Xin Lian Xin Inn

It usually takes me a lot to go through the trouble of submitting a review for a brand new location on TripAdvisor, but I had to share with the community. My girlfriend is a Beijing native, and she found this B&B through her local expertise. If you're visiting ZJJ, this B&B should be on the top of your list. Pros: - The best value for your money - my gf and I paid $150 USD for 3 nights accommodation, all breakfasts and dinners, and a one way airport pickup. This doesn't mean it's cheap or you have to sacrifice your comfort. More below. - Service: this is a family run business. The owner genuinely cares about it, as well as the visitors who come through. His handwritten tips on navigating ZJJ helped us avoid crowds and see the sights in the most effective way. The care he puts into your meals in obvious. - THE FOOD: I can't say enough about this. The food was incredible. 95% of the items are locally grown by the owner himself, which includes things like all your veggies, eggs, poultry, pork, etc. I don't think the family understands what they're sitting on: everything is organic and locally grown so the food is incredible. Take food that was freshly sourced right by the B&B and served to you on the same day from a self-taught chef with excellent natural skill. - Convenience: unlike most other accommodations, you are staying near Yangjiajie entrance. This is the lesser known entrance, and compared to the Wulingyuan ticket office where most tourists enter from, this method allows you to avoid crowds and gondola lines, and was closest to some of the most beautiful views in ZJJ - Clean: the rooms were very clean. They're basic, meaning you're going to have your shower & squatter toilet combo, but the rooms themselves are clean, comfortable, and have both AC and heating units inside them. Cons: - Language: if you don't have basic Mandarin proficiency, then be prepared with translation apps. The owner himself uses them when he has Western visitors, but be aware that he and his family are fluent native Mandarin speakers with no English readiness. This wouldn't prohibit a good experience, but certainly would make communication efficiency low. - Bring your own toiletries. They have towels & slippers, but no toiletries - Smoking: the owner & his brother will occasionally smoke inside. When we mentioned it, it was obvious they didn't know it might bother someone, but we felt we should mention this to the community if anyone is sensitive to smoke. Don't hesitate to let them know! Combined with the beauty of ZJJ, this B&B was one of the best recent travel experiences I've had. It felt local, authentic, and you knew the owner really cared about his business and its guests. The food was incredible, the surroundings were like a postcard, and knowing that we were skipping crowds and lines felt like we had stumbled on the best kept secret in ZJJ. Not to be missed!