Being pampered by the cliffside hotel in Dali has made it the ideal place for the whole family

It turns out that falling in love with a city 🉑 can be this simple. You don’t need to understand its history or walk through all its streets; just a lake, a breeze, and a sunset that slows your heartbeat ❤️ are enough. For this family vacation, I chose Dali as our first stop—it's perfect for a family holiday‼️ For this trip to Dali, I did a lot of research, and the "Songyun Cliff Hotel" was my carefully considered choice. The hotel is perched on a cliff on the east shore of Erhai Lake, backed by Cangshan Mountain and facing Erhai Lake, with a truly unique location 🉐. Every detail here reflects the designer’s craftsmanship—the round arch frames perfectly capture the nineteen peaks across the lake, the curve of the cave pool beautifully holds the entire sunset glow, and the painted Bai-style screen wall faces Mediterranean mythological sculptures across the flowers. Modern comfort blends with rich Mediterranean style here, no wonder it’s known as the “Oriental Santorini” 🈶. The hotel has few rooms, scattered along the cliff, each with a private courtyard and small pool. Opening the window reveals views of Cangshan, Erhai Lake, and the lake’s small islands. At sunset, this is the perfect spot to watch the sun go down. The arched doorway design inside the rooms is full of character, reminiscent of Mediterranean-style cave hotels in Turkey. The bedding is high-end and comfortable, and the toiletries are from LELABO. Even the most discerning mother couldn’t help but praise the “full quality.” The public areas are tailor-made for the whole family—the super-long cave infinity pool blends seamlessly with the Erhai Lake view, and the greenery and blooming flowers on the cliffside create a charming scene. Every snapshot feels like a cinematic masterpiece. What’s most reassuring is the butler service here. A private butler takes care of everything from carrying luggage, arranging shuttle cars, to preparing breakfast, making everything thoughtful and comfortable. The activities around the hotel also cater to all ages. It’s a ten-minute walk to Little Putuo, a twenty-minute drive to Wase Town. The elders enjoy Bai opera at the ancient theater stage while we pick fresh mushrooms at the market; or we simply rent bikes along the ecological corridor, slowly riding along the lakeshore, watching wild ducks and seagulls in the reeds. When tired, we return to the hotel to drink tea and watch the lake with our parents on the terrace. This is probably what they call a “laid-back vacation”—no rushing, no compromising, perfectly suited for the whole family to relax.