Qingdao Diaoyutai Hotel

For this trip to Qingdao, I stayed at the Qingdao Diaoyutai Hotel, and it’s stunningly beautiful! 🏝️ Whether it’s the high-altitude sea view or the Chinese aesthetic design, it makes you want to take endless photos 📸. Even local friends said, “You really nailed the hotel choice”~

✨【High-Altitude Aesthetic Impact】
• The 18-story high lobby faces the bay directly; on sunny days, the blue of the sea and sky blends right into your eyes, while on cloudy days, the mist creates a dreamy beauty
• The rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows. The deluxe sea view room I stayed in offers views of both the city skyline and Shilaoren coastline. Watching the pink dawn spread over the sea in the early morning is truly worth it
• Detail lovers will be thrilled: the room features blue and white porcelain elements, solid wood furniture, silk screens, and even the bottled water is custom-branded with the Diaoyutai logo

🌊【Must-Visit Spots】
▫️ 21st-floor sky garden: At 6 pm, the golden sunset plus the gradually lighting harbor lights make every snapshot look like a movie poster
▫️ Traditional Chinese afternoon tea: Enjoy three-tier dim sum with Laoshan green tea at the “Royal Garden” restaurant, with the sea view as your backdrop (remember to ask the staff to add extra cherry blossom decorations when plating)
▫️ Heated swimming pool: Few people and clear water, with mosaic waves at the pool bottom. Backstroke while looking up through the glass dome at the clouds is super dreamy

🍽️【Hidden Food Gems】
• Must-try breakfast: freshly made scallion oil noodles! Six toppings to choose from, paired with a soft-boiled fried egg—amazing
• The “sea urchin dumplings” available via room service are a secret menu item, bursting with fresh, sweet broth when bitten (reserve 3 hours in advance)
• The rooftop bar’s special “Qingdao Sunset” cocktail uses Laoshan white flower snake grass water to create a sparkling effect, with the rim dipped in sea salt for a local touch

👑【Impeccable Service Details】
• Upon check-in, the butler quietly upgraded our room and placed steam eye masks and a goodnight sweet soup on the bedside table
• When they found out we had a child, they immediately sent a dinosaur bathrobe and a building block gift box
• Every day at 6 pm, the room attendant comes to prepare the bed, leaving the next day’s weather forecast card and some soft candies

🚶‍♀️【5-Minute Reach】
• 300 meters walk to Shilaoren Bathing Beach Station on Metro Line 2
• Right across is Jinshi Plaza (go to the B1 supermarket for seafood and dried goods)
• Running along the coastal boardwalk at night is super comfortable, and in the evening you might meet local elderly chatting in Qingdao dialect while walking their dogs

💡【Tested Tips】
• Room selection secret: rooms ending in 16/18 face Shilaoren directly; room type 09 has a scenic bathtub in the bathroom
• Off-season (November to March) sea view rooms offer incredible value, but be sure to request a high floor
• The hotel provides free Laoshan hiking route maps; a 30-minute taxi ride gets you to the Jufeng trailhead

Lately, I keep seeing the tag “Little Europe of the East” for Qingdao. In my opinion, staying at Diaoyutai is the real way to unlock both sides of Qingdao—taking photos at European-style old buildings during the day and experiencing Chinese luxury at the hotel in the evening. That’s the perfect vacation! 🌇