First Impression Of InterContinental Lijiang Ancient Town Resort
If you are heading to Lijiang, and looking for a quiet, luxury, comfortable and with some ancient feel, this is one hotel you really shouldn’t miss, InterContinental Lijiang Ancient Town Resort.
It’s located right next to Lijiang Old Town, and you can easily walk to places like Sifangjie and Zhongyi Market. The location itself is already a big win and there is a back gate leading to the old town with security guard, so it’s really very convivent and safe.
We arrived at night, so I didn’t get to see much at first. But after checking in, they brought me to my room via buggy and that was actually quite an experience.
The whole resort is designed like a traditional village, so even in the dark, you can feel the atmosphere.
I woke up slightly early the next day so I can take my time to explore the hotel. If you love taking photos, there are many photo taking area. The whole place is designed like a traditional Naxi village, with stone pathways, wooden style buildings, courtyards, and mountain views surrounding the property.
You can even catch a glimpse of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain on a clear day at their hotel lobby!
Room Tour
I stayed in a 1 King Bed room with garden view, separate bath, and walk-in shower. The room is very spacious, clean, and most importantly very quiet which is quite surprising because we are so close to the old town.
They also provides welcome fruits, which is berries and oranges.
The design leans towards a more traditional style, but still feels modern and comfortable. The bed was really comfortable. The TV screen is attached to a movable frame so you can turn the TV no matter where you are like in the living room, bath tub area or facing your bed.
The bathroom setup is away from the bathtub. Like the bathtub is on your left, and the showering area is on your right. Do get your bath robe ready so you don’t catch a cold.
Facilities
Unfortunately I didn’t stay long enough to enjoy the facilities, but I went to check out their gym and kid’s indoor play area. Gym looks good, they have proper and good equipment.
Kid’s indoor play area are more suitable for younger kids. Based on their website, they have kids activities and heated children’s pool. Very family friendly resort!.
Breakfast
Breakfast was actually better than I expected. They serve a good mix of both local Naxi food and western options, so there’s something for everyone. But if I had to pick my favourite part, it would definitely be the pastry section, even though I’m not a pastry person but it was surprisingly good and quite a lot of choices. What I really enjoyed though was the overall breakfast atmosphere. It’s one of those breakfasts where you don’t feel rushed at all. You can just sit there, eat slowly, enjoy the peaceful surroundings, and properly start your morning before exploring Lijiang.
If the weather is not too cold, you can even sit outside to enjoy your breakfast.
Conclusion
Even though I only stayed one night at InterContinental Lijiang Ancient Town Resort, it left a really good impression on me. What I liked most was the location, it’s right next to the old town, yet still feels surprisingly quiet and peaceful. The entire resort is designed like a traditional village, so staying here feels more immersive compared to a standard luxury hotel. My room was comfortable, the breakfast was good, and overall the atmosphere just felt very relaxing. One of the highlights was also seeing Jade Dragon Snow Mountain from the hotel lobby, which honestly made the stay feel even more special.
Tips:
If you want to catch the view of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain from the resort:
- Morning: 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
- Evening: 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
- Best season: November to March
P.S. Do check sunrise and sunset timings for more accurate planning！
For what to explore, do and eat in Lijiang, you can refer to my previous post I did when I visited Lijiang in 2024.