The best hotels in Lijiang

This small guesthouse sits inside the Dayan Old Town, about a five-minute walk from Sifang Square. Rooms are basic but clean, with traditional Naxi wooden furniture and low ceilings. The shared courtyard is the best feature, great for meeting other travelers in the evening. Staff speak limited English but are genuinely helpful with maps and bus routes. Good for backpackers who want an authentic Old Town location without paying boutique prices.

Mama Naxi sits on a quiet lane in Shuhe Ancient Town, about 20 minutes by taxi from central Lijiang. The family-run property has eight rooms built around a traditional courtyard with potted plants and a small koi pond. Beds are comfortable and rooms are kept spotlessly clean. Breakfast is homemade and included in the rate, with local baba flatbread and pickled vegetables. Shuhe is less crowded than Dayan, which makes this a much calmer base.

The Waterfall Hotel takes its name from the small canal that runs directly past the front entrance on Xinyi Street in Dayan Old Town. Rooms are well furnished with dark timber beams and stone floors, and the superior rooms on the upper floor have direct views of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain on clear days. The on-site restaurant serves decent Yunnan cuisine including crossing-the-bridge noodles. Check-in is smooth and the front desk staff speak good English. A reliable mid-range pick right in the heart of the old quarter.

Banyan Tree Lijiang sits on the edge of the Dayan Old Town and delivers a noticeably higher standard than most properties in this price bracket. Private villa-style rooms come with outdoor soaking tubs and mountain-facing terraces. The spa is one of the best in Yunnan, using traditional Naxi herbal treatments alongside modern techniques. Dining at the main restaurant is excellent, with a strong focus on local ingredients. The only drawback is the 15-minute walk to Sifang Square, but the hotel runs a complimentary shuttle.

The Jinmao sits on Xin Dajie in the newer part of Lijiang, about two kilometers from the Old Town. This is a modern three-star property that works better for business travelers than sightseers, with a large lobby, reliable WiFi, and a small fitness center. Rooms are standard international style, clean and well maintained. The hotel is close to the main Lijiang bus station which is useful for onward travel to Shangri-La or Dali. Prices are fair for the facilities on offer.

The Linden Centre occupies a restored Ming dynasty compound in Baisha Village, a small town about 10 kilometers north of central Lijiang. Baisha is quieter and more rural than Dayan, and the views of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain from the courtyard garden are outstanding. Rooms are individually decorated with antique Naxi furniture and locally woven textiles. The kitchen serves farm-to-table Yunnan dishes using vegetables grown on the property. This is a slower, more contemplative option compared to staying in the busy Old Town.

This boutique property occupies a converted Naxi courtyard house just off Qiyi Street, one of the main pedestrian lanes in Dayan Old Town. The 18 rooms vary in size but all have exposed wood ceilings and traditional Naxi decorative details. The rooftop terrace gets crowded at sunset but the views toward the snow mountain are worth jostling for. Staff are attentive and the included breakfast features good local options. Book at least two weeks in advance for weekends, as this fills up fast.

The InterContinental here is built into the fabric of the Dayan Old Town, using restored traditional architecture across its sprawling grounds near the Black Dragon Pool. It is one of the larger properties in the area but manages to feel relatively intimate because of how the buildings are arranged around a series of courtyards. Rooms are spacious by Old Town standards, with solid soundproofing that matters given the busy lanes outside. The pool area is a genuine luxury in this part of Yunnan. International chain reliability with a local character.

Rosewood Lijiang is the top luxury option in the region, located on the northern edge of Dayan near Black Dragon Pool Park. Private courtyard villas come with butler service, deep-soak tubs, and direct views of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain on clear mornings. The Rosewood Spa is extensive and uses Dongba healing traditions alongside contemporary treatments. Dining across the three restaurants is consistently excellent, particularly the Yunnan tasting menu. If you are going to spend serious money in Lijiang, this is where to do it.

Amanfayun sits at the base of Yulong Snow Mountain, about 25 kilometers from Lijiang Old Town, and operates at a level of service and design that very few properties in China can match. Pavilion suites are spread across landscaped grounds with stone pathways and open-air fire pits. The mountain backdrop is extraordinary, and on cold clear mornings the snow peaks are visible directly from bed. Activities include guided Naxi cultural walks, mountain horse treks, and private picnics at altitude. The price is steep but the experience is genuinely unlike anything else in Yunnan.