Xuegu Shanshan Hostel

It's been almost half a month since I got back, and I've been lazy until today, but I have to share my honest experience. The best part of my trip to the Northeast was visiting Xuegu (Snow Valley) and staying at Sister Shanshan's place. 1) Although it's a guesthouse, the environment and facilities are on par with chains like All Seasons. 2) The hospitality made me feel right at home. Brother arranged our itinerary perfectly and even personally put shoe covers on us before we went out. He also filmed videos for us in the freezing cold, without gloves, for a long time. He remembered our schedule and even woke us up in advance. 3) The aunties' cooking was delicious, and for a scenic area, the prices were really reasonable. 4) Uncle provided so much emotional support and ensured we got great photos. We only paid for accommodation, but he willingly and freely offered to accompany us and take pictures, which was incredibly touching. Hahahaha, but the Northeast is truly different from Central China – it's so cold! As a dance student, I originally wanted to film dance videos, but my hands were just too numb to even move. Next time, I definitely want to dance for the great Northeast. Seriously, I might not go to the Northeast specifically for Harbin, but I will absolutely go back for Xuegu, and I'll definitely stay at Sister Shanshan's again. Grateful and thankful! May all good people get rich!

An excellent stay! The guesthouse owner provided fantastic service, helping us with our luggage both at check-in and check-out. The Rime Island experience was superb; the uncle who guided us was great at taking photos and videos. The pork ribs in the iron pot stew were delicious too!

## Hygiene The lobby and rooms were spotless. However, by midday, with everyone tracking in snow, it inevitably looked a bit dirty. But they were constantly mopping, so the cleanliness was truly exceptional. ## Room Since it was a *kang* (heated bed), the bed was quite firm. Those who prefer a hard bed should be fine, but people used to softer mattresses might find it uncomfortable. ## Service All the staff were incredibly warm, friendly, and responsive, with a great sense of humor. The experience was truly excellent. Don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions; they are always happy to help. ## Activities The guesthouse offers free *bingtanghulu* (candied hawthorn) and frozen pears. In the evening, you can also hold a snow fox for free. If it's cold enough, the owner even lets us splash hot water into the air (for the instant ice effect). Plus, if you want to visit the Rime Forest or Snow Town, you can book with the owner the day before. ## Location It's a 4-5 hour drive from Harbin. We arranged a private car with the landlady in advance, and the price was very reasonable. The guesthouse is less than a 5-minute walk from the Grand Stage, and there's a whole street of restaurants, so you won't have trouble finding food. ## Breakfast Breakfast is included and features traditional Chinese items like plain congee, eggs, steamed buns, and preserved vegetables. If you prefer coffee or bread, I recommend bringing your own.

Huge thanks to Shanshan and her family for their warm hospitality! I really felt the famous Northeastern Chinese warmth. The room was super clean. For anyone heading to Xuegu (Snow Valley), you absolutely have to find Shanshan. Highly recommended!

This hotel is excellent, and the room was beautiful, exactly as pictured. The owner is very kind and took great care of us, even booking activities and arranging for someone to follow us and take photos. They also offered a free water splashing activity, which was a lot of fun! The food at the property was delicious too.

This guesthouse is absolutely divine! You can pet sika deer, cuddle fluffy white foxes, play with fairy wands, and eat candied hawthorn. Plus, my uncle even took us to explore Wusongling! The rooms are clean, and the landlady is so nice. Highly, highly recommend!