Pingyao County Inns

I did not want to leave. That is the most honest thing I can say about Xihe Academy. ”Guest house” is a label that does not prepare you for what this place actually is. If you are American and hearing that term for the first time, forget whatever image just came to mind. This is not a MIL suite tucked behind someone's garage. This is a fully realized, deeply considered experience wrapped inside one of the most stunning environments I have ever walked into. The courtyard alone stopped me mid-step. The surrounding area looks like an active film set -- you keep half-expecting to hear ”action” called from somewhere just off camera. And then you step inside and somehow it gets even better. I genuinely lost my words. The room is the kind of space where you realize someone has actually thought of everything. Included minibar. Fresh fruit and snacks. Loose-leaf tea so you can brew a proper cup. Bathrooms fully stocked down to the shower shoes. You can arrive with nothing but your clothes and be completely at ease. They have handled the rest. The staff made all of it feel personal. When a language barrier created a small miscommunication, they were patient and gracious without a flicker of frustration. When I joked that I had gone a little crazy shopping and could not close my suitcase, they immediately offered suggestions to help. That warmth is not a policy -- it lives in the people. They coordinate meals as well, and mine was delivered to my room and genuinely delicious. One thing I will say without hesitation: use their driver. This is a private, gated area and you cannot simply grab a random car or rideshare. Arrange your pickup from the train station or airport in advance -- it is seamless, affordable, and completely worth it. Do not skip this step. This was my first guesthouse experience, and Xihe Academy has set a bar I was not expecting to clear so soon. If you stay here, you will not regret it. Five stars is not enough.

When choosing a B&B, I prioritize room size and location. ✔️ This B&B is near Xiaonanmen, and it's not a long walk to get there. Plus, they offer pick-up and drop-off service, with a staff member carrying luggage, so you don't have to lift a finger – truly great for those traveling with kids. Even better, they provide pick-up and drop-off from Pingyao High-Speed Rail Station, saving you the hassle of finding a taxi yourself. The B&B is right next to a pedestrian street, which is very convenient. ✔️ The environment is lovely. It's a two-story courtyard house with many flowers and plants in the central patio, creating a natural oasis. There are also common areas with sofas, swing chairs, and a coffee bar, making it enjoyable even if you don't go out. ✔️ Our reserved room was on the second floor, right next to the pedestrian street. The room layout is quite good; although it's an open plan, there's a sheer curtain as a divider, which prevents the bed from facing the bathing area directly. I particularly liked the sofa and tea area near the entrance. ✔️ Breakfast is served individually, with a good variety, and it's quite filling for adults. ✔️ Upon check-in, the front desk provides a map of the ancient town, highlighting key attractions, how to get there, how long it takes, and performance times. They also recommended two popular restaurants and gave us discount coupons. The Pingyao beef was indeed delicious. ✔️ Highly recommended.

The hotel is located just within the old town after the north gate. The hotel is well decorated with a beautiful garden. The hotel room was clean and spacious. The hotel staff are superb friendly and helpful. In one of the nights in 平遥古城, I had left a shop without my haversack after my meal at the old town. I only recalled about my haversack when I returned to the hotel. Immediately, I reported the incident to the hotel staff. Without hesitation, the hotel staff 小武 brought me back to the said shop with his own bike in a cold weather. Although we managed to locate the shop, however, it had already closed for business and there was no people in the shop. It was nearly midnight at that time . Even though i didn’t manage to recover my haversack (cuz i needed to leave the town to another destination early in that morning), I sincerely appreciate 小武 for helping me to find my haversack. He also suggested to me to lodge a Police report so that my lost item could be recovered by mailing it back to my hometown. It was a good idea but I didn’t do it cuz the belongings in the bag were not valuable and nothing important. Once again , I really want to thank 小武 for his patience and service rendered to me. Cheers! 👍

It was just an absolutely amazing experience from the very beginning and until the very end of our stay, not even just in the hotel, but in the city of Pingyao itself in general. Me and my friend are traveling very light and without guides, and in Pingyao we had only one day: from evening to evening of the next day. Huge huge thanks to everyone who made this day unforgettable and ultimately comfortable for tired us: Alice, Helen, Fenny, Hana, and all others who was there for us. The hotel service is simply excellent: as soon as they learned about our late arrival, they immediately offered to meet us at the railway station, which was absolutely the sweetest thing. They brought us to the city gate, met us there, and walked us to the hotel. There they gave us a map, on which they explained in great detail where everything is, what is worth paying attention to, how it is better to build the route, and what opening hours different sights have. They also helped us organize a private transfer to Shaolin Temple the next morning. It was just perfect: we got there in 15 minutes instead of one and a half hours by foot, and after our walk in the temple they met us and brought us back. Also on the evening of arrival they helped us immediately buy the ticket for visiting all attractions of the city, valid for three days. And also they advised us where to eat, and gave us a hotel discount in both places. We did not regret it even once, the food was amazingly delicious in both places! The hotel itself is just wonderful: it really looks exactly like in the photos. You want to photograph every corner and record how the sparrows are chirping on the roof, and how two wonderful cats are meowing. The room also matches and even exceeds expectations. A huge kang bed, very comfortable. Excellent shower with everything needed. Breakfast is included in the stay: the traditional Chinese one was very tasty! Unfortunately, we did not manage to eat the egg, it was freshly boiled and still hot, but we were hurrying to Shaolin Temple by opening time. Also the hotel has a laundry service, and special thanks for that too! Washing and drying were very fast, and we got our nicely smelling clothes back already after four hours, which was critical for us, because we were leaving the same day. We felt like we really were honored guests, and we really appreciated it, even if only for one day.

It's strange why this room type has been taken off the platform, because it's truly fantastic! The room is very spacious, with a private courtyard outside, and the interior layout is exceptionally well-designed. One minor downside is that the main bed is directly beneath a ceiling beam, so if that bothers you, you might want to choose a different room type. The hotel itself is incredibly large and has a fantastic atmosphere, often used as a photography location. While there are many people taking pictures during the day, the South Garden is outside the shooting area, so it remains wonderfully quiet. Because I was short on time, I directly chose the hotel's partner photography studio. It was super convenient for hotel guests to get their makeup done right at the front desk. Ms. Xiao Qiao, who did my makeup and styling, was so gentle and meticulous – I absolutely adored her! You can tell her you don't want the typical 'influencer' look, and she'll create something incredibly beautiful! The actual photoshoot felt a little bit like an assembly line, but that's probably unavoidable. However, if you're thinking of family photos, I'd suggest boys skip it, as the clothing options for them are limited and might not fit properly. But for little girls, go for it without a second thought!

We had such a lovely experience at Zhengjia Inn! It was a little hard to find initially but the location is exceptional, right in the heart of the ancient city of Pingyao. There was no one on reception when we arrived but we managed to call through the Trip.com app and they came out right away to help us check in. The hotel is gorgeous with a very traditional style, a lovely sunny courtyard and big rooms. The best part of our stay here was the hospitality of the family who run this hotel. They were so kind and generous! They annotated a map for us to show us where to go and how to get there, they made us a Western style breakfast in the morning and let us eat in their own home, and they very kindly drove us to the train station when we had to leave the next day. They were very friendly, kind and patient with us as we don't speak Mandarin. The bed was quite hard because it is a very thin mattress on top of wood so it might not suit people with bad backs, but it was fine for us! We would highly recommend this hotel!

Yun Jin Cheng Mansion is my top choice for accommodation in Pingyao, and the overall experience exceeded my expectations! This mansion was converted from a century-old Jin merchant courtyard, and its carved wooden corridors and red lantern courtyard exude a rich, ancient charm. It's a peaceful oasis amidst the bustling city; sitting in the courtyard for tea or a meal is incredibly pleasant. Plus, it's within walking distance of all the major attractions in the ancient city, making getting around very convenient. Upon arrival, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a complimentary upgrade to the Steward's Courtyard Suite. The room was spacious and elegant, with a traditional heated *kang* bed that was soft and comfortable. The entire room was impeccably clean. The classical decor combined with complete modern amenities made for an incredibly satisfying stay. The butler service was meticulous and attentive. The hotel offered pick-up and drop-off service, helped with luggage, and provided a detailed explanation of the old house's Jin merchant history. The thoughtful turndown service at night showed attention to every detail. The restaurant's Jin cuisine was authentic and delicious, suitable for both family trips and business stays. The environment and service were impeccable; I'll definitely choose Yun Jin Cheng Mansion again on my next visit to Pingyao!

I was a bit conflicted about where to stay in the ancient city before checking in, but I'm really happy with my final choice. This hotel, 'Seven Ins and Seven Outs Jinshang Mansion,' is right on West Street, making it super convenient to get around. The rooms are clean, and the bathrooms are well-equipped. They even have a travel photographer in the lobby! I bought my 'See Pingyao Again' show tickets at the front desk for a group discount price. The hotel also provides a shuttle service to and from the show, with the pickup/drop-off point at Xixi Gate – make sure you don't go to the wrong spot! Highly recommend it!

Extremely satisfied! Staying right inside the ancient city made it incredibly convenient to get everywhere. The owner was super helpful, answering all our questions and providing very detailed information. As soon as you walked in, you could see clothing racks and a makeup area. Lots of people were trying on headpieces and picking out clothes – it was really popular. Our room upstairs had two beds. The bathroom was quite clean and very well-organized, and it even came with disposable toiletries. When we opened the curtains, we had a view of the inner courtyard – it's actually a traditional two-section building. The view outside was simply beautiful! Staying in the ancient city was truly the right decision.

The overall environment is very comfortable, elegant and cozy. The room is quiet, you can't even hear the sound from next door.