Discover Yazhi’s ‘Foodie’ Joys: A City Hotel Retreat for Wellness and Peace of Mind

We always look forward to spontaneous trips, but never has this extraordinary period made us appreciate more the joy of being able to set off at any moment. For the past few years, I’ve made it a point to visit Guangzhou at least once a year; just when it seemed this year’s trip might not happen, an opportunity suddenly arose right before the Dragon Boat Festival. Traveling across provinces now feels almost like going abroad did in the past, so spending the Dragon Boat Festival holiday in Guangzhou feels especially exciting. "When trapped in a cage for too long, how delightful it is to return to nature." This year, we really need such spontaneous getaways.

I’ve written many Guangzhou travelogues of varying lengths, covering must-see sights, food, and family-friendly spots. Guangzhou shares a common trait with all of China’s big cities – it’s like a never-ending book that constantly adds new chapters, so we can never reach a final conclusion. This time, I want to start from a resort-style hotel stay and discover a completely new, unseen side of Guangzhou.

Of course, you can also read this as a hotel review – different from my usual travel notes.

Most of my visits to Guangzhou were spent wandering around the old town, never staying in Zhujiang New Town for more than three hours. So, knowing that this time I’d be staying at the Guangzhou Yazhi Hotel, right on the prime waterfront of Zhujiang New Town, the trip felt unfamiliar yet fresh.

Taking the metro from the airport to Liede Station, I stepped out into the bustling CBD traffic. By Dragon Boat Festival, Guangzhou had already entered summer, and the warm southern air flowed through the drizzle. As we walked with umbrellas into the concrete jungle, the mix of modern skyscrapers around Liede Village and richly detailed Lingnan vintage buildings delivered that first unique Guangzhou visual punch. The journey had begun.

Guangzhou Yazhi Hotel is located in the landmark commercial complex of Zhujiang New Town – Tiande Plaza – and commands the best unobstructed river view, from Liede Bridge to Xiaomanyao. The hotel’s facade is made entirely of floor-to-ceiling glass windows, reflecting drifting clouds and light on sunny days. Its overall arc shape resembles a giant billowing sail, looking down upon the endlessly rushing Pearl River, day and night.

Built in the fashionable, modern Guangzhou CBD, Yazhi has not tagged itself as "business" or "fast-paced" like neighboring hotels. Instead, it positions itself as a high-end resort and wellness hotel – a pleasant surprise. People say Guangzhou is the most open and inclusive of the four first-tier cities; if you’re bold enough, anything is possible here. So, Yazhi poured huge investment into a wellness resort right in the CBD – why not?

Yes, step inside, and you’ll embark on a whole new understanding of Guangzhou.

During our three-day stay, we had ample time to explore this newly opened hotel under varying light – daytime, dusk, and night. Although the sky lobby is on the 28th floor, the ground-floor entrance already shows the full sincerity of the hotel’s design. The modern Chinese style, blending texture with fashion, has become mainstream in most new hotels. The high-ceilinged ground-floor entrance is Yazhi’s first impression: no excessive splendor, but thoughtfully designed lighting, unique sculptures, and furnishings that feel especially warm.

Even though many guests and staff pass through the ground-floor lift lobby daily, the hotel has placed sofas and coffee tables there, giving the space a relaxing function. The playful sculptures nearby are also popular spots for guests to snap photos. These subtle design touches elevate the hotel’s overall quality.

Beside the lobby on the 28th floor, Yazhi has kept a "good habit" found across all its properties – a small corner stocked with free essentials like mosquito repellent, chargers, cotton swabs, fever patches, band-aids, and more. It’s a lifesaver when you happen to need something you forgot to pack. I’ve never used it personally, but every time I stay at a Yazhi hotel, I notice this pleasing detail.

From that corner of supplies, it’s evident that Guangzhou Yazhi Hotel places greater emphasis on attentive, thoughtful service compared to other hotels. From the moment you enter, a one-to-one personal butler service begins. Available 24/7, the butler can assist with check-in, guiding you, providing information, and more – your all-round assistant throughout your stay.

Landscape rooms have almost become "an attraction" at Guangzhou Yazhi. While others struggle to find a high-altitude restaurant on the opposite bank to snap a photo with Xiaomanyao in the background, you can casually strike any pose in the privacy of your own guestroom, 24/7, without the awkwardness of onlookers.

Although this isn’t my first time in a sky-high hotel in the city center, Yazhi is the first where both the views and the room facilities are equally impressive. It’s a place where "looks" and "talent" coexist, offering hype with substance and excellent value for money.

The hotel has 387 rooms spread across floors 29 to 39, with various types: the dynamic, trendy Tesla rooms, the more conservative Yazhi business rooms, and river-view, city-view, and cloud suites offering the best angle to admire Xiaomanyao. Different room styles are hinted at even in the corridors – for example, the colorful lighting in the corridor of the Tesla rooms makes you feel as if stepping into a tunnel of light.

Guestrooms have always been a highlight of the Yazhi hotel brand. Even the most basic room is spacious, and the automatic sensor curtains and lighting control system let guests experience the charm of a smart room the moment they enter. A 1.8-meter-wide king bed with high-end bedding and two pillows of different heights ensures a good night’s sleep.

The most stunning feature is the full wall of floor-to-ceiling windows. When the automatic curtains slowly draw open, the river view facing Xiaomanyao gradually reveals itself. The impact is no less than seeing the ocean from a sea-view room in Sanya. Leaning on the sofa, you can watch the scenery on both banks of the Pearl River, from clouds drifting by day to brightly lit skyscrapers at night. Time slips by both fast and slow, with sunrises and sunsets passing in the blink of an eye.

Here, you no longer fret about the passage of time, but simply enjoy the breeze and moonlight.

Besides convenient bedside lighting controls, the hotel thoughtfully provides a multi-port data cable – not something you’d find in an average hotel room – so you’ll never worry about forgetting a charger on a business trip.

The capsule coffee machine is also standard in Yazhi guestrooms. If coffee isn’t your thing, the hotel provides Dilmah tea bags, Sri Lanka’s most famous brand; you can enjoy a high-quality afternoon tea right in your room without going to the restaurant.

Want to keep up with the city’s fast pace or savour a slow-paced holiday? The choice is yours.

The minibar is fully stocked with purified water and drinks – and everything is free.

The washroom is clearly separated from the bedroom, and regardless of room type, the ultra-practical washroom deserves a proper introduction. Sensor-controlled lighting and a touch-controlled anti-fog makeup mirror offer a smart living experience. The toilet and shower each occupy their own space, with wet-dry separation in line with the design trends of high-end hotels. A spacious vanity counter and a thoughtful makeup stool are a daily blessing for women who wear makeup.

Even the often overlooked toilet area reveals the hotel’s attention to detail. Besides the visible Kohler brand, I noticed for the first time a socket by the toilet, along with magazines and aromatherapy diffusers, extending the hotel’s subtle, human-centric care to even bathroom moments. The shower delivers hot water instantly, with strong pressure and stable temperature, paired with L'Occitane bath products for a truly refreshing bathing experience.

There’s a hotel category tag that says, "a high-end hotel you only understand after sleeping in it." That perfectly describes Guangzhou Yazhi. No matter how many photos or videos you see, nothing beats staying here in person.

The vanity area offers not just the usual toiletries, but also full-sized skincare products like facial cleanser, moisturizing gel, hand cream, and perfume, so women can practically just bring their handbags and check in.

Some rooms are equipped with a Dyson hairdryer, complemented by L’Occitane shampoo and conditioner, giving you a salon-level hair care experience right in your room.

No matter your reason for coming to Guangzhou, its cuisine absolutely deserves star billing.

After all, who comes to Guangzhou and doesn’t care about the food?

On the 4/F, the Linjiangge Restaurant specializes in Cantonese cuisine with a range of Chinese and Western dishes. At Guangzhou Yazhi, you can embark on one culinary feast after another without ever stepping out. The restaurant has a main dining area and private rooms, with a bold mix of industrial black, white, and gray lines and stylish European blue soft seating. Why “Linjiangge” (Riverside Pavilion)? Because the entire side facing the Pearl River is floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing every seat to enjoy views of Liede Bridge and Xiaomanyao outside.

With such a view, the food tastes even better!

Just as riverside hotels and restaurants along Shanghai’s Bund treat the Lujiazui skyline as their backdrop, the undisputed star of Yazhi’s Linjiangge is the scene across the river – Liede Bridge and Xiaomanyao. For guests not staying overnight, who haven’t already feasted their eyes from their room, the first entrance is quite a wow.

The curved bar at the far end of the restaurant offers drinks, beverages, and coffee, satisfying any “I want a drink” whim.

During our three-day, two-night stay at Guangzhou Yazhi, we tasted the breakfast and dinner buffets as well as Chinese à la carte dishes. Everything was noteworthy and fulfilled all our culinary expectations before arriving. With Linjiangge here, there’s no need to search for other food guides in Guangzhou.

[High energy warning] A huge wave of delicious food ahead – loads of photos to cure any lack of appetite or hunger…

Enjoying the breakfast buffet while saying good morning to Xiaomanyao outside the window is a uniquely Yazhi breakfast experience.

The buffet breakfast spread is incredibly rich, featuring almost everything you can think of, with a particularly pleasant surprise: Guangzhou-style steamed dim sum. No need to rush to an outside teahouse to grab a table early; just ask the chef to cook a bowl of rice noodle soup, and grab a few bamboo steamers of your favorite dim sum – you can enjoy a Guangzhou-style morning tea right inside the hotel.

The evening buffet theme is seafood, and you can indulge in both surf and turf here. A dazzling array of Chinese and Western dishes is spread across over 10 stations, so abundant it’s hard to take it all in. It lets you sample international cuisines all in one go, perfect for big eaters! Worth mentioning: the sashimi, shellfish, and crab legs are uniformly fresh, making them the hottest items at dinner – literally, blink and you’ll miss them. The Mexican tacos and the adjacent meat platter are practically the visual heroes of the entire dinner.

Hot dishes like chicken, lamb chops, and pork knuckle hold their own beside the seafood; you can always catch a whiff of that unmistakable aroma of roasting meat as you pass by. For Chinese food lovers, the restaurant serves Guangzhou specialties like roasted meats and congee with noodles. The massive selection covers virtually every palate, and the buffet ensures nobody leaves unhappy.

And who could resist such a beautifully arranged dessert station?

Oh, and we arrived on Dragon Boat Festival day, and the restaurant appropriately offered zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) – big thumbs up for that!

Ate too much at the buffet? The restaurant also accepts à la carte orders, and perhaps traditional Cantonese dishes better showcase the chef’s “craft.” After two meals of Cantonese food at Linjiangge, I must say they put heart into the buffet and are equally serious about Cantonese cooking. This, I believe, dispels the misconception among Guangzhou foodies that “there’s no good Cantonese food in Zhujiang New Town.”

Soy sauce chicken, a platter of marinated meats, stir-fried kale, and Cantonese-style soup all display the most authentic Cantonese cooking genes. The reliable quality lets Cantonese food lovers feast joyfully, while the artful plating elevates the cuisine from humble street fare to a higher level. Beyond traditional Cantonese fare, the creative dishes surprise – can you guess what that super-realistic lychee tree actually is? It’s shrimp balls! You wouldn’t know without trying: crispy on the outside, QQ inside, with a distinct layered texture and the fresh sweetness of shrimp.

The chef at Linjiangge is simply brilliant!

To one side of the front desk on the 28th floor is the lobby lounge, filled with all sorts of sofas and chairs perfect for lounging half a day away – ideal for holiday relaxation or business meetings. As for the 28th-floor aerial view, it’s almost par for the course at Guangzhou Yazhi.

The lobby lounge is much more than comfy seats and views. Besides the free buffet breakfast from 7:00 to 10:00 a.m., free self-service morning and afternoon tea is continuously served from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on the 28/F lobby lounge – just provide your room number. This is a “traditional signature” of the Mehood hotel group, though each property offers different tea selections. Guangzhou Yazhi boasts, without a doubt, the richest variety and most exquisite offerings among all Mehood hotels I’ve stayed in; it truly lives up to Guangzhou’s reputation as a culinary capital.

With breakfast, lunch, dinner, and morning/afternoon tea seamlessly connected, there’s hardly any empty gap for your stomach. Yazhi seems determined to fatten up its guests!

If you’re lucky enough to snag a window seat, don’t forget to snap a photo! The enormous French windows, Xiaomanyao outside, and exquisite petits fours in front of you – an Instagram-worthy cover shot is effortless!

A distinctive feature of Guangzhou Yazhi Hotel is its crossover into “comprehensive health + medical aesthetics,” combining modern scientific wellness concepts to create a 1,600-square-meter medical aesthetics zone on the 28th floor. It includes traditional spa treatments and a wide range of professional cosmetic procedures, blending European aristocratic nature-based healing traditions with the essence of traditional Chinese medicine. It caters to guests with varied preferences in wellness, beauty, and body care – truly Yazhi’s hidden treasure.

Since it’s on the 28th floor, the views from the little private spa rooms are pretty impressive too. Relaxing with a spa treatment while taking in the scenery outside – I believe it’s a double dose of healing for both body and mind!

We opted for the traditional German salt mist spa. The hotel has created a unique salt cave with a primal grotto feel. Indeed, the Alpine region of southern Germany and northwestern Austria has many salt mines, and their salt is often crafted into souvenirs as a top pick for tourists. Here, they use high-altitude natural mineral salt from the Alps to create a space of natural caverns, salt sand, and salt mist. It heals body and mind through scientific therapy, with additional benefits like aiding chronic recovery, reducing inflammation, sterilizing, and boosting immunity.

You just change into a special garment and go inside – super convenient. The cave isn’t unbearably hot as one might imagine; the temperature is comfortable, and the dim light quickly relaxes you. Lie on the recliner, find the most comfortable position, and lounge for about half an hour – it nourishes both body and mind. In that warm environment with a generously relaxing chair, close your eyes, and soon your thoughts drift to a long-missed sunny island.

If you need a more “intense” treatment, there’s a small room inside the cave where you feel the temperature rise noticeably once the door opens. The staff explained that this combines TCM fumigation and stone-needle heat therapy for in-depth, scientific physical and mental conditioning.

Downstairs from the hotel is Tiande Street, adjacent to Liede Village. It’s a stylish food street styled after traditional Lingnan architecture, built along the river with an antique charm. On our first day, we noticed how it stood out amid the modern high-rises of Zhujiang New Town. This short street is packed with popular eateries, big and small, covering Chinese, Western, Japanese, Korean, and Southeast Asian cuisines – anywhere you sit down is great for both food and photos. Even if you don’t plan to eat here, strolling around is still a visual delight.

At one end of Tiande Street, there’s the perfect spot to photograph Xiaomanyao. Unlike the ubiquitous river-view shots of the tower that cause aesthetic fatigue, this framed composition is refreshing.

Although the buildings are in Lingnan faux-vintage style, the roof tiles still boast intricate brick carvings, forming a striking contrast with the modern steel structures behind. Here, you can see the unique charm of multifaceted Guangzhou.

Behind Tiande Street runs Liede Creek, with Lieshui Bridge arching over it, like a Jiangnan water town hidden in the heart of the CBD. This is the only natural creek within Zhujiang New Town and has been the life stage for generations of Liede villagers. As a key carrier of the traditional “Liede culture” that preserves classic old Guangzhou, it’s heavily flavored with “vintage Guangzhou” character.

Taking a leisurely stroll along the creek after rush hour, even the air feels artsy. In a daze, you might glimpse the slow-paced side of this developed metropolis. Occasionally, you may pass old Lingnan ancestral halls left from bygone days. Though the gates are closed, a curious peek inside hints at the depth and mystery of grand old mansions.

By day it’s a fresh, refined urban garden; by night it transforms into a clinking, bustling food street. With the embellishment of lights, the quaint, heavy brick houses of daylight begin to exude a youthful, trendy vibe.

Looking back at Yazhi Hotel from Lieshui Bridge, you realize that Xiaomanyao and the hotel are really just a stone’s throw apart.

If you find Tiande Street not enough, cross the road and walk a few minutes to reach the riverside promenade along the Pearl River. Beneath Liede Bridge, locals dance in the square, sing, walk their dogs, and jog at night. Watching Xiaomanyao from the other end of the bridge feels more intimate and charming than from the usual tourist spot.

CBD nightscapes always show what urban splendor truly means, and the Zhujiang New Town nightscape is not to be missed. At night, Guangzhou Yazhi Hotel takes on an entirely different look from daytime, with the fountain flowing at the entrance adding a touch of liveliness and softness to the dazzling night. From an aerial view, Tiande Plaza stands proudly at the intersection, becoming the brightest star around; its billowing sail, once lit by night, is even more ready for a voyage.

The Pearl River night view never gets old. I discovered that Xiaomanyao not only changes through a rainbow of colors but also turns off its lights punctually at 11:00 p.m. I sat mesmerized by the night view by the window in my room for two evenings before learning this “inside tip” for tourists. Yet, the hotel’s surprises don’t stop there. The butler brought us a “late” afternoon tea, served in a birdcage-style carrier with delicate petits fours – utterly irresistible, making me forget all about dieting instantly.

This birdcage afternoon tea can be enjoyed in the lobby lounge or delivered to your room by the butler. Sharing seven double-serving desserts with your loved one while gazing out at the gorgeous night scenery was even more delightful than having it during the afternoon – it felt like freely cherishing a private moment. This is another big treat the hotel gives guests, beyond the night view!

Additionally, for late-arriving guests, the hotel’s Linjiangge Restaurant offers a free “late-night bowl of noodles” service from 11:00 p.m. onward. A steaming hot bowl of noodles is the best comfort for a weary traveler.

I’d really love to ask the hotel: How many more surprises do you have that I don’t know about?

【Hotel Location】

Address: No. 395 Linjiang Avenue, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, at the intersection of Liede Avenue and Linjiang Avenue.

5 minutes’ walk from Liede Station Exit A on Line 5. 5 minutes to Guangzhou East Railway Station, 30 minutes to Guangzhou South Railway Station, 40 minutes direct to Baiyun Airport.

A taxi to/from the airport takes about 45 minutes.

【Nearby Attractions】

Besides Tiande Street, other nearby attractions include: Canton Tower (Xiaomanyao), Haixinsha, Huacheng Square, Guangdong Provincial Museum, etc.

Also, there’s a FamilyMart convenience store at the corner of Tiande Street downstairs, which makes guests feel quite at ease.

Across Liede Creek is the IGC Mall, a large shopping mall; if you feel Tiande Street isn’t enough, you can head over there.

【Average Cost】

Basic room: under 900 per night, which is extremely cost-effective given the location, environment, facilities, and services. If two or more people stay, it’s just over 400 per person for such an experience – I wonder if you could find a second place like this in Guangzhou…

However, I personally suggest upgrading to a river-view room for just a small additional cost; the experience will leap up more than one level!

Dinner buffet: 298 yuan per person. Book online in advance for a decent discount; just compare a few sites when booking.

【Other Services】

The hotel provides free parking, paid airport/station transfers, car rental, and taxi-hailing services.

Every room is equipped with children’s slippers and dental kits.