming back to soak and relax in the evening is incredibly pleasant. The soaking tub provides bath salts with a lovely fragrance; remember to sprinkle them in!
During this season, mosquitoes and insects were fine, not many, and they didn't bite me, haha. In summer, you'd probably need to be more careful, but the hotel provides electric mosquito repellents, so I wasn't worried...
The hotel's vegetation is lush, and the air is full of negative oxygen ions; every breath is incredibly healing. Strolling by Hongzhu Lake offers beautiful scenery, and there are many surrounding attractions like Baoguo Temple and Fuhu Temple. In any case, a trip to the Golden Summit is a must.
3. Bedding, Hygiene, Infrastructure
There were plenty of pillows, enough for everyone, and the sheets and floor were very clean, absolutely no issues. After we left the room, the cleaning staff responsibly cleaned it, and any necessary supplies were delivered very promptly.
The infrastructure is complete. The TV sound can be piped into the bathroom, there's a lighted mirror, and a larger, closer dressing table. The room included welcome fruits, and there was plenty of water. Very good.
4. Dining
The hotel's breakfast selection is also very rich. One very important thing is!!!! They have a chef with a red collar who is just too adorable, full of anecdotes (or rather, just very humorous conversations). He made me so happy, oh my goodness!!!!! I asked him, "Is this part of your training?" He said, "Training? This is self-study." Hahahaha!!
This Mid-Autumn Festival stay also included a complimentary buffet dinner for both nights, which was absolutely fantastic. I personally recommend everyone eat at the hotel, because (on our first day) there were so many hotel activities, and on the second day, we were so tired after climbing the Golden Summit that we really didn't want to eat out. Plus, elderly people need healthy, low-oil, low-salt meals, so the hotel's arrangement was truly excellent!
Both dinner and breakfast menus changed daily. What we ate and everyone unanimously praised included: pan-fried chicken wings, typhoon shelter style crab, seafood stew, beef hotpot, chaoshou (dumplings - had them every morning!), roasted meat (oh my god, it was so fragrant at dinner!), A-choy with squid flower, spicy yellow eel, Sichuan-style yellow catfish, fatty intestine and bullfrog... Anyway, there were so many varieties. Everyone ended up gaining a couple of pounds after hiking the mountain, haha.
It was a very happy trip. Every time I come to Hongzhushan, it's a joy, and each time brings different memories and interesting experiences. It's truly wonderful! ^ ^
Original TextTranslation provided by AI