Floral Hotel Yuebanwan Review: The One with the Most Breathtaking View
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Floral Hotel Yuebanwan was love at first sight for me, mainly because of its gorgeous view. This boutique guesthouse is also conveniently located in Lijiang Old Town, a place that had been on my bucket list since 2008! Two of its popular attractions, Mu Fu Mansion and Sifang Street, are both less than 500 metres away.
The owner was very responsive, and we’d been chatting on WeChat even before my arrival to arrange my pick-up. He was also happy to recommend local restaurants and shops. Since I booked a four-night stay, I got a complimentary pick-up from the train station.
The Guesthouse & First Impression
Since the guesthouse is located inside Lijiang Old Town, I had to walk a little from the parking lot because cars aren’t allowed through. Thankfully, one of the staff members helped carry my luggage.
Some of the streets are quite narrow, and it was pretty crowded when I arrived. With all the little alleys and turns, the whole place felt like a maze. I remember thinking, “There’s no way I’m going to find my way out of here on my own!” Hehe.
The guesthouse is tucked away in one of the quieter corners of the Old Town. Walking through the entrance felt more like entering someone’s home than checking into a hotel. A few people were sitting on the porch when I arrived, whom I believe were the owner’s family. They greeted me warmly, along with two adorable dogs who came to welcome me at the gate. The owner also has cats and birds, so it’s quite a little animal household!
The lobby is small and feels more like a family living room. The building itself has a traditional wooden structure, typical of the local architecture in Lijiang Old Town. Everything about the place feels warm and homey, which I absolutely love.
The Room & My Stay
I actually booked two different rooms: a smaller studio called Yuexiao Independent Travel Intelligence (23 m²) for the first three nights, and a much bigger room called Listen to Lotus (56 m²), which comes with a separate living room, for my last night. I love how the rooms have such interesting names, although there’s no way I’d remember them without checking my booking confirmation. 😂
When I arrived, the owner told me he’d upgraded my booking, so I could stay in the bigger room for all four nights at no extra charge. I was so happy! The room was lovely and spacious, with plenty of space to spread out my luggage. There was also a fruit basket waiting for me when I checked in, along with complimentary bottled water and snacks.
The bathroom is HUGE! There’s a separate shower and a big bathtub, and the hot water worked perfectly. They also provided a full range of bathroom amenities.
The only downside was that my room faced the street, so it could get quite noisy at night. It didn’t really bother me, though. If you’re a light sleeper, they do provide earplugs in the room. It also got quite cold at night since I was visiting in spring, but thankfully, the heater worked well.
Breakfast was good! They served a typical Chinese-style nine-grid breakfast set, along with rice noodles. I always ended up feeling incredibly full because I’m not usually a big breakfast person. But with all the walking I was doing, and still recovering from altitude sickness, eating a proper breakfast actually helped me feel better.
Most mornings, I’d head up to the rooftop after breakfast, find a spot to sit, and enjoy the fresh air and the view. I visited in April, so the early mornings could be quite chilly. But looking out over the rooftops of Lijiang Old Town, with Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in the distance on a clear day, was absolutely worth it.
The Little Things That Made My Stay Special
I couldn’t have been happier with my stay at Yuebanwan. It’s a small guesthouse, but the hospitality was wonderful, even though we didn’t speak the same language.
I really appreciated all the little things the owner and staff did for me. They upgraded my room, took me to a tea house where the owner spoke English, and even gave me a ride to my next hotel near Baisha Ancient Town. They also took the time to sit and chat with me over Chinese tea. And when I mentioned how expensive blueberries are back home in Indonesia, they gave me extra blueberries! How sweet is that?
The owner also went out of his way to recommend places to visit and help me make the most of my stay. It’s still funny to think that we had entire conversations through WeChat while sitting right across from each other. But hey, it worked!
Another thing I loved was their succulent garden, both in the courtyard and on the rooftop. The lady of the guesthouse clearly takes great care of the plants, and everything looked beautiful. And of course, there’s that incredible rooftop view! If you only saw photos of it, you’d probably think you were looking at a five-star hotel.
I paid around US$250 (IDR 4.5 million) for four nights, originally booking three nights in the smaller room and one in the larger one. Thanks to the complimentary upgrade, I got to enjoy the bigger room for my entire stay.
I couldn’t recommend Yuebanwan highly enough. If you’re looking for a boutique guesthouse with lovely hospitality, beautiful views, and a few furry friends around, this is definitely worth considering!
You can check out their rooms and rates here.
Would you choose a small, family-run guesthouse over a fancy hotel?
