Hotels in Gulangyu Scenic Area, Xiamen

Qishang Rongshe·Twelve Hours Travel Notes 🍃First encounter·Peace of mind journey For my first solo trip in 2025, I chose Qishang Rongshe. Before departure, the hotel had arranged a three-day itinerary for me. The thoughtful details made me, a Taurus, feel at ease. When I arrived, the sun was shining and the air was fresh, as if I had stepped into another time and space. Butler Qi Chu took me to the trail in the back mountain, picking flowers and plants as materials for rubbings. The breath was full of natural breath, and I bid farewell to the hustle and bustle of the city for a short time and just enjoyed the present. 🏨Architecture·Watching the century-old banyan tree The building of Qishang Rongshe is an old building from 1920, which has been revitalized and renewed. The hotel's logo is a century-old banyan tree, with intertwined roots and symbiotic dependence with the building, which is also the origin of the hotel logo. There are only 9 guest rooms in the entire space, each of which is equipped with a bathtub and a meditation chair, which is very suitable for a person's healing journey. The morning light shines into the room through the wooden window lattices, and the air is filled with the warm scent of wood, which makes people unconsciously slow down their breathing and immerse themselves in it. 🍵 Time·Zen Tea In Qishang Rongshe, time seems to flow very slowly. Practice Baduanjin in the morning, copy scriptures at sunset, and stroll in the mountains when the weather is fine, breathing the smell of the mountains and forests. In addition to the natural experience, the local culture of the hotel is also full of charm. The hotel's refreshments are provided by Jinlan Bakery on Gulangyu Island, which is purchased daily to ensure freshness. Before leaving, I bought a few boxes as souvenirs to bring this ”Zen” back to daily life. [Color R] Taste buds·Surprise of shiso flavor The dual enjoyment of vision and taste is a highlight of Qishang Rongshe. For breakfast, the butler will deliver the meal to the dining table in the hotel corridor. The moment the curtains are opened, a new day officially begins. For dinner, I chose Haihai Restaurant. Every dish is embellished with shiso, and I even tasted the Fujian specialty lunch fish. At first I thought the price was a bit high, but after eating, I felt that this meal, both in terms of taste and experience, was the most unforgettable meal in my three days in Gulangyu. [Rainbow R] Accident·Stunning in Light and Shadow There is a small exhibition space hidden behind the bookstore in the hotel. This exhibition is called ”Fat”. During the day, I was attracted by the material and tension of the exhibits, but when I visited again at night, I was shocked by the unexpected beauty. The light was projected on the wall through the gaps in the works, and one of the shadows was similar to the whiskers of the banyan tree in front of the hotel. The ingenuity of the artist and curator made me resonate more deeply with this space at this moment. Conclusion·The journey is not over The three days in Qishang Rongshe are like a redefinition of time. Here, people and nature, history and the present, interweave a flowing poetry. On the way back, my body and mind were already relaxed. This journey is not only a journey, but also a healing. Looking forward to returning next time to continue the unfinished travel time.

I decided to change to this hotel last minute. No regrets with my decision. The hotel is very beautiful and unique. My room is just right close to the beautiful garden with a lot of plants. This is a 4 star hotel as listed in Gulangsu. I am so impressed, and keep repeating to my family about the hotel staff's best service. They help answer quite a lot of questions before our arrival. They helped me book the visit to Ba Gua Lou, I knew I needed to book in advance that's why I had no plan to visit it by right. Special thanks to the butler, 泡芙 and the young guy 小陈, the 5 star service they provided during our stay. 泡芙 fetched us at piano dock. She also helped us take the family pictures and my cheong sam pictures. Honestly she spent a lot of time that day just because of our photo session. The 2nd night was so cold, she helped serve the high tea set to our room instead, that was our first time to have high tea at night time. Hahah. 小陈 is a very polite and meticulous young guy, he suggest me the itinerary of the sight seeing spot. While he talked to me, he never forgot to serve me a cup of drink. That evening me and my girl dressed up in the Chinese costume, my right hand held the long dress and my left hand held two thick winter wears, he saw we stepped in then quickly helped to carry the winter wear. After check out he helped us carry the stuff to the piano dock too. I love this island. I love this hotel, it makes me feel as warm as home. I wish I can back here again. If you have plan to visit this island with your family, YiJu hotel, highly recommended!

It truly lives up to its reputation as Xiamen's first SLH (Small Luxury Hotels of the World)! Every detail, from the exquisite charm of this century-old Nanyang villa to the perfectly attentive service, was a delightful surprise. 🤎 The exquisite attention to detail in the hardware and furnishings was remarkable: vintage Nanyang-style patterned tiles, rattan furniture, a retro record player, and an old rotary dial phone. Looking up, the ceiling fans, intricately carved ceilings, and chandeliers created a perfectly balanced play of light and shadow. The balcony featured a bathtub with a view, and our room specifically overlooked the hotel's courtyard and the lush green field of Ma John Stadium across the street. A noteworthy detail is that the room was equipped with a sterilizing cabinet for bath towels and robes, as well as a dryer. For someone like me, who's a bit of a clean freak, this was incredibly reassuring! The service was impeccably thoughtful. Our butler, who also doubled as a mini-tour guide, picked us up and drove us to the hotel, sharing many historical stories about the century-old buildings along the way. In the evening, the butler would also deliver a complimentary sweet soup as a goodnight treat. They truly indulge you with Le Labo products here – the full set of toiletries was Le Labo Santal 22. 💗 What was a particularly heartwarming surprise was a 'sleep kit' (lip balm, hand cream, lavender pillow spray) which, paired with the high-quality bedding, ensured a fragrant and peaceful night's sleep. 🛌 No one here 'serves for the sake of serving'; instead, the attentiveness feels perfectly genuine and thoughtful. It's absolutely perfect for an introvert like me! 🤭 The stay experience was utterly relaxing, comfortable, and unhurried~😌 This is exactly the vacation vibe I was looking for!~ I think I'll often recall: ☀️ A summer day in the Nanyang villa on Gulangyu Island, lying on a rattan chair on the balcony, watching the blue sky, white clouds, and green stadium, feeling the breeze and simply drifting off~ 💙💙 I captured so many beautiful blue-hued moments at this Nanyang villa, haha! 🍸 Listening to music under the longan tree in the courtyard, and the gentle buzz from that sweet and sour 'Daydream Reverie' cocktail. 🛁 Taking a leisurely bath in the balcony tub with the blinds drawn, listening to the pleasant live music drifting up from downstairs~ Finally, falling into a deep, beautiful sleep and waking up naturally. 😌 This trip to Gulangyu felt as relaxed and comfortable as visiting an old Nanyang relative's villa. Looking forward to my next visit!~

🥳Accommodation: Climb to Gulangyu Island, stay in Lilac Garden, and feel the rich historical atmosphere of a century-old villa. The room is antique and in line with my aesthetics. There are many stars at night⭐ 😝Eat: Eat at Lilac Garden, the breakfast seafood noodles are great, the steamed buns are so fragrant and smoky, and the Houshenglin sugar water in the commercial street is also good 🥰Play: Climb up Sunlight Rock to see the entire sea garden up close and the blue sea far away. The most beautiful beach, Dadeji Bathing Beach, takes photos of the Twin Towers, Yanwu Bridge, and sea level in the same frame

The house is an old building with a sense of age. The housekeeper is also very enthusiastic and very considerate and gave dining coupons. The environment is good. Drinking tea and chatting under the trees in the yard is very comfortable. I will stay here again next time.

Environment: The hotel is at a high place, so the sight is very good and the view is first-class. The tree house is quite unique. There is a swimming pool at the door. One wall of the room is rock, and there are branches passing through the house. There are steps in the room, which need to be climbed up and down, which is suitable for young people. When the weather is good, you can sit outside the hotel lobby to watch the sunset. Service: The housekeeper service is very good. He took the initiative to contact us a week in advance to remind us to buy boat tickets and sent us a transportation guide to the island and to the island. Neicuoao Pier is closer to the hotel. There is a tourist service center 100 meters left after getting off the boat. Large luggage can be placed at the tourist service center, and the hotel will send someone to carry the luggage. It is better to travel light, after all, the hotel is at a high place and you have to climb a little mountain. Because I accidentally spilled the tea on the cup, the housekeeper not only came to change the quilt in time, but also did not charge the cleaning fee. I was really embarrassed. Facilities: The hotel has complete facilities. The Qinhai Coffee downstairs has a good environment, the coffee is very fragrant, and the price is reasonable. Vacationing here, even if you don’t go out to play, it is also very pleasant to stay in the hotel to drink coffee, look at the sea view, and read books.

This hotel was originally the one I was most looking forward to during our self-driving trip. But this experience also made me once again determined not to book homestays when traveling in the future. First, let me talk about the good feelings: 1. Before checking in, the housekeeper took the initiative to contact me, added WeChat, and gave me directions from Sanqiutian Wharf to the hotel. I watched the video first to get a general impression and then followed the navigation to find the hotel's location accurately. 2. The room type I booked has two rooms. I was taken to see both rooms first and choose the one I like. 3. Wheelchairs, strollers, umbrellas, these thoughtful little items are all available. The child's foot was broken and the plaster had just been removed. We didn't bring our wheelchair to the island, but luckily the hotel had a wheelchair, which was a great help. 4. The environment of the small courtyard is really great. The guy with glasses in the hotel is a very nice person. He has a sense of boundaries and is very enthusiastic. He likes to chat with children. The restaurant he recommends is also very delicious. Let me talk about the unsatisfactory parts: 1. As soon as I walked in, I had a bad feeling. I was not greeted by ”Hello, are you checking in? / How can I help you?” but ”What are you here for?” ”What's your name?” ”The room is still being cleaned, at least an hour (but another room had already been cleaned)”. 2. The actual situation of the room...I can only say that the picture is rendered too well. Every item in the room showed roughness and lack of maintenance. 3. There was a serious problem with the sewer in the room. It smelled so bad that it made me dizzy and want to vomit. I put the minibar diffuser next to the bed, but it still couldn't cover up the stench. 4. As the most expensive room type in the hotel, one has a noisy heating device on the top and the other is close to the street with pedestrians and garbage trucks which is also very noisy. It is really not a particularly good experience. 5. The so-called free travel photography is even more outrageous. It is completely a traffic diversion. It is arranged in advance, but it is completely equivalent to no appointment. I arrived at 2:30 pm on time. There was only one makeup artist in the store. The photographers must have been out for work. Then the grandma said impatiently that it wouldn't be that fast and I should just wait. I gave up decisively.

The receptionist provide excellence servive with a free hand drown map and clear explaination of this island. She even upgraded our room for free. The set breakfast provided give another credit to this hotel.

I have traveled to Xiamen before, and I said at that time that I must stay in Gulangyu Island for one night next time. In fact, many B&Bs are very cheap in the off-season. I looked at many B&Bs and finally decided to stay here. Stayed for one night 243 yuan Let’s talk about the advantages first. The location is good, very close to everything. The room is very new and the slippers are very thick, not thin. The hair dryer is powerful, there is a heated toilet, and the bathroom is very nice. Breakfast is freshly made, and the aunt is warm and friendly, which is a bonus. Let’s talk about the shortcomings. The bed on the side near the bathroom is shaking a bit, I hope the store can solve it as soon as possible. The room is a bit damp. The clothes hanging out are all damp, and the quilt is also wet. I don't know if it's because of the first floor or the windows. I'm not very used to it. Friends from the north, please pay attention. Also, be sure to choose the main road when coming from the pier. There are stairs and uphill slopes, making it difficult to walk with suitcases. Generally speaking, I am quite satisfied and praise it well.

We were initially staying in an Elegant Room but decided we wanted to stay another night on the island so booked a Superior room for the additional night. This room was a lot larger, and was really charming. There was plenty of space for our baggage. It was on the first floor but the staff carried our bags up the stairs. The room was very comfortable and clean, and we were given welcome fruit and a delicious afternoon tea. We had no problems with the walk back to SanQiuTian pier (about 12 mins). We were very happy with our stay and would stay again!