Yihe Grand Hotel

The upturned eaves of the Yihe Grand Hotel seem to cradle the flowing clouds, and its blue bricks and black tiles bleed a faint ink wash in the morning light. Pushing open the carved wooden doors, the scent of sandalwood and Longjing tea wafts past the screens. A server in a moon-white qipao offers a warm towel, and as your fingertips lightly touch it, it feels as if you've encountered the gentle warmth of Jiangnan.

Each of the 128 guest rooms holds its own unique charm: In the lake-view suites, carved wooden windows frame an entire pond of lotus leaves. When rain patters on the banana leaves, droplets roll along the window frames into celadon brush washers. Behind the bamboo blinds of the courtyard rooms, rattan chairs await the evening breeze to bring the scent of osmanthus. On the executive floor, beside the Four Treasures of the Study, Xuan paper is already cut, ready for travelers to pen their thoughts from their journey.

Before the morning mist has dissipated, steam already rises from the steamers in the Chinese restaurant: Crab roe soup dumplings, freshly wrapped by Yangzhou chefs, have skins as thin as paper. When bitten into, the savory juice splashes onto the celadon plate. The black-bone chicken, stewed in a local traditional stove, has a few goji berries floating on its soup, and warmth spreads from the stomach to the fingertips. The crystal chandeliers in the banquet hall reflect off the mahogany long tables. The peach longevity pastries at birthday banquets and the lily cakes at wedding banquets all hold gentle interpretations of life's special occasions.

From the tea ceremony arrangements for scholarly gatherings to the playful setups for family outings, the service here is like Xuan paper absorbing ink – perfectly fitting yet unassuming. As twilight spreads over the corridors, there will always be a palace lantern lit for those returning late, and the copper bells on the eaves gently chime, as if saying: "Where the heart finds peace, there is Yihe."

Post by Elijahsh McKay70 | Aug 22, 2025