Guangzhou Hotel | Stay at the White Swan Hotel, the Pride of Countless Cantonese

As China's first five-star hotel, the White Swan Hotel in Guangzhou carries not only the epic of reform and opening up, but also the collective memory of a city. . This stay is an attempt to decode every detail of this legendary hotel as a "time traveler"—from Fok Ying-tung's "Hometown Water" to the Michelin-starred Yutang Chunnuan, from the European romance of Shamian Island to the river breeze and night view of White Swan Pond. . 🛏River View Room Opening the door of the river view suite, you will be struck by the sparkling waves of White Swan Pond at first glance. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the Pearl River spreads out like silk, and the lights of cruise ships intertwine with neon reflections, as if you are in the old Hong Kong dream of "In the Mood for Love." . The details of the room show old-fashioned luxury everywhere: Ru kiln tea sets hold Phoenix Dancong tea, silk embroidered pillows are embroidered with kapok patterns, and the ink paintings on the bedside are actually authentic works by Lin Yong, with Lingnan style hidden in the ink rendering. . 🍷Executive Lounge The Executive Lounge on the third floor retains the teak floors and gilded chandeliers from its opening in 1983. In the afternoon, order a pot of aged tangerine peel Pu'er tea, paired with Cantonese dim sum snacks, and perform a "Lingnan version of English afternoon tea" live. . Choose a floor-to-ceiling window area where you can feel the infinite scenery of Shamian Island up close. In the quiet afternoon, it is a pleasure to read a book in this private space. . 🌊Fitness Facilities The outdoor swimming pool faces the Pearl River directly. When swimming in the morning light, it forms a wonderful dialogue with the metal sculptures of the White Swan Pond Art Center on the opposite bank. Especially when the weather is good, it feels like you have traveled to a resort hotel in Southeast Asia. . As summer is approaching, if you feel a little sun outside, you can also enjoy the avant-garde fitness equipment and constant temperature pools, saunas, etc. indoors, so that your tired body can be greatly relaxed. . 📖Historical Archives The archives on the first floor of the hotel hide the real spiritual totem: the gold-leaf invitations from the opening in 1983, the inscriptions of leaders, and even the sketches of the "Hometown Water" garden built that year. The most shocking thing is Fok Ying-tung's handwriting—the seven characters "I miss this place the most", the ink marks penetrate the paper, echoing the Tibetan-style flying eaves of the golden hexagonal pavilion in the courtyard, which coincides with the overseas Chinese's feelings of "drinking water and thinking of the source." . 🥢Yutang Chunnuan If the White Swan is the crown of Lingnan, then Yutang Chunnuan is the pearl on the crown. You must order "Boiled Sunflower Chicken". The chicken skin is as transparent as glass, and amber chicken oil jelly is condensed under the skin. The dipping sauce is actually three forms of green onion—scallion puree, scallion oil juice, and fried scallion shreds, which decompose the freshness and sweetness of a chicken into a trio. . 📷Check-in Spots ✓Reflection of the hexagonal pavilion of "Hometown Water": The light and shadow are best at 8 am. The golden pavilion top and the reflection of the koi pond form a symmetrical aesthetic. Girls can wear plain cheongsams to take pictures. ✓Spiral staircase and White Swan Bakery: The spiral curve of the north gate staircase and the swan pastry in the glass cabinet of the bakery form a surreal composition, suitable for wide-angle lenses. ✓Riverside terrace on Shamian Street: Order a glass of "White Swan Pond Love" cocktail, with the Pearl River cruise ship as a flowing background, the blue tone moment at dusk is the most photogenic. . 🚶Nearby Fun ✓Shamian Island: Travel through a parallel time and space of 19th-century Europe. At No. 54 Shamian Street, the former HSBC Building, drink a hand-brewed coffee under the Gothic dome, and aim the lens at the colored stained glass windows, the light and shadow are like the holy light of the church. ✓Yongqingfang: A new model of intangible cultural heritage revitalization. Overlook the green brick wok-ear houses from the rooftop of Bruce Lee's ancestral residence, and then go to Zhongshuge to check in at the "Lingnan version of Hogwarts", with gilded screens and Manchurian windows reconstructing the magic of space. ✓Cantonese Opera Art Museum: The night tour is even more stunning! The holographic projection version of "The Princess and the Pauper" is staged in the garden waterside pavilion. When the water sleeves dance, it is difficult to distinguish between reality and illusion. . Staying at the White Swan Hotel in Guangzhou is like flipping through a three-dimensional Lingnan chronicle—Fok Ying-tung's homesickness, the colonial memories of Shamian Island, and the craftsman's obsession with Yutang Chunnuan are all worth your while to "come home often." . White Swan Hotel Guangzhou