Yihe's Decade of Wanguochun | Three Meals a Day, a Bed at Night—Stitching Springtime Jinling's Beauty with This Homegrown Hotel Brand
Nanjing, among China's mega cities, is a wondrous and unique presence. It has the grace of the south and the forthrightness of the north; it bears the historical mien of a six-dynasty ancient capital and the natural poetry of mountains and waters embracing the city. Since ancient times, Nanjing has produced talents in droves, and the ancient cultural hub epitomized by Fuzi Miao has brought endless developmental potential to the city. In the hotel circle, this city has also given rise to a brand that commands respect—one that has garnered numerous domestic hotel industry awards over the years, a testament in itself. That brand is: Yihe.
I never stint in my fondness for this brand, having long since checked off all six of its hotels. As a hotel brand rooted in Nanjing, it remains my top recommendation for friends visiting Jinling. Yihe's four Nanjing properties each have their own style; staying at a Yihe is in itself part of experiencing the city's flavor, for no other brand understands Nanjing better than this one.
Gazing at Nanjing's lakes, mountains, and cityscape from the Yihe Mansions district |
"A street called Yihe, half the history of the Republic." We often hear this phrase used to describe Nanjing's Yihe Road Mansion District. Slightly exaggerated though it may be, it attests to the area's historical and cultural value and its special status. It is precisely based on this value that Yihe Hotels took these two characters as its name, signifying the inheritance and promotion of this important Jinling history and culture. This is what fundamentally sets Yihe apart from other Nanjing hotels.
Speaking of which, I must mention the "Yihe Road Mansion District." In Nanjing's Gulou District, centered on the Ninghai Road roundabout, several roads—Yihe, Ninghai, Mogan, etc.—radiate outward. Within the 378,000-square-meter area enclosed by these roads, there remain 225 relatively well-preserved mansions once belonging to high-ranking officials of the Republic of China government, making it the area with the largest concentration of Republic-era mansions in China. They are named after Yihe Road, which serves as the central axis. Among them, the 12th Sub-district, a model for the renovation of the Yihe Road Mansion District, consists of 26 Republic-era villas of varied architectural styles and was honored with the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation in 2014. And the protagonist of this article, Yihe Hotel, originated right here. In June 2013, Yihe Mansions opened its doors, thus beginning the development of Yihe Hotels in Nanjing and nationwide—the prologue to the Yihe story.
Four years after the opening of Yihe Mansions, Yihe Yangzi Hotel reopened on the Yangtze riverside at Xiaguan. In 1912, after Nanjing officially opened as a treaty port, the Yangzi Hotel became the earliest Western-run guesthouse there. A century later in 2011, a restoration project was launched; after six years, Yihe Hotels gave Yangzi Hotel a fresh new look. In this unique building—China's only French-château-style structure built with Ming-dynasty city wall bricks—Yihe Yangzi Hotel relates a different chapter of Nanjing's story to visitors in an entirely distinct way.
The third chapter unfolded the year after Yihe Yangzi Hotel opened. In the Laomendong historical and cultural block, Jieziyuan—the former villa residence of early Qing literati Li Yu—was restored and brought back to life, recreating the classic "heaven in a pot" from 350 years ago. And leading this project, once again, was Yihe Hotels. In 2018, Yihe Jieziyuan Hotel made a stunning debut, reintroducing to the world this Jinling Jieziyuan, which holds an important place in the history of Chinese gardens, and officially heralding the arrival of a new type of specialty hotel under the Yihe banner.
Time marches on, and Yihe's story opens a new chapter. Yihe's second brand, "Yin Yi" (Seclusion), was grandly launched in mid-2019, described as a "non-everyday leisure resort space hotel." Its dazzling first property is Yin Yi Shuijie Hotel, set within Bailuzhou Park in the Fuzi Miao area. The hotel straddles both banks of the inner Qinhuai River, with tourist boats gliding by from time to time; guests and boat passengers become scenery for each other, adding a special charm.
After placing four properties in the city of Jinling, Yihe Hotels bravely opened two brand-new luxury boutique hotels in the fourth quarter of 2021, venturing outside Nanjing and even outside Jiangsu for the first time. Yancheng Dayang Bay Yihe Hupan and Yihe Yunxi Jinshidi Hotel (for related experiences, click the hotel names for details) brought the Yihe quality to Yancheng, Jiangsu and Weishan, Yunnan, instantly becoming the top hotel choices locally and stealing the spotlight.
Beyond the hotels, when Yihe is mentioned, another resounding brand must be brought up: "Wanguochun · Chinese Restaurant." Wanguochun's history in Nanjing is no shorter than that of the Yihe Mansions district. Since the Republic of China era, Wanguochun has been a leader in Nanjing's dining scene. With the passage of time, the once-faded time-honored brand Wanguochun was discovered and embraced by Yihe, and in 2019, the first Wanguochun · Chinese Restaurant opened in Yihe Mansions, later introducing the brand to other Yihe properties. Today, in the four Yihe hotels—Mansions, Jieziyuan, Water Street, and Hupan—one can find Wanguochun, which has become a paragon of Chinese cuisine blending East and West, with Huaiyang cuisine as its foundation.
One reason Wanguochun is so cherished is that while presenting traditional Chinese dishes in the form of French cuisine, enhancing their refinement and sense of occasion immensely, it also guarantees innovative and consistently excellent preparations, allowing guests to taste the freshest seasonal flavors in every season.
Spring outing, savoring the good food moments
As spring has just arrived, bamboo shoots, spring chives, celery sprouts, Longjing tea, anchovies, river clams, and other bursts of freshness make their way into Wanguochun's kitchen—how could one not be delighted?
"In the misty third month, go down to Jiangnan"—so follow my footsteps and stroll through these four Yihe hotels in Jinling, seeking out the spring scenery together.
Yihe Mansions, the brand's inaugural work, is a highly renowned hotel in the boutique hotel circles of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai. Its location is utterly unique in all of Nanjing—integrating the 26 celebrity villas of the 12th sub-district of Yihe Road Mansion District, it exudes a profound sense of history. Cream-colored walls, gray-brick villa buildings—all radiate a charm belonging to bygone times.
What I love is this hotel's approachability; it has no grand entrance like traditional hotels, but rather feels like a quiet retreat one might stumble upon during an afternoon stroll. There is no massive main building; all guest rooms and public facilities are spread across those historic villas, scattered throughout the mansion district.
Entering from the main gate, on the left is an exquisite small building called "Shenliutang," with a gentle stream flowing before its door—it serves as the reception. Stepping through its vintage bronze doors is like entering the welcoming hall of a Republic-era mansion. Retro sofas, dark wooden tables are heavily steeped in nostalgia. The second floor is a lounge area—one can daydream, browse classic books, or sit quietly sipping tea, returning to the most leisurely lifestyle.
Unlike many old-mansion conversions, Yihe Mansions does not blindly adhere to a "restore the old as old" approach; the interiors, in particular, are quite innovative, preserving the Republic-era thematic style while using brand-new details to enhance the modern stay experience. Moreover, because the guest rooms are distributed among different villas, and almost every villa's interior layout differs, staying here brings the joy of opening a mystery box: even if you book a room with the same category name each time, the rooms you check into may each hold their own charm and distinctive character.
This time I stayed in a very classic villa—one could say the main promotional images featuring guest rooms all come from this building: Building 18, once the private residence of Liu Jiashu, commander of the pacification zone. The villa's original gray-brick façade is fully retained; the damaged gate pillars were replaced in style, yet the charm remains.
It's a three-story building. After swiping the key card to enter, there's a shared lounge area for the guests of the several rooms in this building. The wall decoration is a rank badge (buzi) woven from Nanjing cloud brocade, its pattern symbolizing the original owner's military background. Details like this abound in the Mansions' interior spaces, one of the many ingenious touches in the hotel's restoration design. Climbing the stairs leads to my room.
The guest room adopts a light color palette dominated by beige, with warm-toned lighting that nicely brings out the finesse of the interior. I really like the wooden louvered shutters, which not only blend with the Republic style but also perfectly meet the dual needs of old villas for natural light and privacy. The headboard's backdrop pattern derives from the "Beiping Jianpu" (Beiping Letter Paper Album) co-edited by Lu Xun and Zheng Zhenduo during the Republic era; the notepaper by the bedside is a semi-absorbent xuan paper produced in collaboration with Nanjing's Shizhuzhai—another unparalleled choice of style. These details alone are enough to win hearts, not to mention the fully customized interior furniture: from the custom drum stools from Jingdezhen to the Iranian green marble coffee table, all display extraordinary taste.
The bathroom is equally enchanting, with Lefroy Brooks retro faucets, bathtub, and basin; custom white-glazed toothbrush cups from Jingdezhen; even the amenity kit is a specially designed woven pouch—everything exudes refinement and evokes endless imagination about the elegance of the Republic era.
Yet the most sublime feature of this room is the semicircular balcony: as spring descends, there is sunshine and vitality, and one can suddenly feel the classic fusion of Nanjing's old-time charm and modernity.
As a culture-themed hotel, what is most special about Yihe Mansions is its dedication to cultural dissemination. The hotel has specifically set aside several villas as exhibition spaces, themed around Republic-era attire, furnishings, educational books, and the Xue Yue Anti-Japanese War exhibition, fully showcasing the social mores of that time. Even more special is that the hotel has collaborated with the Jinling Engraving Office to develop a woodblock watermarking experience activity; in-house guests can try their hand at this art form from that era.
If there is anything else truly extraordinary about Yihe Mansions, it would be its exceptional dining standards. You may have noticed that the header image for this hotel also bears the logo of the prestigious hotel alliance Relais & Châteaux. Indeed, being accepted into this alliance, which has almost exacting standards for cuisine, already speaks volumes for Yihe Mansions' culinary level. As Nanjing's only Relais & Châteaux member hotel, Yihe Mansions warrants a special trip for both its Chinese and Western fare.
For Chinese cuisine, the natural choice is the first Wanguochun · Chinese Restaurant, newly unveiled. The villa housing the restaurant is named Dongyinlu; other nearby villas also offer private dining rooms for selection. This is a Chinese restaurant that has won numerous awards since its opening.
Wanguochun's signature Republic-era cuisine is a very innovative culinary style, blending Huaiyang, Anhui, Shandong, Suzhou, and other regional cuisines, incorporating Nanjing's local preferences for certain ingredients and cooking methods, and served in the Western style of individual portions, instantly creating a feeling of time travel. This spring, Wanguochun at Yihe Mansions features seasonal river and seafood, treating every guest to a Jiangnan taste feast.
The opening quartet of dried fruits and quartet of cold appetizers each draw inspiration from the four great beauties of the Republic era—so beautiful they are almost too precious to touch with chopsticks. Among the cold appetizers, two meat and two vegetarian dishes include a fish terrine with Jiangnan character, and succulently textured scallops; refreshing bitter melon and sweet pumpkin strike the perfect balance.
The passion fruit sakura jelly is sure to be a favorite among ladies—this season's fallen cherry blossoms incorporated into a dish, with sweet-sour passion fruit, is a stunning appetizer. Following the refreshing notes comes the rich, deboned fish brain and fish maw bisque. Deboned fish brain is a test of skill in Huaiyang cuisine—one careless step and it turns fishy—but the rendition here, paired with fish maw, is nothing but umami and smoothness; one bowl leaves you craving more. Spring chive and snail meat with river shrimp is a stir-fry of tender seasonal chives, snail meat, and river shrimps, drawing out the supreme flavor of river delicacies; pairing it with Jinling mini sesame balls is a stroke of genius, adding complexity to the texture.
Shrimp-roe-encrusted broad beans and spring bamboo shoots, paired with Jiangnan celery sprout and cured delicacy, features my beloved seasonal ingredients—bamboo shoots and broad beans. The season for fresh broad beans is fleeting, cherished by Jiangnan people; adding shrimp roe makes it fresh upon fresh, with endless aftertaste. Moonlight river clams simmered with eel sees two river treasures simmered together to extra richness, the eel's thick, tender flesh delivering a satisfying bite. Morel mushroom double-boiled with chrysanthemum tofu is a showpiece dish and one of the signature dishes here, impeccable in both taste and presentation.
The showstopping dish, Fujian yellow croaker slow-poached in Sichuan pepper oil, uses my preferred Sichuan pepper flavor to highlight the croaker's sweetness and tenderness; the firm texture fully demonstrates Wanguochun's pursuit of top-notch ingredients. To finish, flat-egg fish ball immersed in pea shoots makes use of seasonal pea shoots for a refreshingly clean clash of flavors on the palate, bringing a perfect meal to a close.
Standing opposite Wanguochun is the hotel's century-old Western restaurant. This delicate, graceful three-story building features a lovely terrace and exquisite décor on the main dining floor, while the third floor, with its pitched ceiling, adds a special sense of ceremony and solemnity.
Bainian (the restaurant's name meaning "a hundred years") can be considered the standard-bearer of French cuisine in Nanjing, maintaining consistently high standards since its opening. I enjoyed a superb dinner here. Low-temperature salmon with Kaluga caviar and pan-seared foie gras with Italian herb vinegar are standout appetizers—do not miss them at Bainian. Seafood and offal are true tests of a chef's skill; these two dishes are fundamentals, yet one can taste innovation in them.
The main courses are a balanced duo of fish and meat. Turbot with mushrooms and Hollandaise sauce is a refreshing, clear flavor I enjoy, allowing the turbot's freshness to be richly perceived. Angus ribeye with celeriac purée and seasonal vegetables is a classic grill; at medium doneness, the meat is evenly textured and the juices are locked in, the mouthfeel exceptionally smooth.
Yihe Mansions set the template for the Yihe brand and defined its tonality and foundation, giving every future Yihe hotel a solid footing for development.
In 2018, Yihe Jieziyuan Hotel opened in Laomendong, a trendy tourist area that has been gaining momentum in recent years. It is the third Yihe hotel in Nanjing. Unlike the Republic-era flavor of the first two, this hotel presents a different chapter of Nanjing's history, a different face. The hotel is anchored by Jieziyuan, the famous Jinling garden built in the early Qing period. After meticulous restoration, this former villa residence and private garden of early Qing literati Li Yu has become one of the most important attractions in southern Nanjing and the Laomendong scenic area.
Thus, in Jieziyuan Hotel, elements of Li Yu and Kunqu opera become a golden thread running throughout, transporting guests back to the verdant era of the "ancestor of all operas." Even if you're not staying, I strongly recommend a visit to Jieziyuan. Today, Jieziyuan is a ticketed attraction, but hotel guests can access it via a dedicated passageway from within the hotel by swiping their room key—a true privilege of staying here.
In this garden covering less than three mu (about 0.2 hectares) yet earning the reputation of "heaven in a pot," all the classic Jiangnan garden elements are present: fantastical Taihu rockeries, winding pavilions and covered corridors, lively clear ponds. Guests can even visit in the early morning when there are no other tourists, savoring the luxury of having the entire garden all to themselves.
The hotel consists of a north and a south courtyard complex, with a stunning passageway between them. As a semi-open classical courtyard garden hotel, it preserves a certain privacy while conveying an attitude of blending with the times. The main entrance is through the north courtyard on Taojia Alley; apart from the three characters "芥子园" (Jieziyuan) on the lintel, there isn't much signaling that it's a "hotel."
This time, the Nanyuan Garden View Suite I stayed in is, in my view, the most highly recommendable room category in the whole hotel. Nanyuan building is adjacent to Jieziyuan and has only two stories, so the rooms facing the garden on the upper floor are quite precious—and the Garden View Suite boasts just such a rare vantage point. The suite stretches horizontally along the garden wall; from the bathroom, living room, to the bedroom, the garden is visible throughout, and it even features a super-large scenic balcony, truly astonishing!
Upon entry there is a foyer; behind it is the clearly demarcated bathroom area. In order not to waste the beautiful view outside, the bathtub is deliberately placed by the window. The three-section layout ensures the independence of each area, greatly enhancing the sense of privacy and comfort. The back-to-basics, understated Chinese style allows one to instantly find inner peace and clarity.
The bedroom is equally spacious, with a chaise longue and a long desk flanking the bed—perfect for both leisure and work. And on the desk, you'll also find many interesting little objects; perhaps they best represent the character of this hotel.
The most delightful surprise was finding the thread-bound edition of "Xian Qing Ou Ji" (The Pillow Book). Having the chance to read Li Yu's most celebrated work in a room so intimately connected to him is perhaps the most unexpected gain.
Looking closely, there's so much refinement embedded in this room, almost melted into its bones. "Gazing at a mustard seed to see Mount Sumeru"—perhaps this is the precious essence that Yihe Jieziyuan Hotel most profoundly encapsulates. The room features artworks framed from late Qing stone-printed plates of the "Jieziyuan Huapu" (Mustard Seed Garden Manual of Painting), custom woodblock watermark xuan paper notepads, a three-piece Yixing clay teapot set, and even the mouthwash cups and soap dishes are Jingdezhen celadon glazed! I especially love their eco-friendly fabric amenity bag, whose pattern is also a rubbing from the "Jieziyuan Huapu"!
Nanyuan also houses the hotel's main restaurant, Wanguochun · Chinese Restaurant – Zhoujintang. This is Wanguochun's second branch in Nanjing.
The restaurant's elegance goes without saying, yet the dishes still deliver surprise after surprise. While similarly presenting seasonal spring dishes, they manage to showcase their unique character, which left a deep impression on me.
The four-flavor cold appetizer quartet continues Wanguochun's tradition of the four-beauties-of-the-Republic cold assortment—again two meat, two vegetarian, excellent in both appearance and taste. Sweet osmanthus taro soup, an authentic Nanjing sweet snack, officially starts the meal.
Green chive and eel bisque—eel soup is uncommon, with a texture that uniquely highlights eel's distinctive umami. Finger lime and peony prawn flower introduces me to the finger lime ingredient: like popping boba bursting on the tongue, yet definitely a real natural fruit. Zhangshugang chili stir-fried snowflake beef is a classic Western dish done the Chinese way, retaining the fatty richness of snowflake beef and the tenderness of the meat itself.
Mendong double-taste platter (shepherd's purse and spring bamboo shoots, clover and river clams) is a sublime seasonal dish not to be missed this time of year. Steamed late-harvest cabbage with scallop uses the sweetness of this season's cabbage against a robust seafood backdrop. Jiangnan celery sprout and mandarin fish threads is a quintessentially home-style stir-fry—what you taste is pure freshness. Quick-fried Indian aster takes an ingredient we usually only see in cold salad and turns it into a fast stir-fry; with the gloss of oil, this common spring ingredient takes on a different flavor.
The emergence of Yihe Jieziyuan opens up more possibilities for Yihe Hotels. Connecting with history and culture, aligning with the pulse of urban development, it represents that Yihe's future will be a hundred flowers in bloom.
As the debut of Yihe's "Yin Yi" (Seclusion) brand, Yihe Yin Yi Shuijie Hotel expresses the meaning of "seclusion" with perfect clarity. The hotel is located within Wuding Gate by the Nanjing city wall, built along the Qinhuai River and beside the serene waters of Bailuzhou Park—amid bustling city life yet far from the hubbub, fully embracing nature. Isn't this exactly what seclusion is meant to convey?
"Jiangnan a land of beauties fair, / Jinling a city of emperors rare. / Winding streams ripple past at ease, / And towered buildings rise among trees"—the famous lines from Xie Tiao's "Entering the Court" seem custom-written for Yin Yi Shuijie. The area around the hotel, Bailuzhou Water Street, has a rich historical background tracing back to Sun Quan of the Three Kingdoms, passing through Eastern Wu's Zhou Chu, Southern Liang's Xiao Yan, Ming dynasty's Xu Da, and many other eminent figures across a millennium. Today, as days and nights cycle at Yin Yi Shuijie, it is as if history is advancing, writing a new chapter for the old stories.
The Yin Yi brand focuses on "non-everyday leisure resort space hotels." It is not merely a hotel but a self-contained, leisurely recreational block. On one side is the ancient city wall of Nanjing; on the other, the historic Qinhuai canal. Occasionally, Qinhuai pleasure boats glide right through the hotel grounds, becoming a fascinating spectacle.
From the moment you step into the hotel lobby, you feel a fresh, elegant, and tranquil breeze that naturally puts you at ease. Every guest room comes with a view—lush gardens, the quiet Qinhuai river, or the rippling boats. They are scattered among different courtyards, in a light, contemporary neo-Chinese style that can instantly detach you from the hectic reality to savor the leisure of life.
There are two distinctive suites here that I am particularly fond of. Top of the list is the one I stayed in this time: the Yihe Suite. I would call it my dream Jinling abode for a comfortable sojourn. I absolutely love the row of courtyard arcades leaning by the riverside—watching the scenery, or having tourists on passing boats watch me, creates a fascinating sense of time-travel.
Entering, there's a foyer providing excellent privacy. The three functional spaces laid out horizontally along the riverbank all face the Qinhuai directly. The living room is in the center, with the bedroom and bathroom on either side, undisturbed. Sliding open the door of the living room leads directly to the riverside. I especially love the Italian pump espresso machine provided; during my stay, I'd DIY a cup of rich coffee, grab a pack of complimentary snacks from the minibar, and sit on the bamboo chair in the arcade, sipping and gazing lightly, letting time slip by—that is life.
The bedroom is a study in subtraction: not many adornments, only the most basic amenities related to sleep. The plain white bedding pairs perfectly with the integrated wooden low cabinets in an antique style, much like a traditional Jiangnan residence of old. The cultural atmosphere in the bedroom is rich—a Go board, a painting scroll—all conducive to calming the mind.
The spacious bathroom has ample cabinets and a huge deep-soaking bathtub. The shower stall is set by the window, making the space even more transparent and bright.
The Yin Yi Suite, leaning against the Bailuzhou Park side, is also a room type I highly recommend. Its viewing terrace facing the park lets one connect more intimately with Bailuzhou.
This suite adopts an open-plan living room layout, merging the living and sleeping areas into one continuous space.
The bathroom follows the same design as the Yihe Suite, offering superb comfort.
Wanguochun · Chinese Restaurant's third branch, Louhuyuan, is also situated on Water Street, standing by the river.
I really like the names of the restaurant's private dining rooms—Dongfu City, Zhuangyuan Jing, Tongxia Li, etc.—all echoing the ancient place names of the imperial Jinling city, constantly imbuing one with the cultural roots of this city. The restaurant is led by Executive Chinese Chef Lu of Yihe; while inheriting Wanguochun's quality, he has also pioneered special delicacies like the Eight Unique Qinhuai Snacks and Jinling Boat Banquet.
If visiting during this season, why not try the spring Qinhuai boat banquet, where river delicacies string together the entire spring. The banquet begins with the four cold appetizers and Nanjing's signature sweet taro soup—a perfect sweet-savory balance that instantly awakens the palate.
Chrysanthemum leaf and anchovy wonton with fish maw: this is the season for river anchovies to hit the market; the wontons are filled with anchovy, yielding a mouthful of umami—truly deserving the title of spring's first freshness. Shrimp roe and bamboo shoot shrimp ball likewise uses this season's abundant shrimp roe and the spring vegetable king "bamboo shoot" to elevate the sweetness of the shrimp with a double-umami. Casserole river delicacy stewed with abalone serves as a palate-adjusting dish: the rich taste after the refreshing notes prepares one perfectly for the next course.
Spring chive and snail meat in sesame pouch paired with sweet pea, asparagus, and sakura shrimp—the spring duo once again tidies up the taste buds with breathy fresh flavors: the chive fragrance, snail umami, pea sweetness, one bite is all spring. Sichuan pepper and soy sauce steamed mandarin fish uses the now-popular Sichuan-Hunan flavors to awaken the unique taste of river fish; the slight numbing spiciness of Sichuan pepper and green chili rings perfectly brings out the mandarin fish's delicacy. Finally, water-street braised noodles bring closure—beginning in Jinling, ending in Nanjing.
I've always felt that Yin Yi Shuijie is less a hotel and more a "private garden where one can sleep and taste freshness." It harbors a surreal sense of traveling back to a former dynasty, yet it firmly leaves sweet, comfortable memories in every guest's heart. Perhaps this is the hotel's greatest charm.
This last Yihe hotel, easily overlooked, is actually the most special existence. Its "Jinling flavor" captivates me. The building housing it was originally constructed in 1912; it is Nanjing's only "Western-château style Republic-era architecture" and was once the famous Yangzi Hotel of the Republic period. Today, Yihe has brought this century-old classic hotel back to life.
It is an utterly "immersive" hotel: from the moment you step in, you are completely enveloped by the atmosphere it creates, as if you've crashed a "Republic-era party," moving through time, with the illusion of being in a museum rereading history. That, perhaps, is what makes Yangzi Hotel so special. This season, cherry blossoms and white magnolias in the courtyard vie to bloom, adding vibrant life to the place.
The whole Yangzi Hotel consists of two buildings, one large and one small, like a married couple. The main building itself is built with "Ming-dynasty city wall bricks" from Nanjing; you can even find the names of the brick-makers engraved on them. As times have evolved, Ming city wall bricks have long been listed as protected cultural relics, and there can never be another new building in Nanjing built with wall bricks, making this a swan song of history.
Everywhere in the hotel, one finds a fusion of Chinese and Western Republic-era charm. Inside the French château exterior from the Renaissance period, Chinese-style structures and decorations are interspersed: a Western-style fountain, arches and semi-basements typical of old castles, dormer windows at varying heights, stained glass ceilings, mahogany staircases, and Chinese carved railings—all vividly displaying the cultural collisions of the Republic era.
This time I chose the largest guest room by area in the hotel: the Yangzi Suite. Located on the top floor of the main building, it is the only room tucked under the beautiful red pitched roof. The layout of this suite is very special, much like a private mansion from the Republic era. The living room is the most expansive space in the suite.
Push open the old-style louvered doors, and there is this suite's most enchanting little balcony—sunshine, and even more loveliness.
Further inside is the bedroom, with a huge walk-in closet in the corner. The four-poster bed is charming, but what's even more charming are the dormer windows—they instantly remind me of old houses from my childhood and the times I'd lean on the windowsill peeking out at the scenery through the gaps.
Beyond that is the bathroom. I particularly like some of its details: the washbasin on a stainless steel high stand, the makeup mirror tilted at 15 degrees, the clawfoot bathtub—all recreating a strong Republic-era nostalgia that is utterly enchanting.
Besides this suite, in this seven-room hotel there is another very special room: it occupies an entire building by itself, known as "Villa No. 12." Although slightly smaller in area than the Yangzi Suite, having a standalone villa all to oneself offers extreme privacy and is also quite popular.
The guest room is located on the second floor of this villa, with an L-shaped, narrow and long layout. The consistent Republic style aligns with other rooms, but what's special is that this room features a separated office space, better suiting the needs of business travelers.
In this season of singing orioles and growing grass, Jinling is a patchwork of beautiful scenes. Yihe's four hotels in Nanjing provide guests with superb strategic locations for their stay. Yihe Mansions and Yangzi Hotel are tucked in the north of the city, close to the rippling Xuanwu Lake and the falling cherry blossoms at Jiming Temple, and a bit farther to the peach-blossom-covered Qixia Mountain and the majestic Purple Mountain.
In the south of the city, Yihe Jieziyuan and Yin Yi Shuijie are naturally part of the scenic areas themselves. With Jieziyuan at Laomendong and Shuijie at Fuzi Miao, staying here lets you experience a different kind of scenery in the quiet early mornings and late nights without the crowds of tourists. You can also venture a little farther to the Bao'en Temple—once the oldest temple in Chinese history, now restored using high-tech methods—or to the visually stunning and religiously significant Niushou Mountain and Jinling Town, all unforgettable destinations that lift one's spirits.
And I believe, Nanjing's beautiful scenery is different yet wonderful in every season. Spring has its hundred flowers, summer its breeze, autumn its bright moon, winter its snow. Why don't we make a pact: Nanjing, Yihe—we'll meet again in summer!
Note: All images in this article are provided by Pan Changyong, Xiu Jian, Khaven.
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