Hotel Bintang 4 di Fujian, China

This place makes me wish there was an option for six stars. I study Asian art for a living, and I travelled to Jianyang to visit the home of Jian ware, classic tea bowls of the Song dynasty (960 to 1279 CE), distinguished by their black and brown glazes. Over the last few decades, firing Jian ware in the Song tradition has been revived in the area. I chose Nanping Colourful Village Homestay because it was in Jianyang, affordable, and accepted international guests. What I found was a luxury resort with all the warmth and personal attention of a homestay. I asked the front desk about an excavated Song kiln site in a nearby village, and the receptionist brought me the manager, who arranged for someone to take me the next day. My driver was Ms. Huang, an employee of the resort whose job involves buying and selling contemporary pieces. She knew everything about Jian ware! The kiln site isn’t run as a tourist site, so I was only able to view it because Ms. Huang arranged for it to be opened for me. I had told them I was vegetarian, so for lunch they took me to lunch at a vegetarian buffet. Then we visited the town’s Jian ware museum, where they have exhibits on the history of tea and Jian ware, historical pieces, and the work of contemporary Jianyang potters. To my delight, Mr. Gao, the potter-in-residence at the resort, uses a Song-style wood-fired dragon kiln, built right on the grounds! His pieces that range from beautiful but quite affordable to exquisite and appropriately expensive. They include both iridescent silvery oil spot and orange-to-black hare’s fur pieces. I am still thrilled that I was able to purchase wood-fired pieces on my limited budget. For dinner, the resort’s restaurant prepared vegetarian versions of Fujian cuisine for me. The food was all delicious, featuring classic Fujianese mountain ingredients like local bamboo and mushrooms. Then we visited Mr. Gao’s dragon kiln, and later his studio, where he experiments with different local clays and glaze recipes. The rich colours and iridescence of Jian ware are the result of the iron-rich local material fired at high temperature, and the results are as unpredictable as they are beautiful. The next day, they drove me to Mr. Chen’s family tea plantation in the mountains, where they grow famous northern Fujian teas. These fine teas were all wonderful, smooth and rich with a touch of smoke, and sometimes fruity in flavour. We strolled through mountainsides of tea bushes and visited groves of centuries-old tea trees. This is a perfect place for an immersive experience in China that is also very comfortable and convenient. I often find tourist experiences in China claustrophobic due to the press of people, but the resort was spacious and airy, and they took me to places where there was no one else but us and the occasional local going about their business. Everyone was very patient with my limited Chinese language skills. They were also happy to work with translator apps on our phones, so if you don’t speak any Chinese, you will be fine. This would be a great place to come as a family. There are gardens and rides for kids right next to the resort. You can learn how to whip Song-style tea and carve your name into the base of your own Jian ware cup. Not far away is a historical theme park with a collection of real architecture from the Ming (1368 to 1644 CE) and Qing (1636 to 1912 CE) dynasties. The employees wear period dress and there are performances and activities. Nearby there are hiking trails, historical sites, and lovely villages to visit. It’s also very close to Wuyi Mountain National Park, so it would be a perfect place to stay if the mountains are your destination. If you ask, they could arrange for you to visit famous sites or take you to breathtaking places that only locals know, whatever you want. They can also arrange transport to and from the train station or airport.

We stayed in Floral Luxury.1949 Guesthouse for 1 night. We booked Mufan room located on the ground floor as i am travelling with my elderly mom and carrying heavy luggage bags. The guesthouse butler will contact you the night before your arrival to add them to Wechat for easy communication. They will share their hotel location and offer pick-up service at the train station if required. Access to Yunshuiyao town is RMB90 perpax and free for those aged above 65 years old. Yunshuiyao is a scenic town area with 3 km long (2 - 3 hours walk). We hired a chinese speaking guide to accompany us to explain the history of Huaiyan building (square tulou), Hegui building (round tulou), and the town area. It cost RMB100. The guesthouse is located inside Yunshuiyao town, behind the shop houses, in-between waterwheel and 2 trees (named as husband and wife) aged above 670 years old. When we reached there at 2.30 pm, it was raining. The hotel staff immediately came out with an umbrella to pick us up and assist with the luggage. The check-in is fast, and the access to the room is by password, which they will share in Wechat. Checkout is also very easy. The hotel offered free fruits twice a day, afternoon and evening. The basic bathroom essentials are complete, and they also provide bathrobes. The bed and pillows are very comfortable for a good night sleep. Luckily the aircond can change to warm mode as it was very cold on raining day. There's a mini kids playground for children's. The staff were friendly and helpful. The breakfast set come with porridge and soya drink. Can topup if needed more. The in-house restaurant provides lunch & dinner with a la carte chinese foods menu. The sky brightens at 5 am, while the sun rises high at 6.45am. If you are able to wake up early, this is the best time for you to revisit the town and tulou surrounding area for nice photos and cool breeze as only local people around. There's a roadside stall selling super long youtiao (equal to size of 2 youtiao) located near the stone bridge not far from guesthouse. The whole Yunshuiyao town is covered with natural peebles pathway. Wear suitable shoes as it will be very slippery during the rainy day.

This was my second time staying here, and I chose the Deluxe Suite. The room was spacious, clean, and felt more like a serviced apartment—with a huge sofa that could easily seat 6–8 people, a proper living area, and a comfy king bed that made it easy to get good rest. The hotel has its own dedicated lobby for drop-off and pick-up, which made arrivals smooth and hassle-free. Staff were friendly and attentive. I was offered free breakfast, and they even helped with laundry by moving my clothes from the washer to the dryer and placing them at the counter for pickup—just let them know in advance. The food was great, with a mix of Western and Chinese options that were both delicious and satisfying. The location is convenient, especially if you're attending events at the Xiamen International Conference and Exhibition Center, and getting around the area is easy. Overall, a smooth and enjoyable stay. Everything was handled with care. I’ll definitely be back. 这是我第二次入住这家酒店，这次选择了豪华套房。房间非常宽敞干净，更像一个服务式公寓——有超大的沙发，能坐下6到8个人，还有独立的客厅空间，特大床也非常舒适，睡得很好。 酒店有独立的大堂接送区，上下车非常方便，特别适合带行李或打车进出。 工作人员非常友善且乐于助人。他们为我提供了免费早餐，还贴心地帮我把洗衣机里的衣服转移到烘干机，然后放到前台等我来取——提前告诉他们一声就可以。 中餐和西餐都很好吃，早餐种类丰富，品质也不错。 酒店的位置很方便，去厦门国际会展中心非常近，出行也很方便。 整体体验非常顺畅和舒适，服务周到，物有所值。下次还会再来。