I feel like I'd be doing a disservice if I didn't give a glowing review of Dali Molv - Shanshe Smart B&B (Dali Ancient City Branch) after my three-day stay. 'Picking chrysanthemums by the eastern fence, I gaze at Cangshan Mountain with leisure!' Firstly, let me talk about the experience from booking to check-in. After checking rankings and the location, I chose a spot outside the ancient city, about 250 meters from the main road, with Honglongjing Gate just across it. It's about a 12-minute walk to the ancient city, depending on your pace. We booked four rooms for eight people: three tatami queen beds and one tea tatami twin. After a call, we added each other on WeChat for communication, including breakfast and afternoon tea, and they were almost instantly responsive, with the longest wait being five minutes. For someone like me who values service feedback, this was incredibly efficient and satisfying.
Now, about the stay itself. While on the train from Kunming to Dali, we informed them 1-2 hours in advance of our estimated arrival time and afternoon tea preparation. The train journey was about 45 minutes. I initially thought about staying one night on the south side of Erhai Lake, but with seniors and children, I decisively opted for a continuous stay. Our subsequent dining and sightseeing experiences proved this to be the right choice, saving the elderly and children from unnecessary travel, especially the several folks in their early 70s. Upon arriving at the B&B, we were greeted by a Shiba Inu and another small dog whose name I don't recall (forgive my ignorance). Then, an aunt immediately went to call the front desk staff (the owner) for us. He promptly came out to welcome us and handled our check-in very enthusiastically. I must highlight a few check-in details: firstly, they upgraded two of our queen rooms. Secondly, they insisted on carrying our three suitcases to each room, though we 'rescued' our luggage from them. Finally, in each room, they patiently explained how to use the intelligent 'Xiao Ai' smart speaker, the bathroom equipment, the complimentary drinks in the fridge, and the humidifier's location. The fully smart toilet with disposable seat covers (which most hotels don't provide) was a great convenience for travelers like us. In short, everything in the room was free.
After settling our belongings in the rooms, we headed to the tearoom to enjoy the custom-made, freshly baked afternoon tea. Two servings were already prepared, and two more were brought over as we sat down, totaling four servings, which confirmed they were prepared fresh. Both children and adults loved it, especially the waffles which disappeared instantly. The floral tea, fruit, rose cakes, and pastries were absolutely delicious and beautifully presented.
Moving on to the overall experience during our stay, the rooms were very spacious, with an open-plan layout, and the bathroom, shower, and vanity areas were all dry/wet separated. But what I want to emphasize most is the quality of service. Firstly, regarding drinks, the young man told us not to hesitate to ask them for anything we needed, immediately alleviating any shyness we might have had. Secondly, breakfast only required 10-20 minutes notice for freshly prepared meals. There were A and B set menus to choose from, and the rice noodles were better than those found in chain hotels – abundant and satisfying. As for the environment, please refer to the photos; it's certainly among the top-tier B&Bs. They also have their own small bar, which I didn't visit, but I drank plenty of refillable iced lattes, which my son particularly loved and had every day. A crucial point is the complimentary sweet soup before bed every night, with different options for the two nights. The first night was red bean and peanut sweet soup; the bowl in the photo shows how delicious it looked. The second night was mung bean and coix seed sweet soup, and they proactively reminded us that it was available whenever we wanted. On the first day, we returned quite late from sightseeing and even troubled them to deliver it to our rooms (four people came back from dinner and walking around the ancient city). We returned after 10 PM, and after we told them, they quickly came to collect the bowls. They initially told us to just leave them outside, but their service was so good that I couldn't bear to leave them out, fearing they might be accidentally damaged. Soon, two young ladies came to collect from all four of our rooms. They were kind and beautiful, and every staff member we met greeted us warmly.
On the second night, we had eaten too much and hadn't thought about asking for the sweet soup, but I was pleased that even without us asking, they proactively offered it. Another detail worth mentioning: on the first night, my son had a nosebleed while picking his nose in his sleep, staining the duvet and sheets. I informed them and offered to cover the cleaning fee, but they simply told me, 'Brother, it's fine, we can get it cleaned today,' which instantly made me feel very warm inside. Before our outings, they also provided us with travel suggestions. I've attached some beautiful photos and recorded my feelings for everyone's reference. I strongly recommend this place to any friends traveling with family who want to find tranquility amidst the hustle and bustle.
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