A Wonderful Stay at Songzhuju Hotel!
We stayed at the Songzhuju Hotel for 6 nights and were thoroughly delighted with both the accommodation and the city of Lijiang.
Even before our arrival, we felt the genuine care from the staff. Ah Fei contacted us in advance and arranged a transfer from the railway station the day before check-in. Upon arrival, he welcomed us with a traditional tea ceremony and treats, gave us a helpful overview of the hotel, and shared useful information about the city via WeChat. Ah Fei was always available and ready to assist with any questions. In fact, the entire hotel staff was incredibly pleasant and friendly.
The hotel itself is excellent. We loved its location within the Ancient City, not far from the North Gate. This made it easy and quick to walk out to the main road to catch a taxi (since vehicles are not allowed inside the Ancient City), while still being immersed in the old town atmosphere. Importantly, it wasn’t in the busiest tourist hub—there were no crowds right next to the hotel, and it was quiet in the evenings and at night.
Our room was a two-level family room, very cozy, clean, with comfortable mattresses and pillows, crisp white linens, and daily housekeeping. We also liked the breakfast—a traditional Chinese set menu (not a buffet)—which was delicious and authentic.
I’d also like to share some thoughts on Lijiang itself. Initially, we planned to spend only 4 days here, but due to issues with our hotel in Dali, we left it earlier and extended our stay in Lijiang—and we were so glad we did it! Lijiang is absolutely charming. Even 6 days weren’t enough to fully explore it.
Beyond the obvious pleasure of wandering through the Ancient City, I highly recommend:
- Trip to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
- Visit Tinghua Valley Lijiang Flowers—an incredibly beautiful botanical garden with fairy-tale views of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
- Visit Shuhe Ancient Town
- Climbing up to Wangu Tower on Lion Hill in the Ancient City for sunset views.
We explored all these places independently, booking DiDi rides and purchasing entrance tickets via Trip.com. However, if needed, Ah Fei can help organizing any tours.
Also, if you’re not planning to continue toward Shangri-La, I strongly recommend taking a day trip from Lijiang to Tiger Leaping Gorge. The best option is the trek from Halfway Guesthouse to Tina’s Guesthouse (or Teacher Zhang’s Guesthouse). This hike was probably the most memorable highlight of my entire month-long trip to China—the views are simply breathtaking.
In summary, we absolutely enjoyed both: the region and the hotel, where we were able to have very comfortable rest after busy days filled with excursions and long walks.
Huge thanks to the entire staff!
