Hotele Romantic w: Anhui, China

Your name, the shortest love letter I've ever read. The Baiyun Hotel, where we stayed this time, is an asset of Huangshan Tourism Group, a state-owned enterprise under Huangshan City. It's true that an independent, state-run hotel like this can hardly compare to international chain brands in many aspects. Nevertheless, the hotel will most likely never join any international hotel group because there's simply no need. Its enviable, superb location alone guarantees it a fortune every year. As for anything else, it's completely irrelevant. The Baiyun Hotel is ranked 80th in Asia's Top 100 ”Scenic View” Hotels, a testament to its undeniable strength. It's worth noting that most hotels on this list are establishments like Four Seasons and St. Regis. Its inclusion reconfirms the irreplaceable beauty of its sunrise and sunset views, a feature unrivaled anywhere else in Huangshan. Due to its geographical location, cramped room sizes are almost inevitable. After all, there's limited space on the mountaintop, making expansion difficult. As for the observation deck, it's just a few hundred steps away, which is incredibly convenient for those with limited physical ability, such as the elderly, young, sick, or weak. Poor sound insulation, simple rooms, high prices, queues for breakfast, and mediocre management are all shortcomings that need improvement. But as I said, for the magnificent scenery (with vast landscapes stretching as far as the eye can see), for spending splendid time with my ”lovers” (my wife and two sons), and for a unique summer holiday experience, all the inconveniences become bearable. Regarding food, ordering takeout is naturally impossible on Huangshan, making the hotel restaurant the inevitable choice. It was neither good nor bad, neither surprising nor disappointing – just like any other tourist restaurant in a scenic area. The room provides complimentary rental jackets for watching the sunrise, as the temperature difference between day and night on the mountain is extreme, especially at sunrise. It's essential to prepare for the cold, even in summer. I've stayed in 1501 hotels and encountered many ”Baiyun” hotels, big and small, across various locations like Guangzhou, Chuzhou, Lanzhou, and so on. Of course, these numerous ”Baiyun” hotels are merely coincidences in name and have no affiliation whatsoever. Hotels on Huangshan's peak generally fall into three categories. The first type is boutique guesthouses, all from ”Yun Ji.” The well-known ones are Shilin Ya She and Shuguang Li, as well as the more niche Sanhua Jing She. The characteristic of these three is their tranquil setting amidst the bustling area, offering both comfortable, exquisite stays and easy access to natural scenery. The second type consists of standard guesthouses, such as Yunlu Beihai, Yupinglou, Paiyun Xinglü, Xihai, Shilin, and Bai'e. The advantage of these is their relatively lower prices and good value for money. The third type is the Baiyun Hotel, where we stayed this time, boasting exclusive access to the best sunrise and sunset viewing spots. For my two sons, who are ”traveling according to their textbooks,” it was absolutely perfect. Of course, the drawbacks are also super obvious. The hotel will celebrate its 30th birthday next year. Although it had a simple renovation 11 years ago (the family rooms and Mediterranean-style rooms are highlights), the hardware still clearly shows its ”old cadre” style and state-run guesthouse aesthetic. Regardless, you can't have your cake and eat it too. When choosing between scenery and a comfortable stay, I believe the vast majority would opt for the former. Looking at the entire Huangshan prefecture-level city, the undisputed leader in the hotel industry is naturally Banyan Tree. Of course, if you're not staying in Hongcun and only visiting Huangshan itself, then the Baiyun Hotel becomes an excellent, affordable alternative (even though the soft and hard facilities are incomparable, the scenery is truly infinitely beautiful). Huangshan's 3 districts and 4 counties have their culinary highlights mainly concentrated in Huangshan District, Tunxi District, and Yi County. I highly recommend Zhong Da Chu Stinky Mandarin Fish at Ziyun Pavilion in Gaoxin District (Tunxi). Tourist attractions are primarily in Tunxi District, Huizhou District, Yi County, She County, and Huangshan District. For instance, Xixinan Ancient Village is perfect for stunning photos in traditional costumes. Relatively speaking, the gastronomic and tourism resources of Qimen and Xiuning counties are slightly less impressive. Kites rise highest against the wind, not with it. Climbing mountains is extremely strenuous physical work. When traveling in Huangshan with family, the advantages of the Baiyun Hotel are self-evident. Among Anhui's 16 prefecture-level cities, Huangshan consistently ranks last in GDP. The reasons are simple: First, the population is too small, just over a million. Second, similar to Lijiang and Dali, ecological redlines cannot be crossed, making industrial development almost impossible. Third, the actual tourism revenue generated by transient tourism is not particularly substantial. Theoretically, Huangshan accounts for nearly half of Anhui's 18 5A scenic spots: Qiankou Folk Houses Museum, Ancient Huizhou Cultural Tourist Area, Bao Family Garden, Huizhou Ancient City, Chengkan (Aoyu), Xidi Ancient Village, Hongcun, and Huangshan. How to deeply connect these attractions and retain visitors is a profound art.

Location, location, location! The most important advantage said three times! The hotel's Chinese restaurant serves excellent food, and the price is comparable to what you'd find on Jiuhua Street. We ate lunch and dinner there on our own. The service was also great! The facilities are a bit old, though. The room's carpet and bathroom were very clean, but there was a slight odor, probably due to the humidity in the mountains. However, it's convenient for getting around, the location is fantastic! They also allowed a late checkout until 2 PM, and even gave me two sachets when I checked out! (As pictured)

Choosing Shanyu Guesthouse for our hiking trip to Mount Huangshan was the absolute right decision! The environment is exceptionally comfortable and quiet, with lush green views everywhere that instantly relieve stress. The room was impeccably clean, and the bed was so comfortable—just what we needed to properly unwind after a full day of hiking. The owner and staff are super nice and enthusiastic, and they even offered shuttle services to and from the South Gate of Mount Huangshan, which saved us so much hassle. The home-cooked dishes prepared by the auntie were fantastic, using local ingredients. When you have free time, you can just sit down, sip some tea, and experience the slow-paced life in the mountains. Unlike big, rigid hotels, we felt completely at ease here. Whenever we had a question, the hosts patiently explained hiking tips and precautions. Overall, it was a thoroughly satisfying experience with great value for money. Anyone looking to relax and hike in Mount Huangshan can book here with absolute confidence. I'll definitely stay here again next time I visit Mount Huangshan!

On the 3rd, I climbed Huangshan Mountain in the rain and had booked the Xihai Hotel in advance. I missed both the sunset and sunrise, but the hotel upgraded my room from Zone B to Zone A, which was a lovely touch. In the afternoon, I visited the West Sea Grand Canyon, truly the essence of Huangshan, where nature's craftsmanship left me awestruck! I took the cable car back to the hotel from the valley floor, which was a bit roundabout. Luckily, Xiao Li from Xihai gave timely directions, and I returned to the hotel safely in the heavy rain. Back at the hotel, my clothes, pants, shoes, and socks were all soaked, so I quickly took a shower and changed. I was starving and just in time for the hotel's dinner buffet – nice! It was still raining outside the hotel, but that didn't matter, as the hotel had prepared a show: Southern Lion Dance, Sichuan Face-Changing, intangible cultural heritage Fish Lanterns, staff Huizhou opera, Monkey King穿越 (Monkey King through time/space), and a clown host – it was a huge hit. Xihai Hotel added many memorable moments to my rainy Huangshan climb!

This guesthouse is located right inside the scenic area, making it super convenient for resting after an evening stroll. The decor is charmingly traditional, perfectly complementing the Huizhou architectural style. The guesthouse itself feels like an integral part of the scenic area, featuring a garden restaurant and a coffee bar where you can even pet cats. The owner is fantastic, offering luggage pickup and drop-off services right from the bus station. It's a highly recommended place to stay.

I came for the location to catch a sunset and sunrise over huangshan and the hotel is perfect for that. The cozy solo room had everything I needed and a nice view to top it up. The hotel is super confortable and provides everything you need including warm jackets and torchlight for sunset / sunrise viewing (meaning you don't need to bring any of it with you on the mountain, I wish I had asked before). The concierges were super helpful and gave me advice for sunset /sunrise viewing (the hotel also provide the local weather forecast including time, visibility probability and sea cloud probablity), all of which less than 20 minutes away from the hotel. I was to catch both and then come back to the hotel for dinner / breakfast (both of which were very good with a wide variety of dishes). Everything (room and dinner) was pricier than in other cities but given the location at the summit and the benefits of enjoying the mountain late afternoon and early morning without the huge crowds of the day, it was worth every single euro and allowed me not to rush the trip.

This is my second time staying at this hotel, purely because of its location. For its spot, the amenities still offer great value for money. However, this time I booked a king room and was given one facing the street. My much-anticipated holiday, a relaxing mountain escape in southern Anhui, was ruined by a night of noise. I understand that the Yellow Mountain entrance/exit sees a lot of traffic, but the reality is I didn't sleep a wink. I'd suggest upgrading the windows on the street-facing side to high-standard, soundproof ones – it would make a real difference. The breakfast selection also seemed a bit limited. Overall though, it's still consistently good and remains one of the top-tier options in this town. These are my honest thoughts, hope they're helpful.

Banyan Tree Huangshan 💚 For my dad's birthday, the hotel prepared a delicious strawberry mousse cake! We couldn't finish it because the portions were so generous 😋. There are three peacocks 🦚🦚🦚 in the courtyard (they are super smart and will come right up to you for food), and the scenery from the balcony is picturesque (the sunset was absolutely stunning) ❤❤❤. The entire hotel is filled with the Banyan Tree's special essential oil scent, and there's an essential oil diffuser in the room too. During check-in, the butler offered Huangshan Maofeng tea and special pastries and then introduced the hotel's evening ceremonies: 'A Night of Fish and Dragon Dance' and 'Intangible Cultural Heritage Iron Flower Display' ✨. Even though I've seen them many times on TV, the shock of seeing them in person is still indescribable!!! We also received evening gifts: a small Banyan Tree turtle doll and cookies. Since it was a birthday celebration, the Baiyun Restaurant reserved a central scenic table with breathtaking views. The hotel's signature dishes — Huizhou Maofu Tofu, Huizhou Smelly Mandarin Fish, and Huizhou Daobanxiang — were all incredibly delicious and perfect with rice! 😋😋😋 The important thing is that they weren't spicy at all! I feel like this is probably the best hotel in Huangshan City at this price point! Finally, a shout-out to our butler, Amy!

Hidden gem // Cosy homestay with lovely and caring hosts - 10/10 recommend! We loved our stay at Villa Emerald Valley especially due to: + Lovely hosts: super friendly, multi generational, from the neighborhood and always keen to fulfill all our wishes even before we knew them + Bright, modern, clean and cosy rooms: Big windows, clean and modern bathroom facilities (great hot shower that is truly needed after a day in the mountain), really comfy beds, water boiler, etc. + Nice common area: game room, restaurant, tea table, small pool + Tasty food: breakfast, lunch and dinner freshly prepared, many options (also vegetarian), fresh fruits and tea, decent prices -＞ we loved their tomato&egg, bamboo, qingcai and tofu dishes + Smooth communication and great service: quick responses via WeChat, airport pick up (200¥ one way), support with ticket booking for huangshan, carrying luggage, extra fruits, etc. + Emerging into the community: as it was tea harvest time, the hosts took us to the tea mountain close by where we could help picking tea leaves + Location: huangshan is overall really touristy with a lot of group tourism and thus overall probably not the nicest place to stay for a longer time. However, the home stay, while being close to all main tourist attractions, lies very calm and right beside the mountains where locals live and work, so it does not feel touristy at all and you could easily spend several days there to explore and relax Also , the hosts can speak some English, so communication for foreigners is not a problem.

The hotel is located directly opposite Beihai Hotel, right next to the 'Dream Pen Blossoms' scenic spot. I was extremely satisfied with my stay. It was incredibly convenient for watching both sunrise and sunset, and we even had a butler to guide us. The hotel staff and butlers were all very warm and welcoming, always saying 'welcome home' when we entered the hotel, which truly made it feel like home. The parent-child activities were rich and diverse, seamlessly blending the beautiful scenery with local culture, making the trip truly worthwhile.