Amandayan stands on Lion Hill above the lanes and canals of Lijiang's UNESCO-listed Old Town, with Jade Dragon Snow Mountain on the horizon. The resort is built as a cluster of wooden dwellings in the Nakhi style, with pagoda roofs, courtyards at their core and screens carved from local pine and elm. The 35 suites and villas open onto or look over quiet courtyards; inside, Nakhi embroidery and hand-carved detail sit alongside underfloor heating and freestanding tubs, with the technology kept out of sight. Man Yi Xuan, the Chinese restaurant, has indoor and outdoor seating and long views, and the menu leans on Yunnan and Cantonese cooking with ingredients foraged from the mountains. A tea house faces some of the finest outlooks on the property. The spa works with Chinese medicinal herbs and massage, and there is a long heated outdoor pool and a gym. From here, guided walks through Dayan Old Town and out to Black Dragon Pool are easy to arrange, and the airport is about 40 minutes by car.
- Nearest airport
- Lijiang Airport (LJG), 13 Miles / 20 Kilometres
- Rooms
- 35 suites and villas
Insider tip Take tea at the tea house in the late afternoon; it is placed for the clearest view of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
Why I choose it It gives Lijiang's Old Town a calm base above the crowds, and the Nakhi architecture means the hotel feels part of the place rather than apart from it.