Hotele Romantic w: Jilin, China

The high temperatures persisted, so we came to Changbai Mountain to escape the heat and stayed at the Yunshuilanting Hotel. Upon check-in, Manager Dong, knowing we were two seniors over 70, provided us with the warmest service imaginable. She patiently explained the surrounding area, important considerations, and evening activities, and even brought us local seasonal blueberries. It felt like home, with the warmth of children around us. Despite it being peak tourist season and the hotel being fully booked, the cleanliness and dining were still top-notch. Of all the places we've stayed in Changbai Mountain over the past few days, this was by far the best experience. Manager Dong is an excellent leader, managing an outstanding service team.

Although the room was a bit old, the cleanliness and service were still excellent. The butler checked in with us daily, provided weather updates and information about hotel activities. They were especially attentive to safety during rainy weather and readily provided anything we needed. When our child accidentally got a bump while playing outside, they immediately sent up iodine after a phone call. The breakfast spread was plentiful and suitable for both seniors and children. It started as early as 6:30 AM, which was perfect for visiting Tianchi Lake, as many other hotels only start serving breakfast after 7 AM. Going to Tianchi early in the morning greatly increases your chances of seeing the lake, and we were lucky enough to catch a glimpse. On the 17th, Tianchi closed and stopped admissions after 10 AM. The Wanda Realm Suite practically included access to all Wanda resort activities. If you visited the water park, the hotel provided a laundry room with dryers, as well as disinfectant and laundry detergent. Just be aware that there can be long queues during peak times, so plan your schedule accordingly. Regarding Wanda perks: The cable car offered incredibly beautiful views (complimentary on first stay, unlimited rides on the same day), but it only operates on clear days. Other perks included the Wacool boat ride, a choice between the slide or luge, hot springs, and the water park. The boat rides and slides are also weather-dependent (clear days only), while grass-sliding is an additional charge. I recommend prioritizing the slide/luge queue first (children must be 12+ years old and over 155cm to ride alone; otherwise, an adult must accompany them) as the wait times can be very long. You can then do grass-sliding later (it has longer operating hours and no queues). The boat ride also has long queues. We didn't get to it in the afternoon/evening, but we managed to enjoy all the most exciting activities.

Right at check-in, we were given two warm bottles of Changbai Mountain mineral water. The room was standard, and the heating was very strong – we had to sleep with the window open. The hot springs, however, are in a separate building, and you have to walk through the lobby on the ground floor to get to them. The lobby and the breakfast area on the second floor weren't warm enough, making it easy to catch a cold after coming back from the hot springs. The hot springs themselves are communal and only have a few small pools; it's not really worth going unless you just want a quick taste of Changbai Mountain's hot springs.

We brought our child to Tianchi and thought it would be nice for them to soak in the hot springs after coming down from the mountain. That turned out to be a great idea! We had a fantastic time at the hot spring hotel that day and spent most of the next day exploring the resort. There are so many activities, and it's a one-stop shop for food, accommodation, and entertainment, all in a beautiful setting. We originally planned to spend the whole day enjoying the activities, but we had to leave the water park quickly because the water was too cold. My only suggestion is that since this place caters to families with seniors and children, the water temperature is too low. The kids' play area was only 19 degrees Celsius, and the wave pool was just over 20 degrees. Many families went in without realizing how cold it was and came out shortly after, with their children's lips turning purple and shivering from the cold. I really hope the water temperature can be adjusted, made a bit warmer. Also, towels should be provided upon exiting the pool, not just after showering. I told a staff member my child was shivering and asked if we could get a towel, especially since it was windy outside, and only then did they say yes. I don't mean anything by it, but this is one area where they could learn from other hot spring hotels. The Holiday Inn Express where we stayed was quite good, with a rich breakfast and very friendly and enthusiastic front desk service. However, the staff at the entrance seemed more helpful to tour groups. For those of us who drove ourselves, they weren't as attentive. Maybe they figured we wouldn't be returning. I was alone with my child, carrying two pieces of luggage, and no one at the entrance offered to help. But when a tour group came out, they immediately helped them with their luggage onto their bus… I don't even want to comment on that…

I stayed at the Crowne Plaza Changbaishan Hot Spring Hotel from August 25th to 27th. ✅ **Transportation:** Took the high-speed train from Shenyang Station to Changbaishan Station, departing at 09:30 and arriving around 12:00. 🏨 **Accommodation | Crowne Plaza Changbaishan Hot Spring Hotel:** The hotel provides a shuttle bus service from the high-speed rail station. The journey takes approximately 40 minutes, with stops at Hilton → Blue Sky (Lan Jing) → Crowne Plaza. The hotel is situated halfway up the mountain, right next to the North Gate of Changbaishan Scenic Area. It's only a few minutes' walk to the scenic area entrance, making its location exceptionally advantageous. 🍚 **Lunch:** There are hardly any shops nearby, so we had lunch directly at the hotel. The prices were reasonable. 🍚 **Dinner:** Not far from the hotel, there's a forest farm with a 'farmhouse iron pot stew' restaurant. If you book a meal, the restaurant arranges transportation. We ordered free-range chicken stewed with hazelnuts. The owner also recommended 'Feilong' (Hazel Grouse) and 'Linwa' (Forest Frog). 'Feilong' is indeed the Hazel Grouse, and it's said that the 'flying dragon' in the saying 'flying dragon in the sky, donkey meat on the ground' refers to this bird. 🎡 **Activities:** **Pet Paradise:** An open-air enclosure with rabbits, sika deer, alpacas, white ferrets, and sable. You can get up close to pet, feed, and take photos with them. **Blue Sky (Lan Jing) Primitive Forest Loop Trail:** Just across the road, it's quiet with few people. Along the way, you can see fallen ancient trees and wild fungi on the trees. The air is fresh, and the atmosphere is very immersive. After completing the loop, we returned to the hotel to rest. **Julong Volcanic Hot Springs:** Both Crowne Plaza and Blue Sky have Julong Volcanic Hot Springs, but you can't use the springs at the other hotel. We changed into our swimsuits, robes, and slippers in our room, then went downstairs and turned left to find the hot spring pools. Staying at the Crowne Plaza offers unlimited access to the hot springs. If you're not staying, a hot spring ticket costs over two hundred yuan per person. So, just for the hot spring tickets, it would have cost our family of three six to seven hundred yuan. The Crowne Plaza has many outdoor pools, with water temperatures ranging from 39 to 42 degrees Celsius. The hot spring water has no particular smell but leaves your skin feeling smooth. Surrounded by the forest, with fresh air, soaking for fifteen to twenty minutes makes you sweat. Then, you can try another pool. There's also a small fish spa pool where you can soak your feet, and a group of small fish will come to nibble at your feet, which is both ticklish and fun. **Butler Service:** Our butler, Yueyue, provided five-star service! From arranging the shuttle bus before check-in to confirming breakfast and various entitlements upon arrival, and offering thoughtful itinerary reminders, her service truly made our stay at the Crowne Plaza excellent value for money.

The location is central, but using the back entrance makes everything easily accessible, and it's not right on the food street, so it feels very quiet. Taking the back exit near the lollipops in the hotel lobby, and then the path in front of the big lawn, is even closer and more convenient. The overall service was excellent; every guest gets a hotel assistant. Our assistant, 7-Up, sent messages beforehand with reminders, weather forecasts, and patiently answered all our questions. We booked a deluxe twin room and got one with a mountain view. From the room, you could see the lawn, cable car, etc., offering great views. Food: Breakfast was a standard hotel buffet. The dinner buffet had grilled skewers, hot pots, and other decent options. Resort-wide benefits: They included access to the slide, cable car, water park, hot springs, and more. Everything was great, except for the long wait times for the slide. The hotel facilities are quite old, but they are clean, which is a plus. Overall, it was a good experience.

My flight landed in Changbai Mountain at 11:15 PM, and I had tickets for the West Slope at 7:30 AM the next day. After much deliberation, I chose the Blue River Hotel, and it turned out to be an excellent decision. It saved me both travel time and distance, and I had a comfortable and safe stay. The hotel's location is truly unbeatable, right at the old West Slope entrance. This saved me the trip from Wanda or the town to the main entrance, and then to the old entrance. From the old entrance, you just take a shuttle bus into the West Slope scenic area, and it drops you right at the base of Tianchi Lake. The hotel lobby is incredibly spacious, parking is convenient, the rooms are well-equipped, and they even provide complimentary welcome fruit. Breakfast starts promptly at 7 AM, with a good variety of options. The taste was decent, and I even snuck out two steamed buns to eat on the mountain 😂. I highly recommend the peach juice; the peaches 🍑 from Changbai Mountain are incredibly appealing. The front desk staff were so polite I almost felt embarrassed 😅. When I checked in, they recognized my name from a distance. The next day, as I left, they reminded me to take my umbrella. And when I returned in the afternoon to collect my luggage after exploring, they gave me more fruit and water, and kept asking if there was anything they could have done better. In summary, while the facilities might be a bit older, their shortcomings don't overshadow the positives. I highly recommend this hotel 🏨 to anyone following a similar itinerary as mine.

I was incredibly satisfied with my stay at Guoxin Nanshan this time. Although the hotel is a bit old, the service was excellent. A butler followed up throughout my stay, and I could communicate any needs I had; the butler responded proactively. This stay included complimentary welcome fruit, and milk was delivered in the evening, which was incredibly thoughtful. The hotel breakfast had everything imaginable and tasted great. I will definitely choose Guoxin Nanshan again!

The hotel has a grand exterior, but the location is a bit out of the way and the surrounding area is deserted. Many of the hot spring pools were closed, and the service was a mess. I stayed for two nights, and when I came back on the second day, I found that the room hadn't been cleaned, the trash hadn't been taken out, and the water hadn't been brought in... This is the first time I've encountered this situation in a high-end hotel! The hotel restaurant is quite good, and the set meals are quite affordable.

Absolutely fell in love with Changbai Mountain Tianyu Resort Hotel – the experience was just fantastic! The room was spotless and tidy, decorated in a cozy yet grand style with a stunning natural wood design that felt incredibly comfortable. The bathroom was huge and well-laid-out, and the double vanity setup was a genius touch for travelers, so practical and convenient. The oversized bathtub was definitely a highlight; soaking in it after a hike washed away all the fatigue, pure bliss! The bedding was top-notch, soft and breathable, letting me drift off instantly and sleep soundly until morning. The service was impeccable; the staff were warm, polite, and responded quickly, making me feel welcome throughout my stay. The environment was peaceful, the air fresh, and all the facilities were excellent. It's the perfect choice for a vacation in Changbai Mountain. Genuinely super satisfied, highly recommended!