Hanlinyuan Boutique Hotel in Jianshui County, Honghe

Basic Information

• Location:
  No. 36 Hanlin Street, Jianshui Ancient Town, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province (near Zhu Family Garden). Situated along the ancient town’s cultural axis, it’s a 2-minute walk from the “Grand View Garden of Southern Yunnan” – Zhu Family Garden, a 5-minute walk from Jianshui Confucius Temple and Chaoyang Tower. Surrounded by purple pottery workshops, time-honored teahouses, and local snack shops, it offers a tranquil haven amid the town’s historic bustle.
• Architectural Features:
  Originally the residence of Chen Xi, a Qing Dynasty Hanlin scholar, the hotel preserves the essence of southern Yunnan architecture: “three-courtyard layout,” “four-sided courtyard with five skylights,” and “circular corridors with overhanging eaves.” Green tiles, white walls, carved wooden windows, and ancient brick floors harmonize with courtyard greenery. Some areas display Qing Dynasty imperial examination artifacts and ancient manuscripts, earning it the reputation of a “living museum of imperial examination culture.” Spanning 3,000㎡, it has only 28 rooms, ensuring privacy and serenity.
• Opening Year: 2020 (a protected renovation of a historical building, awarded “Yunnan Province Demonstration Project for 活化 Utilization of Historical Architecture”).

Hotel Facilities – Where Antiquity Meets Luxury

Guest Rooms: A Fusion of Heritage and Sophistication

• Room Types:
  Six themed categories, such as “Hanlin Retreat,” “Top Scholar Suite,” and “Jinshi Courtyard,” with some rooms retaining original carved bedsteads and blue brick floors, paired with new modern Chinese furniture and smart amenities:
  • Hanlin Retreat: Courtyard-view rooms with views of century-old locust trees and fish ponds, equipped with purple pottery tea sets and handwritten couplets.
  • Top Scholar Suite: Duplex suite with a second-floor terrace overlooking the ancient town’s green-tiled roofs, featuring a private study and hot spring tub.
  • Family Rooms: Themed around “Imperial Examination Childhood,” offering children’s Hanfu (traditional clothing), ancient text storybooks, and customized toiletries.
• Amenities:
  • American King Koil mattresses, British Aesop toiletries, underfloor heating, and central air conditioning.
  • Smart room control systems (one-touch adjustment for lights, curtains, AC); select suites include BOSE sound systems and minibars.
  • Complimentary daily gifts: a Jianshui purple pottery tea can (to take home) and local handmade pastries (e.g., bird’s nest pastry, steamed rice cake).

Dining: A Gastronomic Journey Through Jianshui’s Flavors

• Hanlin Dining Hall:
  • Breakfast: A customized “Imperial Examination Set” with watercress rice noodles (served in silverware), live-grilled Jianshui tofu, and handmade rice cakes, paired with Pu’er tea or freshly ground coffee.
  • Fine Dining: The “Literary Excellence Banquet” features dishes like “Steam-Pot Chicken ‘Scholarly Success’,” “Watercress Feast ‘Top of the Rank,’” and “Tofu Delights ‘Five Scholars,’” using ingredients from the hotel’s organic farm and served in purple pottery.
  • Tea House: Located in the ancient courtyard, displaying replicas of Qing Dynasty imperial examination papers, offering “Hanlin Tea Talks” (tea masters explain the connection between Pu’er tea and Jianshui’s scholarly heritage).

Cultural & Leisure: Immersive Historical Experiences

• Imperial Examination Culture Experiences:
  • Morning Reading Ceremony: Daily “First Brush Ceremony” in the ancient academy, where guests wear Hanfu to copy Confucian classics and strike the “Scholar’s Drum.”
  • Heritage Tours: Guided visits to the hotel’s imperial examination artifact exhibitions (e.g., Qing Dynasty exam permits and merit plaques).
  • Intangible Heritage Workshops: Free sessions for purple pottery seal carving and ancient papermaking (using mulberry bark, mimicking imperial examination paper – open to guests).
• Additional Facilities:
  • Heated Pool: Hidden in the rear courtyard with a glass roof for year-round use, surrounded by bamboo seating.
  • SPA Center: Traditional Chinese meridian massages using essential oils blended with local Jianshui herbs.
  • Conference Room: The 60㎡ “Wenyuan Pavilion,” decorated with replicas of Qing Dynasty exam lists, ideal for small cultural salons or business meetings.

Service Highlights – Thoughtful Care in Every Detail

• Butler Service:
  24/7 “Hanlin Butlers” provide personalized services, including:
  • Customized ancient town tour routes (e.g., visiting imperial scholar families in Tuan Shan Ancient Village or cycling to Shuanglong Bridge).
  • Reservation for special activities (e.g., night-time live performances at Zhu Family Garden or the Jianshui Small Train narrow-gauge experience).
  • Thoughtful touches: Handwritten fans with Jianshui poetry upon arrival, and osmanthus lotus seed soup with imperial examination storybook during turndown service.
• Sustainability & Heritage Preservation:
  • Solar-powered energy, rainwater recycling for ancient tree irrigation, and no single-use plastics in rooms.
  • Local intangible heritage inheritors serve as cultural guides, with part of the proceeds funding historic mansion maintenance and imperial examination research.

Nearby Attractions – Steps Through History

• Within 5-Minute Walk:
  • Zhu Family Garden (100m): A Qing Dynasty Jiangnan-style garden with an “Imperial Examination Family Exhibition.”
  • Jianshui Confucius Temple (300m): The second-largest Confucian temple in southern China, featuring “Sea of Learning” and “Hall of Great Achievements,” with ancient music performances.
  • Hanlin Street: Cobblestone streets lined with purple pottery studios (e.g., “Xiang Fengchun Purple Pottery Workshop”) and 老字号 (time-honored) snack shops (e.g., “Fují Old Store” for watercress dumplings).
• Short Excursions:
  • Shuanglong Bridge (1.5km, 10-minute bike ride): A 17-arch bridge ideal for sunset photography, where local vendors sell watercress pancakes.
  • Tuan Shan Ancient Village (12km, 20-minute drive): A World Heritage-listed village with intact Ming/Qing architecture, including “Zhang Family Garden” with imperial examination merit steles.

Awards & Reputation

• Awards:
  • “2022 China’s Best Cultural Theme Hotel” by China Tourism Association.
  • Nominated for “Best Historical Heritage Hotel in Asia” by Traveler Magazine.
  • “Golden Leaf Green Tourism Hotel” of Yunnan Province.
• Guest Reviews:
  With a Ctrip rating of 4.9+, it’s praised as “Jianshui Ancient Town’s Cultural Living Room,” with guests noting, “A journey back to a Qing Dynasty Hanlin mansion – every detail tells history.” Popular among cultural scholars, families, and photographers.

Transportation Guide

• By Car: Traffic-restricted in the ancient town core; navigate to nearby parking (free shuttle to the hotel entrance).
• By High-Speed Rail: 20-minute taxi from Jianshui Railway Station (¥30 fare), or pre-book hotel pickup (¥50 round-trip by business van).
• By Bus: 15-minute walk or 5-minute taxi from Jianshui Bus Station (1.2km away).