Halfway up the mountain, it's mine; the mountain retreats into seclusion Reviews

My sister and I planned a trip to Lijiang. Our travel guides strongly advised against staying within Lijiang Old Town itself, as navigating the cobblestone streets with luggage can be quite a workout. After some searching, we stumbled upon this guesthouse, conveniently located right by the entrance. What a relief – the owner even helped us with pickup and carried our bags upon arrival! The cozy courtyard is absolutely delightful, and there's a fantastic viewing terrace just outside. For all five mornings of our stay, we’d start our day with two cups of coffee before heading out to explore. Evenings were spent back on the terrace, sipping drinks, enjoying the cool breeze, chatting away, and soaking in the gorgeous sunsets. It was such a comfortable and relaxed pace of life in Lijiang. Everything truly aligned perfectly: enjoying beautiful scenic spots and unwinding with my best friend, with a fantastic stay contributing at least 50% to our overall happiness! One of the most amusing things was that when we'd head out to watch the sunset and grab a drink, we often wouldn't even bother locking the guesthouse door – that's how safe and secure the courtyard felt! We shared the space with a cute, elusive cat and an adorable, wandering dog. Upon our arrival, we inquired about the cat's name. The owner shared that they initially tried calling him Simba, but he never responded. It was only when they tried 'Mibao' that he finally acknowledged them. Naturally, we then asked about the dog. The owner, with a great sense of humor, declared, 'The dog is now Simba! It simply *has* to be Simba!' When we pressed for the reason, he explained it's because of Lion Mountain, which we found absolutely hilarious. An added bonus was how adorable the owner's relatives' children were; they spent their days happily playing with our own kids, making the courtyard a truly stress-free zone for us parents. The owner was incredibly warm, genuine, and so helpful. Whenever we were unsure about where to go or what to do, he enthusiastically helped us plan our dining, entertainment, and sightseeing, making it an effortlessly wonderful experience. This truly was a memorable trip with my sister. Oh, and we even went mushroom foraging! Despite a few tumbles, the excitement of finding mushrooms was so unexpectedly addictive that now, every night before bed, I *have* to watch at least two mushroom-foraging videos on Xiaohongshu to get my fix!