Embrace Mountains & Lakes This Summer, Stay at Fanli and Ride the Waves

I can't believe I'm back at Qiandao Lake so soon.

As I mentioned last time on the Qiandao Lake travel forum, Qiandao Lake will always be the white moonlight in my life, a backyard garden just a step away, offering poetry and far-flung dreams amidst Shanghai's concrete jungle.

Yes, this is already my third visit to Qiandao Lake with Yuanbao. It feels like returning to a hometown on the road. This time, together with friends, we once again chose a slow-paced getaway, staying at a resort hotel nestled beside the lake and mountains. There, I enjoyed a gentle breeze on the balcony, flipped through a leisure book, savored the season's freshest bayberries, took a bath while gazing at the green hills and clear waters outside the window, and rode the wind and waves across a stretch of emerald water. Even though the weather wasn't ideal, I still came away with the most relaxed holiday mood.

Hometown on the Journey: Qiandao Lake's Dream Home

As a hotel buff, experiencing unique hotels on my travels is one of my joys. Today's hotels have long gone beyond mere 'accommodation'; they incorporate cultural symbols of the journey and increasingly embody a lifestyle choice. Take, for example, our stay at Jinglan Fanli Resort Qiandao Lake. It is located in Jinfeng Township, known as 'China's Photography Town,' in Chun'an County, about a half-hour drive from Qiandao Lake Station on the Hangzhou-Huangshan high-speed railway.

The hotel's name, 'Fanli,' literally means 'returning home.' It commemorates the 'special national action' of the Xin'an River migration 60 years ago, calling the descendants of those migrants to come back and visit, and it also represents the hotel's heartfelt effort to create a dream home for travelers on Qiandao Lake.

The hotel is embraced by mountains and water, with three sides facing the lake and surrounded by lush greenery, like a secluded paradise. From above, the entire building forms the Chinese character for 'person' (人), symbolizing that 'all things are people-oriented.'

The architecture is modern Chinese in style. I heard that the majestic columns were brought over from the forests of Malaysia, exuding a steady grace. Antique items collected from Anhui and various spots around Qiandao Lake are carefully arranged in the public areas.

You'll see an old elm tea table and pottery jars on the antique shelf in a corner of the lobby, and a whole wall of landscape paintings one floor below ground.

Glimpses into Chun'an County's folk customs

You can feel the cultural depth embedded in the hotel's design, adding a touch of cultural flavor to your trip.

Of course, the hotel offers more than that. Guests' ultimate desire for a holiday is pleasure and relaxation.

In addition to a unique waterside courtyard, a laid-back outdoor swimming pool, and a large kids' club, the hotel also features a lakeside gym and a billiards room.

There's even a small private cinema that screens classic films at scheduled times.

Bath with a View of the Lakes and Mountains

The hotel offers about 139 rooms in various styles, including lake-view courtyard rooms, lake-view family rooms, and mahjong rooms. Solid wood, mat rush, brass, and books are woven into the room designs, creating a pastoral feel that brings you closer to nature.

With Yuanbao, we opted for a lake-view family room with a large soaking tub.

Once inside and taking a closer look, I noticed many clever details. For example, the hotel's logo resembles the character '返' written with a calligraphy brush, incorporating elements of Huizhou culture like horse-head walls, stone-paved paths, and home gates. It vividly conveys the liveliness of a hometown, perfectly complementing the hotel's name.

It fully meets the diverse needs of a family on vacation: a large soaking tub that children love, a vanity table that mothers appreciate, and a projector for the whole family to gather and enjoy a private mini-cinema experience.

A room like this is a blessing for families traveling with kids. While Yuanbao and Naying splashed happily in the big tub, we adults could relax and chat effortlessly. Struggling with childcare? Not here!

Kids' Club: A Wellspring of Joy for Little Ones

When it comes to children's favorite facility in the hotel, the kids' club is unbeatable. Indoor kids' clubs have become a standard in family-friendly resorts, but it's rare to find one as generous as Fanli's, with nearly 300 square meters of indoor play space.

Slides, ball pits, climbing frames—these are wellsprings of joy for kids and grown-ups alike. Yuanbao and Naying had so much fun there that they'd have happily slept in the play area, tireless and thrilled.

The innocent smiles that lit up their faces moved us deeply. This is what childhood joy is all about.

A Taste of Delight: Cuisine Amidst Green Hills and Clear Waters

In addition to the all-day dining restaurant on the ground floor, the hotel's lower level features Chinese-style private dining rooms right by the lake, facing the lake and mountain scenery. During our stay, many diners were there—some for a proposal, others for birthday parties.

The menu highlights local Qiandao Lake specialties, pleasing in color, aroma, and taste.

It was my first time trying peanut sprouts—light, sweet, and fresh, as if taking a bite of the countryside. Stir-fried with ham, it was just perfect. In the homestyle chive pancake, the fresh fragrance of chives blended with tender tofu, and even Yuanbao wolfed it down.

Needless to say, the fish head from Qiandao Lake is already its signature dish. One sip of the milky white broth and our group was instantly won over.

Since it was the weekend, we also ordered some Qiandao Lake beer. Its delicate aroma, smooth taste, and crisp finish were the very essence of summer.

The side dish of preserved tofu at breakfast was quintessentially Jiangnan.

A hearty breakfast

Emerald Waters: Riding the Wind and Waves This Summer

What's a summer hotel without a swimming pool? The hotel pool curves like a crescent moon, with bayberry trees reflecting in the water like a scene of pure beauty. At night, ripples dance and glint with a different kind of tenderness.

During the day, taking advantage of the fine weather, Yuanbao climbed into the hotel's glass boat, placed his favorite colorful balls and little yellow duck, and paddled lightly. Pure bliss. The pool water was so green it felt like floating in the middle of the lake.

Behind the pool, those are bayberry trees!

I, too, deliberately put on a long dress and, with a touch of style, embarked on my own 'ride the wind and waves' adventure—one for the 'sister.'

And so, my fifth visit to Qiandao Lake during bayberry season ended in a relaxed and joyful manner. Despite occasional heavy rain, we still enjoyed a fun weekend of family time with friends.

I'm already looking forward to returning to Fanli next time, to continue riding the wind and waves amidst the mountains and emerald waters, and gazing at the star-speckled sky above.