Ah, I’ve finally gotten around to writing about my trip to Yunnan. It was the perfect finale to six months of unlimited flight passes, and also the most anticipated trip of the entire year.
Lijiang sits at an altitude of 2,400 meters. To be honest, on the first day right after landing, I still felt a bit lightheaded and dizzy, especially when walking fast, which left me slightly breathless. However, I adapted quickly. So, choosing to stay in Lijiang for two days before heading up to the Snow Mountain was a very wise decision; going straight to the mountain could have resulted in more severe altitude sickness.
The InterContinental Lijiang Ancient Town Resort was formerly a Crowne Plaza, opened in 2009, and was upgraded to an InterContinental in 2015. Before that, it had always served as a flagship property for the Crowne Plaza brand, and both its facilities and service are worthy of the InterContinental name.
Like the Crowne Plaza in Zhangjiajie, this hotel is tucked away in a corner of Lijiang Ancient Town. Although it appears quite large, it consists entirely of standalone villas with relatively few rooms—only 267 in total. Moreover, the hotel has its own private gate leading directly into the Ancient Town, so you don’t need to use the main entrances or deal with reservations or ID scans.
This time, I stayed in a Club Room. Each small villa contains four rooms: two Deluxe Rooms on the second floor and two Club Rooms on the first floor. The difference is that the ground-floor rooms share a courtyard between them, and there’s no need to climb stairs… Of course, the view from the ground-floor windows is practically non-existent.
On the right side of the room, the bathtub area is exceptionally spacious.
On the left side of the room is the bathroom area, which is also quite sizable, though unfortunately, it only has a single sink.
Although it’s not a suite, the room is very spacious at 60 square meters and includes a fairly separate small living area. The room is equipped with a humidifier and a traditional Chinese tea set.
The TV is mounted on a swivel door, allowing it to be viewed from either the sofa or the bed.
There is a shared courtyard between the two rooms. In reality, we never actually used it—it offers neither views nor privacy, making it pretty much useless. Furthermore, the courtyard isn’t open-air; the walls are so high they reach the second floor, resulting in poor natural lighting for the ground-floor rooms, where sunlight is rarely seen.
The hotel’s public areas are expansive, and the overall architectural style closely resembles that of Lijiang Ancient Town. It’s pleasant to take a stroll around, and if you need anything, you can call for an electric cart at any time. The concierge service is excellent, with staff proactively offering to help with luggage.
At first, I did get a little lost, but once I spotted this man-made waterfall, I knew exactly where the lobby was. It was late in the year, and temperatures were lower than expected with significant differences between day and night. By evening, this small waterfall would even freeze over, yet at the same time, you could see trees in full bloom—a truly magical sight.
The hotel is over 20 kilometers from Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Since there are no tall buildings on the property, you can catch glimpses of the mountain’s peak from both the lobby and restaurant areas, though unfortunately, it remains a bit too far away.
The hotel’s Seven Color Light Chinese Restaurant seems to be the only dining venue open outside of breakfast hours. Right after landing and arriving at the hotel, I enjoyed an incredibly lavish Crossing-the-Bridge Rice Noodle dish here—the ingredients were abundant, and the taste was excellent, greatly relieving the fatigue of travel…
In the evening, I tried a local specialty: Matsutake Mushrooms mixed with Olive Vegetables. Overall, Yunnan cuisine tends to be bland when dishes are light, while flavorful dishes tend to be overly oily and spicy. Personally, I wasn’t too fond of it, so much so that after spending such a long time in Yunnan, I eventually ran out of dishes I wanted to order…
Each day during breakfast, a dedicated section is reserved exclusively for members, featuring exclusive desserts and cold cuts. Additionally, guests receive a complimentary freshly prepared mini platter, which adds a fun touch.
Next to the restaurant entrance is a bar with a uniquely quirky decor style. With all those individual drawers, stepping inside feels like entering a traditional Chinese herbal pharmacy… I’ve never actually seen it open, though…
The Club Lounge isn’t particularly large and lacks scenic views, but its strengths lie in its quiet atmosphere and complimentary offerings, with food and beverage quality being quite good.
The hotel also features a gym, but given the high altitude, perhaps it’s best to skip working out… Finally, here’s a nighttime view of the Lobby Lounge.
Overall, if you’re traveling to Lijiang and plan to explore the Ancient Town, this hotel is extremely convenient, and the service is consistently attentive. The facilities are showing their age somewhat, but if better natural lighting is important to you, the neighboring Hotel Indigo is also an excellent choice.
Support
