DALI TAOXI SECRET MANOR

The room facilities were superb, and the staff provided exceptionally attentive and warm service. The ambiance is tranquil and elegant, with stunning Cangshan Mountain views as a backdrop. It's also conveniently located very close to the Three Pagodas. The hotel itself is incredibly photogenic, offering fantastic photo opportunities. Both breakfast and afternoon tea were absolutely perfect. I highly recommend this hotel.

Overall, not worth the price. 1. We stayed at several hotels on our trip from Tengchong, some more expensive, some cheaper, and the service at this hotel was the most mediocre. Not bad, but definitely just average. 2. The staff member who showed us to our room was very friendly, though I wasn't sure if he was a regular hotel employee. He mentioned welcome fruits, but they only arrived late that evening after we reminded them, and were simply delivered in a plastic bag. This was a stark contrast to all the other hotels we stayed at during this trip. 3. Room 8002 had a distinct smell of smoke, which is unacceptable for a five-star hotel. 4. It was dirty. Is this what they consider clean? 5. The hotel's grounds and scenery were quite nice; it's a beautiful garden-style property. 6. This is such a new hotel, with a fantastic location and stylish decor – you truly have the potential to be much better. I hope you strive for improvement.

A true garden hotel, offering a peaceful oasis amidst the bustle. It boasts a charming little courtyard, complete with a persimmon tree just outside its wall. The atmosphere is incredibly serene and timeless, perfect for unwinding and simply enjoying the peace. The hotel service was excellent, and the complimentary flower cakes were delicious. Its location is also very convenient, within walking distance to Dali Ancient City's North Market.

We switched from a large villa to a twin room, which was surprisingly spacious, more so than comparable rooms in other hotels. Room 8006, in particular, offered a fantastic panoramic view of the entire hotel courtyard and was conveniently located near the lobby and restaurant. I really appreciated that when I casually mentioned wanting to switch rooms, the housekeeping department was very accommodating. My overall experience was excellent during my three-night stay. All the hotel staff were incredibly friendly, gentle, and attentive to every request. This dedication must be largely attributed to excellent management, as their female leader is a generous, beautiful, and warm individual, as approachable as an older sister. Their smiles were genuinely heartfelt, not just a professional facade. The restaurant manager, a foreign gentleman who speaks excellent Chinese, was consistently seen at his post morning and evening, demonstrating remarkable dedication and professionalism.

While the facilities are of good quality, for a duplex villa costing 4300 RMB per night, the value for money isn't particularly high. The service, especially from the butler, was quite mediocre. I had pre-arranged an airport transfer for 7:30 AM through them. When I then inquired about breakfast hours, they replied it starts at 7:30 AM. I pointed out that I wouldn't be able to have breakfast, to which they simply confirmed 'yes,' offering no further solution. About half an hour later, I had to proactively ask if the hotel provided any convenient breakfast options for guests with early flights. Only then did the butler confirm they did and asked how many servings I needed. It was an entirely 'ask-and-answer' interaction; information was never volunteered, and there was a complete lack of proactive service from the guest's perspective. Despite knowing we were leaving at 7:30 AM and would miss regular breakfast, the butler didn't think to ask if we needed a packed breakfast. To put it mildly, they seemed rather 'unresponsive' or 'obtuse'. Similarly, when I asked about EV charging stations, the reply was merely that there are some nearby, many in the ancient city, with no further details. I never actually met the butler in person. Check-in was handled by a staff member in an engineering uniform who gave a brief room introduction in somewhat broken Mandarin. Despite the language barrier, it was clear he was very earnest and perhaps a little nervous. This sharply contrasted with a previous hotel where, upon asking about charging stations, the butler immediately sent the precise location, even informed me about cheaper charging times, and offered a small gift at check-out. The difference between the two experiences was stark – truly a world apart. I have a couple of suggestions regarding the room design. On the first floor, the living room and bedroom are separated by a wall but connected by two doorless archways, creating an open-plan feel. Both areas have air conditioning vents, but there's only one master control, meaning no zoned climate control. The AC vent in the bedroom blew directly onto the head of the bed, making it impossible to find a comfortable temperature – either too cold or too stuffy – and I nearly caught a cold. Zoned control would be a significant improvement. The electric curtains presented a similar issue. With three sides of floor-to-ceiling glass, there's only a single master switch. If our child needed natural light for reading in the living room while adults wanted to nap in the bedroom (requiring curtains closed), it was impossible to accommodate both needs simultaneously. I recommend having separate controls for the curtains as well. Furthermore, while the irregularly shaped vanity looks stylish, the toiletries organizer provided was completely impractical due to its unsuitable size. In summary, the interior design and layout severely lack practicality and user-friendliness. On a positive note, while the hotel's public areas aren't very spacious, the landscaping and views are quite pleasant. We even spotted squirrels, making it a nice spot for photos.