Hello David,
Our stay in Yunnan was extremely well organised and professional.
Hotels
All the hotels had charm and attentive service.
In Lijiang, the hotel put us right in the heart of the old town, with a family that has run this boutique hotel for several generations. You feel at home.
Arro Kampa in Shangri-La was also very charming, with a magnificent view.
The highlight for us was Sunyata Meili, which is absolutely extraordinary. There’s a special atmosphere as everyone gets up to watch the sunrise over Kawagebo. The meals there are incredible, as are the décor, the service, the location and the kindness of the staff.
The LUX* Tea Horse Road Shangri-La was the only chain hotel on the trip. A very beautiful hotel, but with no personal welcome. The hotel is magnificent but could use a warmer atmosphere. To be fair, we stayed there only a very short time.
Ya Cha Jiao Manor at Tiger Leaping Gorge: incredible. Keeping it for the end was a great idea. An amazing welcome, and you don’t expect villas like these. The food was very good, and the local staff were very welcoming.
Guide: Daniel
Daniel is extremely professional. We talked a lot about China, Japan and Yunnan. He is very well educated and interesting, giving us explanations when we wanted them and also letting us enjoy the scenery. I think he enjoyed the trip with us too. He was always on time and a very good driver, which matters because northern Yunnan sometimes has winding roads with lots of lorries. Very comfortable car. He is really very pleasant and flexible.
Itinerary
It was exactly what I wanted: a mix of old villages, monasteries, landscapes and mountains. Perhaps an activity other than walking could have been included for the teenagers. My daughters loved the calligraphy and the tofu. We could perhaps have done some horse riding, as there are horses everywhere in the villages near Shangri-La.
Yunnan/China Roads met my expectations, and this stay will remain a wonderful family memory.
We’d be delighted to travel with you again to another destination, such as Tibet.
A huge thank you,
Marine
