Inns in Shanxi, China

My experience staying at this hotel as below. 1. They provide pickup and drop off from the train station. The day before the Inn contacted me to make arrangement for the pickup. Then they arranged to drive me back to station on the day I leave. Service was efficient and prompt. Much appreciated. 2. I was able to use the washing machine to wash come clothes which was much needed. Comb and toiletries were provided. So grateful for these little necessities as I left mine at the previous hotel. 3. The boss upgraded me to a bigger and better room because it was the low season. The kang bed was so comfortable and firm. I had the best sleep so far at this Inn. I'm so happy. 4. The Inn is inside the old city and practically next to one of the city gates. Very convenient for sightseeing old Pingyao city. 5. Everyone very friendly and helpful. Boss also gave me a bottle of vinegar. Wish I could take it back to UK with me. 6. The price of this Inn is also very reasonable and affordable. 7. Pingyao is a beautiful, ancient old city. Worth coming. I highly recommend staying here. I will be uploading photos and videos of the Inn and my travel experience of China on my YouTube channel TheTravelDiary and goody2shoos once I'm back in the UK so look up my channel for full information and experience. Happy travels everyone.

The location is absolutely fantastic, right in the heart of the ancient city. For dining: Xi Jin Dao is downstairs, Fenglin Pavilion is a 10-minute walk, and Long Juxiang offers delivery directly to your phone. Every time we took a taxi back to the inn, we'd get off at Huayan Hotel and walk two minutes. The popular Heshengcai is a 10-minute walk (though the taste was just so-so, and none of the pastries even had an ingredient list). For sights: Huayan Temple is a 5-minute walk. I visited Shanhua Temple at night, which was about a 15-minute walk. During the May Day holiday, there were only about 10 people in the entire temple at night, so we could enjoy a peaceful visit. On the way back and forth, we also saw the city wall's light show and passed through a lantern festival. Rumeng Datong (Dreams of Datong) was also within walking distance. Service was great too. On our last day, we had to leave for the train station at 7:30 AM, and the owner even packed breakfast for us. The lamb offal soup with vermicelli every morning was delicious. The furniture is all elm wood. The loft family room was perfect for our family of three. The only downsides were that the room rate was expensive during May Day, and the bathroom design was a bit impractical.

Excellent value for money and a fantastic location. They offered free clothing, and for just 80 yuan, I got a full styling session. We took photos right in the hotel with an OPPO X8 Ultra, and they turned out amazing! My wife was thrilled. The results were just as good as professional studio photos we've had taken before, but at a fraction of the cost. We'll definitely bring our daughter back here for a photoshoot sometime. When we checked out, the owner even gave us two bottles of homemade vinegar as a gift.

Stepping into Datong Ancient City in the afternoon, the first pleasant surprise was stumbling upon Renyi Inn. The inn's antique courtyard, adorned with carved beams and painted rafters, and warm red lanterns, instantly brought a sense of calm. The family who runs the inn is incredibly humble and kind, their conversations warm and thoughtful, making you feel right at home. What's even more admirable is their exceptional care for animals; the inn is like a mini-zoo. They treat every little creature with gentleness and patience, which in turn fills the entire courtyard with life and spirit. Upon entering, a majestic grey parrot, both poised and lively, greeted me from the front desk – I'd never seen such a large pet parrot before! Two smaller parrots chirped happily nearby, completely unafraid of strangers, lively and adorable. Outside my room was a small courtyard with two tea tables. After a 'special forces'-style day of temple hopping, when I was tired to the point of tears, sitting there enjoying a cup of tea was incredibly relaxing. In the adjacent fish pond, a dozen or so vibrant koi, each weighing at least two to three pounds, swam gracefully, their bodies stretching elegantly. Next to the pond, a large and a small tortoise slowly ambled, quiet and therapeutic. In a corner cage, a tiny grey squirrel darted around, agile and playful. As dusk fell, watching the lights reflect on the pond and listening to the soft sounds of the small animals, the weariness of travel seemed to melt away in this gentle atmosphere, leaving my heart filled with peace and healing. I thought this wonderful experience was complete, but to my surprise, a new delight awaited me the next morning – two peacocks, 'Wenqing' (blue and white) and 'Xiaofeng' (emerald green), strolled leisurely in the courtyard with their magnificent tails fanned out – yes, they even have names! The eye-spots on their tail feathers shimmered, as if they were wearing the entire starry sky, beautiful like something straight out of an ancient painting. For a moment, I couldn't tell if I was in an inn or a secret wonderland. Renyi Inn is far more than just a place to stay; it's a hidden gem within the ancient city. The harmonious coexistence of people and animals creates a warm and healing atmosphere, adding countless gentle and delightful moments to this journey.

We had a amazing time staying at this hotel. It's in an ancient house over 200 years old and it's absolutely beautiful. Like walking into a museum but still with all the facilities. It's in a brilliant location in the old city. Easy to walk to. We were picked up from the high-speed train station and taken about the 20 minutes to the outside of the the city and our cases were brought in on the electric trolley. We were given a good welcome with a map to explain where everything was and some recommendations for restaurants. Breakfast was was tasty with local produce and he shared some of his vinegar with us as well. It was all good, a comfy bed, air conditioning shower was good and the staff were really well. Welcoming and friendly. Very small but but pleasant stay.

This room was very small—one of the smallest rooms I have stayed in during my travels. It was too small for two people, and I made the mistake of looking only at the photos instead of checking the room size. The best thing about this place is the location, which is fantastic. It was also really quiet at night, which was a plus. The price was okay, but other than that, there was nothing particularly special about the room. Overall, it was alright, but not memorable.

The hotel is located in a beautiful restored traditional house on the very center of Pingyao. The room was clean, comfortable, and everything worked as expected. The hotel offered a few complimentary services too, such as a fish spa and a traditional Chinese costume, which made our stay a little more fun. The staff was kind and helpful.We highly recommend the Elsewhere hotel!

Great location right in the heart of the ancient city, making it convenient to reach any gate. It was also easy to pop back for a rest in between activities. The owner was fantastic, offering excellent service, including complimentary pick-up and drop-off. When we went on a day trip to Hukou Waterfall, the owner even drove us to the North Gate at 6 AM. We stayed for two nights. On the first morning, I mixed up the breakfast time, but the owner's wife proactively prepared breakfast for us anyway. Chatting with the owner, I learned about the history of Qi Mansion and their family's legacy, which was an unexpected bonus of the trip!

Excellent! I've been here for three nights and am still staying for a few more. The room is clean, tidy, and completely odor-free. The owner is incredibly kind. I cut my hand at Qiao's Family Compound and didn't take care of the wound. The next day, due to the hot weather, it became infected while I was out shopping, which really scared me. I couldn't find a clinic, so I called the owner to ask where I could find medical help. The owner was so nice; first, he told me there was one outside the North Gate, and then he quickly checked for information and called me back to say there was a Chinese medicine clinic nearby. He even called to confirm they were open. When I got there, they couldn't bandage the wound, so I had to take a taxi back to the inn. The owner was amazing and drove me to find a doctor himself 😭😭😭. He helped me get my wound successfully bandaged, preventing it from getting worse. I'm truly touched. The guesthouse auntie is also wonderful, a real extrovert (E-person), very cheerful and chatty. She's great, loves to chat, haha! The breakfast is also very good: steamed eggs, pumpkin, red dates, millet porridge, and steamed buns. It's very healthy. It's good to eat something simple and clean like this in the morning, much healthier than the spicy noodles we usually have for breakfast in Chongqing. Since I'm staying for several nights, I've decided to copy and paste this review so I don't have to retype it every time I leave a comment...

It was just an absolutely amazing experience from the very beginning and until the very end of our stay, not even just in the hotel, but in the city of Pingyao itself in general. Me and my friend are traveling very light and without guides, and in Pingyao we had only one day: from evening to evening of the next day. Huge huge thanks to everyone who made this day unforgettable and ultimately comfortable for tired us: Alice, Helen, Fenny, Hana, and all others who was there for us. The hotel service is simply excellent: as soon as they learned about our late arrival, they immediately offered to meet us at the railway station, which was absolutely the sweetest thing. They brought us to the city gate, met us there, and walked us to the hotel. There they gave us a map, on which they explained in great detail where everything is, what is worth paying attention to, how it is better to build the route, and what opening hours different sights have. They also helped us organize a private transfer to Shaolin Temple the next morning. It was just perfect: we got there in 15 minutes instead of one and a half hours by foot, and after our walk in the temple they met us and brought us back. Also on the evening of arrival they helped us immediately buy the ticket for visiting all attractions of the city, valid for three days. And also they advised us where to eat, and gave us a hotel discount in both places. We did not regret it even once, the food was amazingly delicious in both places! The hotel itself is just wonderful: it really looks exactly like in the photos. You want to photograph every corner and record how the sparrows are chirping on the roof, and how two wonderful cats are meowing. The room also matches and even exceeds expectations. A huge kang bed, very comfortable. Excellent shower with everything needed. Breakfast is included in the stay: the traditional Chinese one was very tasty! Unfortunately, we did not manage to eat the egg, it was freshly boiled and still hot, but we were hurrying to Shaolin Temple by opening time. Also the hotel has a laundry service, and special thanks for that too! Washing and drying were very fast, and we got our nicely smelling clothes back already after four hours, which was critical for us, because we were leaving the same day. We felt like we really were honored guests, and we really appreciated it, even if only for one day.