Lijiang He Mu Ju Inn Zhongyi

A few comments on Hemuju About the inn 1) it is a home stay and not a 5 star hotel , so expectation needs to be adjusted. Firstly , the laundry hanging outside to room is not so sightly , but we get use to it soon enough as the staff are so helpful and friendly. 2) we took the family room and the setting is really unique . We like it. There are 2 TV and the bathroom is good enough. It gives a feeling of going back in time and staying in an ancient inn. With modern comfort though. 3) our room is on the second story and next to the busy street below . In the day time ,the noise from the shops below are a bit loud, but once into the night, all is quite and peaceful . 4) the location is great , as it is in the old town yet near the edge. Thus when we drag our luggage , it is only a short walk . Thank goodness for that. A great plus point. Also near to all pick up points. 5) we came with a plan to self drive to snow mountain but was advised against that by the staff. Instead they sold us a package of rmb 500+ per person to organize a tour to the snow mountains. We were skeptical and had a feeling that maybe they try to rip us off. Even telling us upfront that the package is more expensive compared to the tour agents on the outside. Having not much choice, we still too the package. However, I think it was money well spent after the tour. A) we had a private vehicle that was comfortable and service if the driver was great. B) the driver picked us up at 6 am and being a private vehicle , we started without much waiting, and over took all the tour buses that headed early to snow mountain. C) at snow mountain, at 7 , the queue was already super long. Now comes the great part, the driver brought us to the entrance and we were allowed through like VIP. That must have saved us at least 1 hour in the rowdy queue . D) at the cable car, he kept us company in the queue and helped us through . Another hour saved. E) he gave us winter jackets and oxygen and explained nicely on how to use it. F) he gave us clear directions in what to do and how to enjoy the top. G) coming down from the mountains , he brought us to Blue lake and also guided us through the crowd . H) on the way back, he even avoided the travel jam by taking a off road route. There we had extra adventure. I) we all got back to the hotel by 12:30 pm. Satisfied with the VIP service and a lot of extra time to take a nap and continue our adventure in the old town. Thus, the recommendation from the staff was not a rip off, but value added service for a hassle free day. We would not have made the day well if we had self driven. The package did not include Lijiang Impression show. But it was ok. 6) there is no heater in the room, but the electric blanket was good enough. 7) staff are good and offer very good advise . In conclusion , for those new to Lijiang like us, this is a great place to stay. Well done, Hemuju.