Lijiang Waterfall

I’m still here, and I’m unhappy. We were promised three rooms in a row when we booked, but got split up on arrival. The WiFi is nearly nonexistent, and its lock means even a VPN won’t let you access anything outside China, so forget checking remote email. The hotel’s English is very poor. I had to speak to four people by phone just to get someone to open a locked door, and even then conversation was difficult. The room insulation is bad, so the loud nightly show from the street below booms into the room until late. Other reviewers call it a market; all I know is that it’s loud every night. An even-numbered room may help a little, since it’s on the quieter side. You can hear everyone in the corridor, and the A/C doesn’t work, as many other reviews have said. The pool was supposed to be open every day of my week here, but it closes for a day and a half at the end of the month for cleaning, though the exact timing varies. Clearly whoever answers the emails doesn’t talk to the pool or maintenance staff. I have a bad back, so this has been especially frustrating. When the pool is open, there’s a bad smell of smoke there every time. There was no milk or anything else in the fridge for coffee, and it barely works, so I had to walk out and find some. There’s no soy milk at breakfast for vegetarians either. Try somewhere else, maybe the Shangri La or Sheraton.

Breakfast gets crowded, and finding a seat can be hard during the 7-8am rush. We stayed three nights with a tour group. The hotel is right across from the entrance to Elephant trunk rock, with a pedestrian street full of clothing boutiques around the corner. You can even see the Sun and Moon pagoda from some rooms, so ask for one of those. Our room was generally fine, but the shower door hinge was slightly loose and they couldn’t fix it, leaving the bathroom a bit wet for all three nights. The hotel also has an indoor pool and gym overlooking it.

The location and breakfast were good, but I wouldn’t recommend this place if you expect a 4-star hotel, and 5 stars is out of the question. Room 1209, at least, felt old, from the furniture and bathroom to the few electrical outlets. The bathroom was tiny, with a bathtub and a fabric curtain that had seen better days. There was no outlet for a hairdryer. The A/C didn’t regulate the temperature properly, and the windows didn’t shut well, so noise from the market below reached the 12th floor. There were very few outlets in the room and bathroom, and the old ones didn’t work properly. I had to keep checking that my phone was actually charging.

The room was spacious, clean, and quiet, and the staff were polite and helpful. This is an old grand hotel with plenty of charm, though it feels dated, and the stay was still very comfortable. Its location is great, right by the lake and near the twin pagodas, with shops and local restaurants within walking distance. The nightly waterfall show gives the place a distinctive local feel. A solid choice if you like classic hotels with character and a convenient location.