沙溪古沙別苑

Conveniently located. It’s not within the old town itself but it’s only a 10 min walk from the old town entrance as well as the main bus stop, where you can catch buses to Dali and Lijiang. If you’re in Shaxi on Friday, it’s only a 5 min walk to the lively Friday market which is definitely worth a visit. Do note that the short stretch into the hotel (10-15m) is dark at night. Not a problem if you’re travelling with someone but it may be a consideration for solo travellers. There’s a lovely view of the mountains from this room. The room is spacious and clean. The old lady who runs the hotel only speaks Chinese (as do the owners of many guesthouses), but she’s really sweet and you can communicate with her through a translation app.

Big cars difficulty to drive in, narrow road