Homestays in Fujian, China

This place makes me wish there was an option for six stars. I study Asian art for a living, and I travelled to Jianyang to visit the home of Jian ware, classic tea bowls of the Song dynasty (960 to 1279 CE), distinguished by their black and brown glazes. Over the last few decades, firing Jian ware in the Song tradition has been revived in the area. I chose Nanping Colourful Village Homestay because it was in Jianyang, affordable, and accepted international guests. What I found was a luxury resort with all the warmth and personal attention of a homestay. I asked the front desk about an excavated Song kiln site in a nearby village, and the receptionist brought me the manager, who arranged for someone to take me the next day. My driver was Ms. Huang, an employee of the resort whose job involves buying and selling contemporary pieces. She knew everything about Jian ware! The kiln site isn’t run as a tourist site, so I was only able to view it because Ms. Huang arranged for it to be opened for me. I had told them I was vegetarian, so for lunch they took me to lunch at a vegetarian buffet. Then we visited the town’s Jian ware museum, where they have exhibits on the history of tea and Jian ware, historical pieces, and the work of contemporary Jianyang potters. To my delight, Mr. Gao, the potter-in-residence at the resort, uses a Song-style wood-fired dragon kiln, built right on the grounds! His pieces that range from beautiful but quite affordable to exquisite and appropriately expensive. They include both iridescent silvery oil spot and orange-to-black hare’s fur pieces. I am still thrilled that I was able to purchase wood-fired pieces on my limited budget. For dinner, the resort’s restaurant prepared vegetarian versions of Fujian cuisine for me. The food was all delicious, featuring classic Fujianese mountain ingredients like local bamboo and mushrooms. Then we visited Mr. Gao’s dragon kiln, and later his studio, where he experiments with different local clays and glaze recipes. The rich colours and iridescence of Jian ware are the result of the iron-rich local material fired at high temperature, and the results are as unpredictable as they are beautiful. The next day, they drove me to Mr. Chen’s family tea plantation in the mountains, where they grow famous northern Fujian teas. These fine teas were all wonderful, smooth and rich with a touch of smoke, and sometimes fruity in flavour. We strolled through mountainsides of tea bushes and visited groves of centuries-old tea trees. This is a perfect place for an immersive experience in China that is also very comfortable and convenient. I often find tourist experiences in China claustrophobic due to the press of people, but the resort was spacious and airy, and they took me to places where there was no one else but us and the occasional local going about their business. Everyone was very patient with my limited Chinese language skills. They were also happy to work with translator apps on our phones, so if you don’t speak any Chinese, you will be fine. This would be a great place to come as a family. There are gardens and rides for kids right next to the resort. You can learn how to whip Song-style tea and carve your name into the base of your own Jian ware cup. Not far away is a historical theme park with a collection of real architecture from the Ming (1368 to 1644 CE) and Qing (1636 to 1912 CE) dynasties. The employees wear period dress and there are performances and activities. Nearby there are hiking trails, historical sites, and lovely villages to visit. It’s also very close to Wuyi Mountain National Park, so it would be a perfect place to stay if the mountains are your destination. If you ask, they could arrange for you to visit famous sites or take you to breathtaking places that only locals know, whatever you want. They can also arrange transport to and from the train station or airport.

It was great, and check-in was quick. The bed was big and comfortable. It's a shame my family doesn't play mahjong, otherwise we would have played a few rounds!

Located at the end of Nanmen Bay, on the upper left of Dongshan Fengdongshi Scenic Area, the room we stayed in has no noise mirrors and looks like it is in the scenic area. The super invincible sea view, we can take postcard-like photos on our own private balcony. In terms of geographical location, other B&Bs or hotels on Dongshan Island may really not be able to compare with his home. In terms of the luxury of the room, many B&Bs I have stayed in in China are really not on the same level as his home. The decoration in the room is simple but high-end, and many equipment and furniture are imported (so although the room fee has been collected, pre-authorization is still required). His shower room is one of the few hotels and B&Bs I have stayed in in China that will not leak. The projector also has a high-definition picture. There are many snacks in the room. Basically, you don’t want to go out when you stay in the room, because the beautiful sea view can make you lie on the rocking chair on the balcony for an afternoon. It’s really a bit like our vacation in Seychelles or Six Senses Yao Noi. Because it is relatively hidden, it is a little far from the parking and commercial areas (many restaurants are in this area), and the owner of the B&B will drive a battery car to pick you up. The B&B is not far from the only remaining ancient street in Dongshan, and there are many snack shops and small restaurants on the ancient street. Go to the lower left after leaving the B&B, and you will see many piers where fishing boats are moored after passing the Fengdongshi ticket office. The more famous Fish Ball Grandma on the island is nearby. His Liufu fish balls, peanut sesame cakes and meat dumplings are delicious. The B&B does not provide breakfast, but you can take it out, which is not inconvenient. The main thing here is the high-end rooms and the unbeatable sea view. The most important thing is that dogs are also welcome. My two short legs also like it here very much.

The location of the homestay is excellent! Parking in front of the door! The boss is hospitable! The decoration of the homestay is simple and elegant! The bedding is comfortable and hygienic! His food is delicious! The surrounding scenery is beautiful! Praise!

The hotel's location is excellent, right on Zhongshan Road, making it very convenient to walk to Zhongshan Road and the Gulangyu ferry terminal. There's a wide variety of shopping and dining options nearby. The room facilities are also great, with a very thoughtful design. The staff are friendly and even escort guests to their rooms to explain how to use the amenities. The only downside is that most rooms don't have proper outward-facing windows; they are either faux windows or face an inner courtyard. Our window faced the inner courtyard and was essentially just for show.

The room was clean and tidy, the bed was very comfortable, and the room smelled delicious. All toiletries, including the bath towels, were disposable, so they were safe to use. Any needs were met, including a pick-up and drop-off service, and you could rent an electric scooter. When the owner picked us up at the station, he offered us milk tea after we'd missed our meals. During the May Day holiday, he gathered everyone for a barbecue and chat, and his hands were practically spitting out sparks from the skewers he was skewering. The only downside was being woken one morning by the sound of firecrackers outside. 😂

Loved this hotel super close to the beach and incredibly dog friendly. One of the reviews talked about a long uphill walk from the parking to the hotel so we were really worried, but decided to book after all because we really liked the room and the closeness to a quiet beach for my dog. On the day of check in I was contacted by the hotel to confirm that I was checking in, traveling with a dog and needed parking. I was sent a location for the parking to navigate to, which was quite easy. When I struggled with finding a parking spot, the staff came out to help me find one and assist with bringing the suitcases to the hotel, which was a very short 5 minute walk we didn’t have to worry about at all. The staff then waited for us to settle in and showed us the way to the beach. We were impressed by his English and helpful attitude. The room was beautiful with amazing views and the access to the beach was amazing and easy to find.

An excellent stay! The room was clean and tidy, and the service was incredibly attentive. My daughter stayed alone, and I'm so grateful to the hotel staff for taking such good care of her. The views are even more captivating; sitting on the sofa, the beautiful sea stretched out before me as far as the eye could see.

I usually do not choose homestay when other modes are available. However in Yunshuiyao homestay is the only choice. Given that 1949 has to preserve the local architecture do not expect 5 star hotel facilities. For all the constraints of a ”min su” the staff do go the distance to ensure they meet the demands of guests. I checked out a happy guest and will recommend 1949 to other travelers.

I rarely say this on my reviews, but I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at this Minsu. When I come back to Quanzhou for another family holiday, I will book this place again. Firstly, the location: It is unbeatable. It is near enough to be in the midst of the action in Quanzhou (near the walking street, eateries, restaurants, shopping etc etc), yet very quiet for us to enjoy a good night’s rest, or a good conversation at night over tea. Second, the nice balance between an authentic cultural home and modernism. We had the entire Minsu to ourselves, 6 rooms in total. Renovated about 3-4 years ago, the Minsu gave us the experience of living in an authentic Chinese inn, yet the amenities were modern….comfortable beds, modern toilets, refrigerators available etc….The courtyards were also beautiful. The entire Minsu was tastefully done…..plus it was spotlessly clean. Thirdly, the owners. They were so friendly and helpful. They met us at the drop off point, and brought us to the Minsu when we checked in, helping to move some of our luggages (and they did the same thing when we checked out). They went out of their way to help purchase traditional puppet show (木偶) tickets (at a small discount somemore). After we checked out, my son left his hoodie in the room. The owners assisted to courier the jacket to the next city we were heading to (we were already in the train at that time). And lastly, every morning and every night, either Mr Du, his son or his daughter in law would invite us to join them for tea. They would then proceed to serve tea the traditional way, while having a conversation with us. They also taught us certain traditions, protocols and rules when serving tea. They have a cat called TangYuan (汤圆), in which the kids in the family enjoyed playing with. The only thing to note is that public transport (via taxis and buses) only can drop you off at a spot about 5min walk away. Also, they provide disposable towels, not the regular towels given at hotels. If it is an issue, just bring your own towels. Otherwise, this place deserves 5 out of 5 stars.