I’ve had my eye on this hotel for years, ever since a friend gave me an aromatherapy gift from here. Later, I kept seeing its iconic tree and gate pop up online many times.
So, this Lijiang trip was partly inspired by it.
The hotel's public areas are truly beautiful. The iconic Wishing Tree, the S-shaped pathway, lush green lawns, reflection pools, stone walls... every single landscape feature, whether it's raining or sunny, is worth capturing individually. Of course, a big part of the good experience was probably the lack of crowds. On the first evening, after the rain cleared, we stumbled upon a perfect rainbow, which added an extra touch of luck and surprise to our trip.
While many have complained about the rooms, my 'little sister' and I actually loved them. The vintage, retro style, simple with no unnecessary decorations, and all the essential amenities present, gave it an immersive and comfortable feel.
With over 20 rooms and more than 90 staff members, the high staff-to-guest ratio meant excellent service overall. From the pick-up driver to the front desk lady who gave us a full tour, the butler who repeatedly apologized for not greeting us immediately, and the restaurant manager who specifically checked in after understanding our dining preferences – everyone exuded a unique sense of relaxed professionalism.
If I had to point out any downsides, it would likely be the food. The à la carte breakfast menu was decent, but I was surprised that even in Yunnan, the 'small pot rice noodles' weren't as good as those I've had in Chengdu. The paired dinner, while visually appealing, unfortunately wasn't very tasty. It lacked any memorable flavor and wasn't warm enough. Even dishes that are usually hard to mess up, like the copper pot rice and mushroom fried rice, were quite ordinary.
Overall, it was still a good experience. If the food were a bit better, I'd definitely go again.
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