Travelling With Hotel Long Ji Ping An

This hotel was easier and quicker to get to from the PingAn village entrance gateway (where a large carpark is located) than I had initially thought prior to arrival. If you have average fitness, it takes about 8 minutes up a gentle slope from the village entrance to reach the split paths where you will find the (i) “wind and rain” wooden bridge on your LEFT and (ii) a small path with public toilets housed in a new wooden building on your RIGHT. You should follow the latter path (ii) in order to reach the hotel (another 12 minutes or so uphill). After you take the path on your RIGHT, you will first see an “unofficial” small car park for the villagers along the way to the hotel. Once you get pass the small carpark, you should see hotel signs along the way to guide you up, following the stone steps (around 20 to 25 minutes in all, with the weight of a light backpack). Location : The buildings in this part of the village appear less congested/cramped compared to the village centre or the ones that are built further up from the “wind and rain” bridge. Other than a small Primary school, a couple of village organisations and some traditionally built residential houses, PingAn village now seems to consist mostly of hotels and restaurants, from what I observed. The hotel is relatively quiet and peaceful, with the sound of occasional rooster crowing in the far distance. The hike up to the 2 main rice terrace viewing platforms is slightly tough (many stone steps) but not too tedious (if you are not in a hurry). I reached each site (on different occasions, in opposite directions) from the hotel in about 30 minutes or so (look out for directional signs). Personally, I think it is best to go during the late morning (when the mist is gone) or evening (stunning view without the heat, humidity and numerous tour groups!). There isn’t any lighting along the way so you should aim to get down before sunset, otherwise, it’ll be risky to find your way back down to the village/hotel in the dark. Room : I like the brightly lit room which is modern and beautifully designed. Choose rooms with either a balcony (only on level 3) or with large windows (level 4, the top floor). Those on the lower floors may not have such fabulous views. The hotel does not provide complimentary bottled water so you would have to either buy it (more than double the price of those in the city) or boil the tap water with the kettle in the room. The hotel does provide a flask of boiled water (ie pour into the mugs) at the reception though. Inform the staff if you like to have daily room cleaning, otherwise I think the staff may not clean your room. My only complaint is that the water temperature in the shower is quite tricky to adjust – it gets either too cold or too hot and at times, the pressure may not be consistent too. Staff : Run by a local family with a docile pet dog. The staff at the reception is extremely helpful and easy-going and makes my stay very relaxed and comfortable. The locals in the village are generally very friendly and pleasant and I feel very safe moving around the village and rice terrace viewing points. Food and general supplies : Due to the remote location of the village, choice of food and supplies are very limited in PingAn. All hotels have their own restaurants and there are a few convenience shops in the village, however, I find the selections very limited, pricey and the quality so so. Most of the restaurants (including the one in this hotel) serve similar dishes and the standard is in general, not so great, compared to the towns. Breakfast in the hotel consisted of 2 choices : (1) basic American style (a few pieces of triangular toasts, 1 egg, 2 short strips of bacon, a few slices of tomatoes and cucumbers and a dollop of jam. Coffee is included or (2) Chinese style – porridge or noodles, some dumplings and Chinese tea. Not quite adequate if you want something more substantial. What I do like is the comfortable dining room ; ) Overall, I think this is a good hotel choice at the price that I had paid for. I saw a couple of other hotels nearby which seem quite attractive and appealing as well but they are pricier. So if you’re looking for comfort and aesthetics on a small budget, this is a good place to consider.