Spring Blossoms: Stay in a City Garden and Discover Lingnan’s Classics

📍 Guangzhou · 👁 3 reads · ❤️ 190 likes

In March, spring's blossoms begin to unfold, and the colors of spring gradually spread across Guangzhou, the City of Rams. Known as the Flower City, Guangzhou exudes the spirit of spring everywhere—the bright weather, the pervasive springtime glow, and the unrestrained blooming of flowers, all inviting us outdoors for a spring stroll. Following the footsteps of spring, I checked into the Guangzhou Garden Hotel and discovered that it harbors the most enchanting garden spring scenery.

For a true Guangzhou native, the Guangzhou Garden Hotel is more than a place to stay—it’s a feeling. Having been born and raised in Guangzhou, I’ve known since childhood that the Guangzhou Garden Hotel is a renowned, classic five-star hotel. I was quite enamored with it as a kid, back then just peeking into its lobby and dreaming that one day I could stay here.

As I grew older, the Garden Hotel remained one of Guangzhou’s top classic hotels, attracting friends from around the world with its unique Lingnan charm. This visit to the Guangzhou Garden Hotel surprised me immensely—it would be more apt to call it an art museum than a hotel, for treasures are hidden everywhere inside. Only by savoring them carefully can you discover its wonders.

From the outside, the Guangzhou Garden Hotel building, nestled among the bustling modern skyscrapers of Guangzhou, might not seem different from other towers. But once you step inside, you are immediately immersed in its dazzling interior design.

Entering through the revolving glass doors, you are greeted by murals on both side walls: 'One Hundred Beauties' and 'One Hundred Steeds'. Instantly, you shift from modern city life into an atmosphere brimming with classical elegance.

Proceeding further, you reach the hotel lobby, where a massive gold-inlaid mural of 'Dream of the Red Chamber' glitters brilliantly. The black and gold contrast enhances the sumptuousness of the setting. This mural was crafted with 200,000 pieces of gold leaf, exuding opulence on par with the Grand View Garden in the novel. The mural depicts 12 classic scenes from the story—Granny Liu’s visit to the Grand View Garden, Daiyu burying flowers, and more—each one replaying the tale vividly in your mind.

The lobby ceiling is modeled after the roof of an ancient Chinese imperial palace, and at its very center, a golden dragon coils overhead. I was told that the hotel’s swimming pool lies right above the lobby, and the dragon motif was chosen because dragons are creatures of water.

After checking in, I took the elevator to an Executive Yue Yun ('Cantonese Charm') room. Pushing open the door, I found a traditional one-bedroom suite with a living area, where modern executive-style design is infused throughout with clever Lingnan-Cantonese touches.

Behind a screen stands a spacious desk, its surface adorned with a relief carving of kapok flowers—Guangzhou’s city flower. Exquisite yet stylish, it delights you even while you work. Behind the desk is an antique-looking cabinet carved with delicate floral patterns. I wondered why a wardrobe would be placed in the living room, but opening it revealed a well-organized minibar with cups, a coffee machine, and other amenities neatly stored inside.

The desk faces the living area, a chic minimalist space where a Western-style sofa pairs effortlessly with a Chinese wooden table—the combination feels surprisingly harmonious. On the table are some snacks. Drawing back the sheer curtains, light floods in through the windows, illuminating the whole room. Outside, the bustling cityscape of towering buildings and ceaseless traffic unfolds, while the hotel’s vivid red kapok blossoms stand out, a particularly pleasing sight.

Above the double bed in the bedroom, a mural captures a scene from the 'Dream of the Red Chamber' gold-inlaid mural in the lobby. Rendered in color, it is even more lifelike, with flying cranes symbolizing good fortune and auspiciousness.

The bed and bathroom are separated by a sliding door, with a wet-dry layout. A large freestanding bathtub sits right beside the door. Even the packaging of the toiletries features bright red kapok flowers.

After dropping off my luggage, I headed to the Waterfall Restaurant on the ground floor, perfectly timed for afternoon tea. Its floor-to-ceiling glass windows frame the outdoor garden waterfall, allowing every table to enjoy the garden view. It felt like having tea inside a glass conservatory.

The restaurant’s décor is equally sophisticated: the floor is a checkerboard of black and white tiles, reminiscent of a chessboard, and the sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows creates a striking contrast. Near the windows stands a large, gilt statue of Marshal Liu, a deity rich in Lingnan character, finely carved and remarkably lifelike. It is a replica of the one in Foshan’s Ancestral Temple, representing Lingnan totemic culture and serving as the hotel’s protective deity.

The delicate Western-style pastries were equally enticing, with colorful touches on each cake and tart. The egg tarts filled the air with a creamy aroma. To cut the richness, we could sip on some refreshing, pretty-pink roselle tea.

After afternoon tea, we wandered around the hotel. The wooden spiral staircase near the lobby caught my eye. Unlike the modern escalator on the other side, this wooden staircase exudes an antique elegance, linking the first and third floors. Designed in a Greek Ionic style, it would make a perfect backdrop for a traditional Chinese cheongsam photoshoot—absolutely stunning.

Climbing the wooden spiral staircase to the third floor leads you to Mingshi Ge Western Restaurant. Inside, white gauze drapes all around, with floor-to-ceiling windows creating a dreamy atmosphere. It’s only open on Friday and Saturday evenings, and reservations are essential. They say marriage proposals here almost always succeed—I can’t imagine any woman resisting such a romantic setting.

On the other side of the third floor is Liwan Ting, a Cantonese restaurant that recreates the old Lychee Bay night market scene. Lychee trees sway, vines intertwine, and lifelike flower boats are moored alongside, each with its own name like Jin Daiti, evoking the watery world of the Tanka people. You can dine inside these flower boats; I couldn’t help but want to order a bowl of boat congee right there on one of them.

For dinner, we chose the hotel’s Niwa Japanese Restaurant. Passing through a traditional noren curtain, the dimly lit ambiance sets a chic, intimate mood. Inside, a welcoming pine arrangement exudes a subtle Japanese elegance, and small potted plants decorate the spotless tables. The restaurant divides its cooking stations into four areas—nigiri sushi, sashimi, teppanyaki, and robatayaki—allowing diners to watch the entire process from preparation to plate up close.

Japanese cuisine is celebrated for its refinement, and Niwa takes this sense of ceremonial elegance to the extreme. Every dish presented is both beautiful and delicious. The appetizer platter featured wasabi-marinated octopus, sea salt ginkgo nuts, and crispy fried dried shrimp, artfully arranged on a shell-shaped porcelain plate. The shrimp were crispy when dipped in sauce, the ginkgo offered a bitter yet sweet aftertaste, and the wasabi octopus was wonderfully appetizing.

The sashimi platter, my favorite, was mouthwatering at first glance. The tuna belly melted on the tongue, its rich fish oil leaving a savory fragrance. The ark shell sashimi was delightfully crisp, and the golden sea bream was exceptionally sweet and fresh. Dipped in Japanese fresh wasabi and soy sauce, each bite offered a unique flavor.

The sea urchin sushi was covered in fresh uni, and a squeeze of citrus juice added a refreshing, sweet burst that filled the mouth. The right-eye flounder sushi, with its tender meat, could be eaten in one bite. The flame-seared crab stick sushi was packed with succulent crab meat.

The seaweed-wrapped chicken wing was grilled to tender perfection. The sauce-broiled shiitake mushrooms were moist and juicy, sweet with a hint of savory glaze. The tiger prawn and scallop combo featured large, firm prawns and incredibly sweet scallops. The wagyu fried rice was rich with tender, fatty beef, and the generous bowl was more than enough.

The next day, I walked through the glass corridor to Jinli Bar for breakfast. Here, you can choose to sit indoors and enjoy the garden waterfall through the windows, or sit directly in the outdoor dining area and be fully immersed in the garden. Indoors, the dim ambiance lets you perch at the bar with a signature cocktail and soak in the cozy, boutique atmosphere.

The breakfast spread is a mix of Chinese and Western styles. You can order à la carte or help yourself at the buffet. The delicate Western pastries—strawberry tarts, croissants—looked so appetizing, while the poached eggs and omelette scored top marks in both presentation and taste. I couldn’t stop eating the red wine braised beef brisket, the sauce perfectly sealed into the meat, and the fragrant roasted duck was wonderfully tender.

The Cantonese dim sum—shrimp dumplings, siu mai, osmanthus jelly, and thousand-strand taro puffs—gave me the feeling of enjoying a traditional morning tea. As a Cantonese myself, I’m naturally more partial to these local treats.

After breakfast, I returned from the executive bar through the glass corridor and entered the garden for a leisurely stroll. It’s rare for a hotel in the city center to have a back garden spanning 21,000 square meters. Stepping into this hidden oasis feels like entering another world—the urban noise is shut out, leaving only lush greenery and cheerful birdsong. This refreshing, natural garden offered me a precious chance to get close to nature.

Sunlight filters through the leafy canopy, bathing the garden in a comforting glow. The air is filled with a refreshing fragrance. Crossing the wooden bridge that rises above the water, the sound of flowing water murmurs constantly. Not far away, the waterfall cascades down from a height. In the pond, red, yellow, and black koi fish immediately swarm around whenever someone passes by—perhaps thinking I might feed them.

Strolling along the shaded paths and looking up deep within the garden, I noticed a large mural of 'Night Mooring at Maple Bridge' on the hotel’s exterior wall. The garden’s kapok flowers are huge, some fallen on the pathway, dotting the fresh, pleasant garden with touches of red.

When you reach the restaurant’s Chinese-style entrance, you’ll see two displays flanking the door: the Green Dragon Crescent Blade and the Serpent Spear. Instantly, the heroic spirit of the Three Kingdoms era rushes over you.

For lunch, we went to the hotel’s Tao Yuan Guan Chinese restaurant. Its antique wooden décor is especially eye-catching. Upon entering, two ceramic tile murals on the left and right walls depict the 'Oath of the Peach Garden' and 'Three Heroes Battle Lü Bu,' unfolding the story of the Three Kingdoms.

In the main dining area, floor-to-ceiling windows offer a view of the scenery outside, including the kapok trees right in front of the hotel. In this vibrant spring season, the kapok blossoms are spectacularly bright, and the window-side tables are the most sought-after—perfect for enjoying traditional Cantonese cuisine while taking in Guangzhou’s spring colors. If you choose a private room, you’ll notice that each one is named after a character from 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms,' with lifelike portraits of that character inside.

As a Chinese restaurant, Tao Yuan Guan goes beyond Cantonese cuisine to cater to diverse palates. The 'Kung Fu Mandarin Orange Stewed Fresh Ginseng' is served in a manner reminiscent of Chaoshan gongfu tea—presented as if brewing a fine pot of tea. The soup is sweet and fragrant, with the aroma of tangerine peel and the fresh taste of ginseng. On the plate, a ginseng root and a mandarin orange serve as garnish, and lifting the orange reveals a hidden steamed pork ball inside.

Then the chef rolled in a trolley and prepared 'Golden Sour Beef Bites' tableside, the flames leaping from the wok lighting up the atmosphere in the private room.

The 'Golden Garlic Beef Bites' arrived with a wisp of fairy-like mist, the wagyu beef tender and juicy, paired with soft, slightly sweet garlic chips. The garlic perfectly cut through the richness of the wagyu, an unexpectedly harmonious combination.

The 'Pepper-Hemp Abalone with Crispy Chicken' was marinated in Sichuan pepper and numbing spice before roasting, so the chicken carries a lively, tingling flavor. If you want a stronger kick, you can dip it in additional pepper sauce. The chicken skin was roasted to a perfect crisp, truly deserving its name. The abalone roasted alongside absorbed the chicken’s juices, becoming sweet and refreshingly crisp.

The 'Steamed Grouper with Olive Oil' was prepared in a traditional Cantonese dim sum steamer basket. The grouper was sweet, tender, and steaming hot when served, with firm flesh that perfectly suits the Cantonese palate.

The 'Sakura Shrimp Inaniwa Udon with Seasonal Vegetables' came topped with black truffle and shrimp. The noodles were smooth and delightfully chewy, their mild flavor infused with the earthy aroma of black truffle.

Chasing spring doesn’t require heading to the countryside. Staying at Guangzhou Garden Hotel in the city center allows you to capture spring’s colors just as well. Stroll through the 21,000-square-meter urban garden, or invite a close friend for an elegant garden afternoon tea while admiring the nearby waterfall—this, I believe, is the best way to spend a spring day.

Travelogue Contents

1. Prologue

2. A Treasure Hotel: Welcome to the Art Palace

3. Stay in Yue Yun Room, Savor Lingnan Charm

4. Afternoon Tea in a Glass House by the Garden Waterfall

5. Pause at Every Marvelous Corner, Surprises Everywhere

6. Top-Notch Japanese Cuisine, Locking Freshness in Every Bite

7. A Revitalizing Breakfast, Frolicking with Koi

8. Strolling the Garden, a Peaceful Haven in the City

9. Tao Yuan Ting—A Three Kingdoms Peach Garden Oath

10. Postscript