The Bivou Lijiang

What an amazing getaway! If you are more into nature and culture....THIS IS YOUR SPOT! It is tucked away inside Shuhe Old Town but you would never know. Once you get there, it is quiet. They are very proud to show you their gardens, their squirrels (they are well provided for), their cats, and what they truly enjoy. We were welcomed with drinks, fruit, and delicious buckwheat bread while we were introduced to the dining area and the movie and games area. Their menu is wonderful. Breakfast is provided and has a set menu of Asian versus Western (i had French toast one morning and pancakes the next) and then an extra section where you can also have yogurt with toppings, fruits, breads, coffee, etc. Other meals are ordered from the menu. The variety is wonderful and the taste and quality are worth it. After traveling throughout China for a few weeks, I really just wanted a burger. The Yak burger was amazing! WARNING: once you pick it up for the first bite, you must commit to it. There is no putting it down. My hands were just a joyous mix of meat juice, cheese dripping, pickle juice, egg dripping....luckily there is a restroom right there to wash up after. Our room was very cute, small, odd, but it worked for us and you could tell it would be cozy come the snow seasons-which we will return for. The odd part was the steps that lead down into the bathroom. I thought, oooo how fun! Not so much in the middle of the night if you are not used to it. But not all rooms have that so don't let that discourage you from enjoying this place. If you are finished walking Shuhe Old Town, there are more options. We decided to walk around the back of the garden. Following the trail, we wound up in a very beautiful park with water and bridges and places to sit. Eventually, we came out at one of the ends of Shuhe. Again, you would never have known because there was no interrupting noises to tell you otherwise. One of the days we took Didi to Baisha Old Town. Another must go! We spent a full day there and still did not finish. Even the rain didn't stop everyone from enjoying everything. Make sure you find the silk art school. It is tucked away but they have a wonderful program. I could do an entire blog on their contributions and empowerment for women but for now, just go enjoy and buy something, support them. Overall, we loved this place and will go back. We were not able to enjoy the mountain this time.