Yixing's Shangxi Mountain in the Jiangnan Garden

Lazing for 48 hours in Yixing's Shangxi Mountain within a Jiangnan Garden Updating my Jiangzhehu staycation map again! This time, I was completely captivated by this hotel in Yixing. Calling it a "budget alternative" to Wuzhen Alila would be an understatement—it's clearly the beloved daughter nurtured by Yangxian's landscapes!! 1.5-hour high-speed train ride from Shanghai to Yixing Station, then a 25-minute taxi ride takes you deep into 180,000 acres of bamboo forests and tea plantations. The moment you open the door, you're struck by a burst of greenery! Moss carpets, flowing water screens, bamboo-shadowed courtyards... This isn’t just a hotel—it’s like a living version of Emperor Huizong of Song’s *A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains*! Highly recommend the ground-floor courtyard rooms! Step outside to your private garden, with bamboo shadows swaying as you relax on a rattan chair. Brew a pot of Yangxian Snow Bud tea and laze away the afternoon (already fantasizing about retirement life). Room details are incredibly thoughtful: Dyson hairdryer tucked in a rattan cabinet, minibar stocked with local black rice tea and peach gum, and an herbal foot soak delivered before bed (wellness girls, rejoice!). The "Junian" all-day dining restaurant offers two completely different meals—no repeats!