At the beginning of this article, we introduce the pre-sale for the Nanbei Lake Senbo Resort in Jiaxing. The Nanbei Lake Senbo Resort is not completely ready yet, and this package will start from September 1st for stays. We have visited it twice in person; currently, we cannot compile a report on it. Today, we are launching the pre-sale, and we will provide a full report when it officially opens in August.
1) [New Store Opening Release] Nanbei Lake Kaiyuan Senbo Resort Hotel, Senbo Terrace Room for 1 night including breakfast, 599 RMB; Senbo Terrace Room for 1 night including breakfast + 2 selected tickets, 699 RMB; Senbo Wooden House Room for 1 night including breakfast + 2 selected tickets, 799 RMB; Senbo Terrace Room for 2 nights (can be split) including breakfast + 4 selected tickets, 1328 RMB.
Valid until December 29, 2024. This is the fifth Kaiyuan Senbo resort, a major family entertainment destination in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai. This pre-sale is a first release, and the prices are quite favorable, likely offering a very rare low price. Plus, it’s valid until the end of the year, meaning any early purchase feels like a win.
The Senbo brand should be familiar to many, known for its outdoor water park and expansive indoor heated water park, allowing aquatic fun without concern for the season, weather, or temperature. It’s suitable for all ages to enjoy water activities throughout the year.
Another unique feature of the Nanbei Lake resort is its in-house hot spring. Therefore, even if you visit during winter, there’s still ample opportunity for enjoyment.
The Dream Island Children’s Playground is also a highlight of Senbo Park, with a well-designed layout. Bringing kids here is guaranteed to tire them out, ensuring they sleep easily by 9 PM, saving parents from the hassle of bedtime routines.
Additionally, in the future, Senbo will gradually launch a pet playground, a forest sports and leisure area, an arcade, and more, ensuring everyone has the best lodging experience possible.
Regarding room types, since this is a first-release package, all prices are considerable value. The wooden cabin is the quintessential “Senbo style,” with a unique appearance resembling a forest cabin from fairy tales. The views are also splendid—lush greenery greets your eyes, making it a delightful spot to unwind on the balcony, with good privacy.
Senbo rooms start at 30 square meters, so you won’t feel cramped. If it’s your first visit to Senbo, I recommend staying in the most distinctive room type for a heightened experience.
The rooms in the hotel’s main building lean more towards traditional hotel styles, but they come with numerous advantages. For instance, all public areas are located on the hotel’s ground floor, meaning you can venture to the water park in just your swimsuit and bathrobe, making it very convenient for water fun.
1 purchase Taobao code: 59￥ HU7632 jbED31UIewS￥ https://m.tb.cn/h.giBmx9Z
Additionally, this package includes a flexible 2-night split option. If you are a loyal Senbo fan, this is a no-brainer purchase.
The next tier includes two consecutive nights:
2) [New Store Opening Release] Nanbei Lake Kaiyuan Senbo Resort Hotel, Terrace Room for 2 nights including breakfast + 2 selected tickets, 1198 RMB; Senbo Family Room for 2 nights including breakfast + tickets for 2 adults and 2 children + one family dining at Yanlai Xuan + a travel photo session for 1888 RMB.
Valid until December 29, 2024. This tier primarily focuses on the 2-night package, which includes the previously mentioned Terrace Room and adds Family Room options with a full meal and photo service. This is a win-win situation for parents and kids.
Differing from traditional family rooms, the designs here are thoughtfully crafted. For example, there’s a stair-step bunk bed for kids, which even excites an adult like me. This room type is tailored for families of two adults and two children, so it’s perfect for families with two kids.
1 purchase Taobao code: 29￥ CZ3458 stYi31UIkbQ￥ https://m.tb.cn/h.giBNNA6
Staying three days and two nights could be more relaxing. I personally think that whenever you choose Senbo, it should be primarily about vacation and relaxation, so taking it easy is always the better choice—but of course, it ultimately depends on personal preference.
Next, for today’s special feature, we have Yunnan.
Many readers have inquired about where to go for a summer retreat. Northeast China is definitely cool; Qinghai and Gansu are also comfortable options. If you’re heading to the southwest, I recommend Guizhou and Yunnan, as summers in these provinces are not hot at all. Just look at the temperatures in Hangzhou, typically over 35 degrees. In contrast, the highest temperatures in Lijiang and Shangri-La hover around 20 degrees—perfect for a summer trip.
Here comes the Tea Horse Road’s luxury resorts! If you’re heading to Yunnan, grab this deal. Let me share the layout of the luxury resorts in Yunnan:
The luxurious resorts are spread across Lijiang, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Shangri-La, and Benzilan along the Yunnan-Tibet line, allowing for a flexible itinerary. This path is known as the ancient Tea Horse Road.
This ancient Tea Horse Road route is fantastic. From Lijiang to Shangri-La, it encompasses some of Yunnan’s most beautiful and hidden sceneries: ancient towns, snow-capped mountains, secluded villages, lakes, gorges… it’s like being surrounded by paradise. The elevation changes allow one to experience all four seasons along the way.
Let’s start with the product offering:
1) Tea Horse Road Luxury Hotel Series 4-night package, priced at 3,650 RMB (this price is only valid for today, July 18; afterward, it will be 3,800 RMB). You can choose from the Shangri-La Luxury Hotel, Lijiang Luxury Hotel, Benzilan Luxury Hotel, Lashi Lake Luxury Mountain Hotel, and more—including options from the Tea Horse Road series (Tea Horse Three Gorges Water, Tea Horse Xiaomi Land, Tea Horse Stone City, Tea Horse Peach Blossom Valley). The Shangri-La Luxury Hotel has a limit of 1 night; others are more flexible, and you can split your stay.
Valid until November 30, 2024. For the summer period (July 18 – August 20), the Shangri-La stays will incur an additional 380 RMB per night; for the National Day holiday (October 1 – 7), the Shangri-La rooms will incur an additional 480 RMB per night; other locations will incur an additional 380 RMB per night.
This is a 4-night package with various combinations available. For example, you could go for the most classic route: Lijiang – Shangri-La – Benzilan, which includes 2 nights in Lijiang Luxury, 1 night in Shangri-La Luxury, and 1 night in Benzilan Luxury.
Alternatively, you can choose the Lijiang – Tiger Leaping Gorge – Shangri-La route with similar night distributions.
If you want a deeper exploration, consider booking two sets for a total of 8 nights: 2 nights in Lijiang Luxury, 2 nights in Stone City Luxury, 2 nights in Shangri-La Luxury, and 2 nights in Benzilan Luxury—this would provide an incredibly deep dive into Yunnan and Tibet.
Next, allow me to introduce these luxury resorts thoroughly. We have visited six out of the eight listed in today’s package.
**Tea Horse Road Lijiang Luxury Hotel**
This hotel is situated within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Dayan Ancient Town, and it is the only hotel in the ancient town that offers electric car pick-ups. You and your luggage can be delivered directly to the hotel door, making for a very respectable arrival.
First, let’s talk about the location of this Tea Horse Road Luxury Hotel. If you’re visiting Lijiang for the first time, this hotel is the best choice. The famous Dayan Ancient Town is practically at your doorstep. Just a short walk away is the Zhongyi Market, nestled beneath the snow-capped mountains. The local market resembles a travelling museum filled with many unique fruits and vegetables.
The architecture of the Lijiang Luxury Hotel blends seamlessly into ancient Lijiang, echoing the Naxi culture. Each luxury property features its own café. At the Lijiang café, the entrance is located at the corner of the ancient town, and I particularly love the outdoor seating where I can observe the flow of travelers. The indoor courtyard is also delightful, with a mural of the ancient Tea Horse Road that is taller than a person.
Compared to the American-style coffee machine offerings at other five-star hotels, the café here stands out significantly, as their American-style coffee is neither bitter nor burnt, featuring many Yunnan specialty beans brewed to perfection. The café operates separately abroad and is somewhat reminiscent of a Starbucks, making it perfectly reasonable for their quality to shine compared to other hotels.
Next, let’s look at the rooms at the Lijiang Luxury Hotel (note that each room may vary slightly as it’s a boutique hotel).
Welcome cards are hand-written, and you will find Naxi Dongba script along with charming illustrations. They also generously offer a welcome fruit basket. The washbasin is made of copper with their branded toiletries stacked in leather cases.
Breakfast here is also commendable. It features a mix of set menu items and a buffet, with fresh fruits aplenty. The small pot of rice noodles is a must-try. Trust me, the local flavors found here cannot be replicated elsewhere; the fresh ingredients combined with simple cooking methods yield fantastic tastes.
Lijiang Luxury Hotel isn’t cheap, often starting around 1,200 RMB per night. Featuring a high rating of 4.8, it is considered a premium hotel.
**Shangri-La Luxury Hotel**
Among the eight luxurious hotels today, this one ranks as the most expensive and of the highest quality. Located next to the Indigo in Shangri-La, its several Tibetan-style buildings are beautifully positioned on a mountainside, offering breathtaking views overlooking Dukezong Ancient City, especially stunning in the afternoon light against the temple’s golden glow.
Among the properties along the Yunnan Tea Horse Road, the Shangri-La version stands out as a destination in itself, equipped with top-tier amenities within Yunnan’s luxury hotels. If you’re not venturing along the Tea Horse Road, just unwinding here for two full days is a terrific experience, given its proximity to the Shangri-La high-speed rail station and airport, just ten minutes away by car.
The Shangri-La Luxury Hotel is also a small boutique hotel with only 18 rooms and 6 types available. During our stay, we occupied a deluxe king room, hence the only images available are of the deluxe type.
The offered package is for a premium room, sized between 35-40 square meters, ranking just below the deluxe rooms.
Due to the higher altitude, each room is equipped with an oxygen replenishing device that automatically tests and boosts the oxygen levels in the room, eliminating the need for bottled oxygen tanks, a feature typically available only in higher-end suites at other hotels.
Furthermore, the rooms come with underfloor heating; the concierge also pre-sets a comfortable temperature, ensuring the room feels wonderfully warm upon arrival.
In addition, they provide a welcome fruit basket, exclusive luxury coffee and tea bags, as well as a fully stocked minibar.
Notably, they offer EARTH purified water in bottles—a rarity among domestic hotels.
Breakfast is similarly a mix of set menu items and buffet, featuring a variety of Tibetan delicacies such as buttered tea, barley pancakes, beef rice noodles, and yak cheese. A particularly noteworthy offering is the Tibetan-style Benedict egg served atop a barley pancake—utterly delightful!
Moreover, I must highlight the exceptional coffee at Shangri-La Luxury Hotel. This café stands out as the best in all of Shangri-La, and I stand by this assertion.
The rates at the Shangri-La Luxury Hotel are the highest, typically exceeding 1,600 RMB per night. Within the series along the Tea Horse Road, this hotel is indeed the premier choice.
**Benzilan Luxury Hotel**
Benzilan is a necessary stop on the way from Shangri-La to Meili and is the first station of entering Tibet from Yunnan. Interestingly, just across the Jinsha River lies Sichuan Province. If it weren’t for the obsession with the sunlight-drenched Meili Mountain, one would find Benzilan far more comfortable than Meili, as Benzilan is situated in a dry and hot valley with a lower elevation, thus avoiding altitude sickness while offering milder temperatures compared to the cold of Meili.
Given a full daytime schedule for visiting Meili is quite sufficient, that’s how we managed our trip.
Evenings in Benzilan are not cold; the hotel features a scenic pool, and on clear nights, they set up lazy sofas for outdoor movie showings beneath the stars. Don’t forget to look up—the stars in Benzilan are brilliantly shining.
The hotel rooms exhibit a rustic wooden charm, equipped with small surprises during turn-down service, like Tibetan fragrance sachets or trinkets. The minibar is stocked with juices locally sourced from Yunnan.
Breakfast showcases authentic tomato and pork sauce rice noodles. The culinary standards in Yunnan are exceptionally high; the region is rich in quality ingredients, making even basic corn sweet and juicy.
Benzilan typically rates at around 1,500 RMB per night.
Next, let’s explore a couple of mountain retreats. Rooms with a higher volume of accommodations and better amenities are termed hotels, while those with a limited number of rooms are categorized as mountain retreats.
Senbo Mountain Retreats represent a unique part of the Tea Horse Road series. Generally, these mountain retreats feature fewer rooms and are situated in much less tourist-driven Yunnan villages. Staying at these mountain retreats typically necessitates additional regional exploration, while Senbo’s conventional hotels provide everything needed for a cozy, relaxing escape.
**Lashi Lake Senbo Mountain Retreat**
While Yunnan lacks a sea, it creatively names its lakes after seas. Lashi Lake, for instance, is a less well-known attraction compared to Yulong Snow Mountain and Dayan Ancient Town yet offers stunning experiences that surpass the sea of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai in its blueness and expanse.
This mountain retreat is right at Lashi Lake, integrating perfectly with the local Naxi villages, showcasing a blend of earthen colors reminiscent of Shaxi Ancient Town and refreshing whites.
The café and restaurant present a stunning and unobstructed view of the lake. I’d argue life should be spent in such glorious settings!
Surrounding the hotel is an open area where one can enjoy the “sea breeze” while sipping coffee, watching cyclists traversing the lakeside. A small courtyard in the hotel serves as a real-life “Where the Wild Things Are,” showcasing beautifully curated greenery.
With only nine rooms total, entering the lakeside room on the second floor is utterly breathtaking. While the first-floor rooms lack lake views, the aesthetics of the interiors are superb; you’d want to recreate this ambiance at home. The bathroom features an island countertop that truly showcases impressive design.
This is the priciest among the mountain retreats.
**Three Gorges Water Senbo Mountain Retreat**
This retreat’s highlight lies in its walkable proximity to the banks of the Jinsha River while simultaneously showcasing views of Yulong Snow Mountain. It encompasses natural wonders such as mountains, rivers, gorges, and pastoral scenery, intertwined with cultural elements including the Tea Horse Ancient Street, Naxi villages, and Naxi traditions.
For centuries, various ethnic groups like Tibetan, Naxi, Bai, and Han have taken shelter here, establishing a rich tapestry of cultural heritage.
The beauty of Senbo resorts lies in even smaller accommodations like mountain retreats having access to exclusive LUX coffee.
When staying here, I recommend trekking along the Jinsha River; this experience contrasts completely with your discoveries in Lijiang and Shangri-La.
Three Gorges Water Senbo Mountain Retreat has 15 rooms, with basic room sizes ranging from 25-30 square meters.
This property is also not inexpensive, typically around 1,500 RMB per night. For those wanting to explore the area, outside of Senbo, there aren’t many comparable choices.
**Xiaomi Land Senbo Mountain Retreat**
Xiaomi Land Senbo Mountain Retreat is located in Daju Township of Lijiang’s Yulong County, with Yulong Snow Mountain to the left and Haba Snow Mountain to the right. Tige Leaping Gorge is also nearby, and the retreat offers excellent views of the sunrise over the golden mountain.
Most visitors stay here to trek in Tiger Leaping Gorge. The best trek is the 13 kilometers (Highway) of the 27-kilometer route, with steep gorges placed between the imposing Haba and Yulong Snow Mountains, and the rushing Jinsha River below—a truly indescribable, immersive experience.
Xiaomi Land Senbo Mountain Retreat also has a small capacity, with only 18 rooms available.
Basic room sizes are between 25-30 square meters, and current pricing is also around 1,500 RMB per night.
**Stone City Senbo Mountain Retreat**
We haven’t yet been able to visit the Stone City and Peach Blossom Valley mountain retreats, primarily because they are incredibly challenging to book. Stone City is particularly hard to reserve due to its very limited number of rooms.
I look forward to visiting Stone City Senbo Mountain Retreat, named for its location built upon a giant stone. The hotel is positioned in Stone City, a site of national historical protection, which I’ll share through photos. The rustic village is built along the cliff’s edge with tranquil, riverside surroundings.
