Yihe Yangzi Hotel Stay Experience

Yihe Yangzi Hotel was established in 1912 and is considered the oldest luxury hotel in Nanjing's history; it was built by the Frenchman Fares and is one of the only French-style castle buildings in China constructed using bricks from the Ming city wall, dating back to when Nanjing officially opened as a trading port. The Yangzi Hotel has only 7 guest rooms, but due to different layouts, the hotel management has designed each room uniquely to preserve the original architecture. Each room is also equipped with a dedicated butler to attentively serve guests. During a chat with the butler, I learned that although the hotel has few rooms, whenever room availability allows, guests are usually upgraded to ensure the best experience. Upon entering the room, welcome fruits and a card were already placed on the table; the interior features antique wooden shutters, wooden floors, solid wood furniture, Sealy mattresses, and silk-linen Republic of China style robes... The details of the furnishings evoke the elegance of the Republic of China era. However, the bathtub is relatively narrow, and the entire room is non-smart, making the experience slightly less modern compared to contemporary hotels. As for the restaurant, it is connected to the hotel and decorated in a very luxurious and vintage style. Breakfast is a customized, non-buffet service, very exquisite and ceremonial. If it’s not enough, the waiter can provide additional servings. It is worth mentioning that the tableware and porcelain used during meals are also very refined, reportedly the same style used by Soong Mei-ling when entertaining guests. Besides being a historical site worth visiting, the hotel also offers various thoughtful services and cultural experiences. For example, the butler will lead guests to make rubbings of the Ming city wall inscriptions and, before nightfall, hold a sealing wax stamp tool to teach guests how to imprint the Yangzi Hotel’s lion emblem on postcards.