China, Ping’an Village: Longji One Art Hotel

This could be one of the coziest hotels we have ever stayed at. From the moment we enter Longji One Art Hotel, put our hiking shoes in our own wooden shoe box and put on a pair of slippers, there is a contagious, positive ambiance that fills our minds and stays with us during our two nights in Ping’an Village. This is the place for relaxation.

Longji One Art hotel is located in the Longji Rice Terraces Scenic Area. To reach the hotel guests are required to buy an entrance ticket to the scenic area.

As you cannot drive inside the scenic area, you need to park your car in the Ping’an Parking, and after buying your ticket, you need to walk about 800 metres, then turn left and go across a wooden bridge. Continue to climb the steep flag stone steps into Ping’an Village for 600 metres, then choose the right side path and go straight about 200 metres to find Longji One Art Hotel. 

We have a guide that escorts us up to the hotel and also asks a porter to bring up our suitcase as it is far too heavy for us to carry. We pay 80 CNY to the porter. It is suggested that you bring as little luggage as possible so that you can carry it yourself.

This is certainly not a hotel for those having health issues or trouble walking. You can pay to be carried up in a sedan chair, but that seems a bit over the top.

Winding stairs up to the hotel from the parking lot

There are quite a few steep steps up to Longji One Art Hotel, but the short hike is so worth it when you discover the views from the hotel. Especially the two stunning views of the two rice terraces named “Seven Stars with the Moon” and “Nine Dragon and Five Tiger”. Oh, how they love to compare everything to animals in China!

Inside the three story bamboo building every corner holds small work of arts and all its furnishings are completely wooden. 

Longji One Art Hotel

We are given a corner room on the third floor with windows in three directions. It has two small balconies with views over the village and rice terraces. The room has one large double bed surrounded by pearl drapes and wooden beams and other quaint decors that gives it a fairytale feeling. 

The bathroom, albeit very small, is equipped with everything you need, including a hairdryer and nice bath and beauty products, including toothbrush and toothpaste. In no other country than China have we found toothbrushes in the bathroom!

The corner room on the third floor

Sweets, fruit, water and tea are complimentary and such a nice gesture. The slippers with a massage function was however not so comfy. You get another pair of slippers as you enter the hotel because of the no shoes policy and they are much more comfortable.

The air is sometimes a bit stuffy and the room comes with a draft that probably gets rather chilly in winter, but the air condition does the trick, at least in mid-April.

This makes you feel welcome!

Breakfast is included and you can choose from a set menu of either fried eggs, pancake or toast and tea or coffee.

Ping’an Village has a few restaurants and bars, but we choose to eat at the hotel restaurant and they have excellent food and service. The first night I order the fried rice, and this is by far the best fried rice I have ever had! We love the large, handwritten menu with wooden binders and illustrations and pictures of each dish.

Breakfast with a view of the rice fields
The handwritten menus

The hotel has one of the best locations in Ping’an Village. It is one of the first hotels you reach on the short hike from the parking lot. Other hotels further up may have a better view, but it will be quite a challenge to climb up all those stairs after every outing. You are bound to see those views sooner or later during a hiking tour, which is probably the reason why you came here in the first place.

When checking out we receive two Chinese gifts, a book mark and a Chinese knot for good fortune. A small but nice gesture.

They are quite interested in and considerate about their guests at Longji One Art Hotel. It is obvious that the staff take pride in their hotel and this rubs off on us and makes our stay an exceptional one.

The best hotel in Ping'an Village?

Before Ping’an Village we visited Hong Kong, read all about it here.

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