Emeishan XiaoshanQing Luxury Resort

Everything, absolutely everything. The boss (Sawa the dog) is probably the second cutest dog I have ever met (after my own dog of course). The staff was the most accommodating staff I have ever met, every single request or support we needed they provided. This is simply one of the nicest stays I have ever had. Also, the coffee is exceptional, I really don’t know how they make it so good. Potentially the best coffee I have ever had.

The staff went above and beyond throughout my visit. They upgraded me to a better room free of charge, gave me a ride to the hiking entrance, dropped me off at the train station after my stay, found an adapter for my laptop late at night, and kindly allowed me to keep my leftover food for my next meal. The service was consistently friendly, helpful, and accommodating. Thank you to the entire team for making my stay so enjoyable.

Nothing

Woke up early one morning, walked outside, and just stood under that massive old tree for like ten minutes. No phone. No plan. Just... quiet. Something about it gets into you. The room had this private hot spring – soaked at midnight with the window cracked, cold air coming in, steam rising. That's the kind of thing you remember. Food was genuinely good. Lee the chef runs the kitchen – simple but done right. Had this soup one night that warmed me to the bones. The butler also kept sending me to local spots: tofu rice bowl at some village place, random hiking trails nobody else knew about. Felt like having friends who live there. Oh and the dog. Little Shiba. Followed me to breakfast every morning. Sat on my foot. 10/10. Hiked up to Golden Summit – trail starts basically outside. Butler picked me up from the train station too. Not trying to sell you on it. Just saying I'd go back. And probably will.

My stay at Dawnhill was honestly one of the most relaxing experiences I've had in Sichuan. The moment you walk into the courtyard, there's this massive ancient tree (some kind of nanmu, I think?) that just stops you in your tracks. Hard to explain, but it has this presence– you can feel it's been there for centuries. Really special energy. Spent way too much time just sitting under it with a book, watching the light shift through the leaves. Felt genuinely cleansing, like something reset inside. The room– super clean, spacious, comfortable bed (good sheets – I'm picky about this), and the private onsen in the room? Game changer. So private, just soaking after a long day of walking, listening to the mountain sounds. No swimsuit needed, nobody else around. Perfect. Food– really good local flavors. They've got this bread oven and do pizza nights which was a fun surprise – didn't expect wood-fired pizza up in the mountains! The coffee shop/lounge area has a really nice vibe too, very human(ized) feel, easy to just hang out and chat with other guests or staff. Dog alert 🐶– they have this little Shiba Inu "assistant manager" who is SO friendly and cute. Followed me around during breakfast. Property is pet-friendly generally, which is nice to see. Getting around– super convenient for hiking. You can start trekking right from the property. The route up to Golden Summit is easy to access, and the butler picked me up from the train station for free – just took the train from the airport into the city station, messaged ahead, and they were there waiting. Really smooth. Guili courtyard option– if you're traveling with friends or want something more private, they have this separate courtyard called Guili that you can book exclusively. Definitely more luxurious, more space, more exclusive feel. Next time I come with a group, that's what we're doing. Honestly, really hope to come back with friends.