Banyan Tree Lijiang

KC

Kanyapoj “Polly” Chaiprapan

5/5Google· 5 months ago

This was my first time in Lijiang and it certainly will not be my last. The city itself is already full of charm. But Banyan Tree Lijiang made the entire journey even more memorable. I stayed for 4 nights with friends and the overall experience was truly flawless from beginning to end. We received a very warm welcome from Nancy and her team upon arrival. As we arrived early, we decided to enjoy breakfast while waiting for our rooms and it turned out to be one of the first highlights of our stay. The breakfast selection was outstanding with a beautiful variety of local and international dishes. Some of the flavours were new to us, which made the experience even more exciting and meaningful. The hotel is perfectly located, not far from Shuhe Ancient Town. From the moment we walked towards the entrance, we were greeted by a serene pond, traditional architecture and the stunning Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in the background. It created such a strong first impression and immediately gave us a sense of place. Once we entered our rooms, we felt even more connected to the heritage of Lijiang. The design of the buildings reflects the local character beautifully, while the rooms are clean, tidy, comfortable and very functional. Every detail feels thoughtful, calm, and well maintained. Nancy also kindly shared recommendations on attractions and places to visit around the area. The hotel is only around a 10-minute walk from the Ancient Town, which made it very convenient for us to explore, wander around, shop and enjoy the atmosphere at our own pace. We also had a chance to spend a full day at the hotel and it was just as enjoyable as going out. We fed the ducks and fish, tasted their unique local tea and tried the flower cakes. One of the most special highlights was the local costume and photoshoot experience, which made our stay even more memorable and fun. Banyan Tree Lijiang truly offers everything in one place, beautiful scenery, warm hospitality, cultural experiences, comfortable rooms and a peaceful atmosphere that reflects the soul of Lijiang. I would definitely love to come back again.

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Amit Dabas

5/5Google· 6 months ago

Recommend this resort… 5 stars!! My family and I had a really fun time at the resort!!! Loved the ducks who would always come at the tasty breakfast and the snow mountains that you could see very clearly. As a tourist/non chinese speaker, the staff were really nice and helpful especially Queenie who was always there to greet/help us. The villas were amazing aswell, we enjoyed the jacuzzi and nature all around. After leaving the resort, we missed it so much. Will definitely come back❤️ Banyan tree if u are reading this, thank you.

KL

Khun Lim

5/5Google· 5 months ago

We saved staying here for the last few days of our long holiday because we just wanted to relax and soak in some luxury after walking our legs off in the other two old towns. Location wise, getting to Shuhe old town is just a 10 to 15 minutes’ walk from here. You just get out of the magnificent entrance, turn right, and follow the road. Speaking of the entrance, taking a picture with the pagoda and Jade Dragon snow mountain in the backdrop is a signature shot that everyone does, and for good reason. When you enter, you’re greeted by a very expansive courtyard with a large pond. There are colorful fish below the water and a few ducks roaming freely. The tranquility, with the willow trees swaying gently in the light breeze, honestly makes you feel like you're staying in a carefully curated palace garden. The accommodations here are single-level villas, and each one looks like a rich man's house from ancient Chinese times. With the intricate roof tiles, the wooden two-door entrances, and the masonry Chinese walls, it literally made us feel like we were in the part of the palace where the concubines are housed, with each villa waiting for Emperor Me to come visit them. It was all nice and peaceful watching the ducks and fish look like they were best friends... until one of the ducks straight-up ate one of the fish. And apparently, that one duck does it every single day. It was a total murder duck. I had no idea these "peaceful" ducks ate live fish! We booked the villa with the jacuzzi. At the same price level, the alternative is a villa with your own private pool. However, in these cold temperatures (April), you definitely want the jacuzzi because it is heated, the pool option is not. Soaking in the bubbling, warm jacuzzi early in the morning and late into the night while the outside air was in the chilly sub-tens Celsius was a special experience. It made us not want to leave our villa at all, and it honestly became a huge part of our daily routine. What I loved most was that with our bedroom doors wide open, you didn't even need air conditioning because the mountain air was so cold. Now, there were definitely some downsides to the stay. If you have kids, keep your expectations for the kids' club at absolute zero. It looked like a simple, unattended, locked warehouse with some playthings just spread around. Combined with our experience at another hotel here of equal price level, I’d say hotels here just have a kids' club to tick a box. The staff at the reception seemed busy all the time and were always on the phone when we tried to talk to them. On arrival, they didn't give us full information about the resort. We only stumbled upon a big playground and some sadly caged-up rabbits on our last day. As for breakfast, the range is smaller compared to hotels in Shanghai and the other hotel we stayed, and the experience was marred by some fellow guests who had zero sense of hygiene, using their bare hands to pick up pieces of cheese, inspect them, and put them back onto the serving tray. But honestly, looking out over the privacy wall that blocks the jacuzzi from the public, you get a direct view of Yulong Snow Mountain. Dozing off and waking up to that view, I seriously thought I was inside a painting. The villa, the mountain views, and the heated jacuzzi are incredible, and that makes up for all the other deficiencies we had faced.

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AhG L

5/5Google· Edited 3 months ago

A wonderful stay from start to finish. Beautiful rooms, breathtaking mountain views, outstanding service, and an excellent breakfast. Banyan Tree Lijiang is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the beauty of Lijiang. Highly recommended!

AC

annie chan

5/5Google· 11 months ago

I absolutely love my stay! Beyond the photogenic views all around the property, it’s the staff that made a huge difference - they’re attentive and helpful in all aspects. The lady who checked us in, followed up with us constantly to make sure we are comfortable and if there was anything that we needed. The travel agent through the hotel who took us for 2 day tour was awesome too. This is despite the heavy snowing we experienced at the Jade Snow mountain. 😀(The weather was not kind to us at all that day). Overall, every staff we encountered at Banyan Tree was professional and very friendly - I feel at home. Even though the property is not brand new, one can feel that they’re trying their level best to maintain and update.

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Eric D

5/5Google· Edited 11 months ago

This place offers a tranquil experience with professional and responsive staff to back it up. The resort has a very traditional Chinese style which pairs very nicely with the surrounding scenery and stunning view of the snowy mountain. The staff regularly maintains the room and surrounding grounds to make sure everything is clean. I also really appreciate the professionalism and responsiveness of the staff, especially Jolie. We made a lot of requests during our stay, including a last minute change to add an extra night. And the staff was ready to answer within minutes. They really do their best to make sure that your stay is without hassle. The pic provided is directly from our room.

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Nicolas GALVAO DE ALMEIDA

5/5Google· a year ago

We visited Banyan Tree Lijiang in April and had an exceptional overall experience. Upon arrival, we realized that our original room had been misadvertised — there was no hot tub as listed, and the spa did not have pools or Jacuzzis open for general guest use. When we raised this with the staff, they were very accommodating and promptly moved us to a villa with a private outdoor Jacuzzi. Our villa was absolutely stunning — spacious, minimalistic, and designed with elegant traditional Chinese elements. The open layout, serene décor, and large outdoor area created a calm and relaxing atmosphere. The highlight was the panoramic mountain view, which made every morning and evening feel magical. The villa offered both privacy and comfort, making it perfect for a couple’s getaway or a peaceful retreat. The restaurant was one of the highlights of our stay: it had a great vibe, and the food was consistently excellent. Breakfast was served as an all-you-can-eat buffet, with a wide selection of fresh and flavorful dishes. The overall resort design is minimalist yet traditional, with beautiful landscaping, serene courtyards, and incredible views that encourage relaxation. The resort is conveniently located near a smaller, charming old town — just a 10-minute walk away. While it is not the main Lijiang Old Town, it is equally picturesque and much less crowded, making it perfect for peaceful strolls. Service was attentive and warm, though there were some minor challenges. Room service orders could only be placed by phone, and some of the in-room programs were not functioning during our stay. Additionally, staff spoke limited English, which occasionally made ordering food or clarifying requests a bit difficult. Despite these small obstacles, the team was consistently kind and helpful, and we appreciated the small traditional Yuxi gifts we received every day — a thoughtful and memorable touch. Banyan Tree Lijiang is a world-class resort and an excellent choice for those who want to splurge on a private villa experience surrounded by natural beauty and traditional design. Despite a few small service and communication challenges, our stay was near-perfect, and we cannot wait to return.

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Helen Chen

2/5Google· 8 months ago

Worst experience we’ve ever had, we are Accor platinum member for years, that’s the worst Accor stay experience we had in our life. First day, 1.upgrade is available but unwilling to be given because of the price difference and saying fully booked 2.spider web between tv and curtains as well as dust on the table that held the tv Second day, 1.Chair leg is loose, kid fell down backwards, and lower back hurts a bit the day after 2.when kid started to have shower, shower head is loose causing water to spray onto the glass and then onto the ceiling making it look like the pipe was leaking, and he had to change shower room and get the person to fix it 3.bath tub in the master bedroom is leaking, the person tried to fix it after sorted out the shower leaking issue. Third day 1.Sink couldn’t be sealed and water flowing is very slow when we wash socks 2.bathroom door handle fell off and had to ask person to fix it 3.the lamps outside next to the spa couldn’t be on, so asked person to fix it All we got as compensation is 1hr meeting with the front desk manager on the 3rd day morning, free room upgrade, a bottle of red wine and late check out at 5pm. General manager is unwilling to contact us on the day we leave.