Hotel Boutique di Jilin, China

Although the room was a bit old, the cleanliness and service were still excellent. The butler checked in with us daily, provided weather updates and information about hotel activities. They were especially attentive to safety during rainy weather and readily provided anything we needed. When our child accidentally got a bump while playing outside, they immediately sent up iodine after a phone call. The breakfast spread was plentiful and suitable for both seniors and children. It started as early as 6:30 AM, which was perfect for visiting Tianchi Lake, as many other hotels only start serving breakfast after 7 AM. Going to Tianchi early in the morning greatly increases your chances of seeing the lake, and we were lucky enough to catch a glimpse. On the 17th, Tianchi closed and stopped admissions after 10 AM. The Wanda Realm Suite practically included access to all Wanda resort activities. If you visited the water park, the hotel provided a laundry room with dryers, as well as disinfectant and laundry detergent. Just be aware that there can be long queues during peak times, so plan your schedule accordingly. Regarding Wanda perks: The cable car offered incredibly beautiful views (complimentary on first stay, unlimited rides on the same day), but it only operates on clear days. Other perks included the Wacool boat ride, a choice between the slide or luge, hot springs, and the water park. The boat rides and slides are also weather-dependent (clear days only), while grass-sliding is an additional charge. I recommend prioritizing the slide/luge queue first (children must be 12+ years old and over 155cm to ride alone; otherwise, an adult must accompany them) as the wait times can be very long. You can then do grass-sliding later (it has longer operating hours and no queues). The boat ride also has long queues. We didn't get to it in the afternoon/evening, but we managed to enjoy all the most exciting activities.

Pleasantly surprised! I never expected to find a hotel with such excellent design in the North. It really exceeded my expectations. Here's a hidden gem for photos: check out the corridor in their hot spring changing room – it's incredibly futuristic. Remember the lab corridor where the female protagonist wakes up in Resident Evil? It's just like that!