Wuliu Xinsu (沙溪古镇五柳心宿) is a nine-room courtyard inn in a restored Bai house on the Heihui River side of Shaxi Ancient Town, five minutes' walk from Sideng Square and Yujin Bridge. It opened in 2017 and was renovated in 2020. The original timber frame and rammed-earth walls were kept, and the rooms are contemporary, all with floor heating. There is a tea room, a lounge with a fireplace, and a dining room for Chinese or Western breakfast. Best for travellers who want a quiet courtyard just off the old market streets, and for families: three of the nine rooms are family rooms. Best windows March to May and September to early November; with the floor heating, winter works too.
A restored Bai courtyard house on the bank of the Heihui River, five minutes' walk from Sideng Square and about the same to Yujin Bridge, with Huacong Mountain across the valley. The original timber frame, rammed-earth walls and grey-tiled roofs were kept, and nine rooms were fitted out inside in a contemporary style, set around a courtyard with a reflecting pool. It opened in 2017 and was renovated in 2020. Every room has floor heating, which counts on cold valley nights. Breakfast is Chinese or Western, and the staff help plan your days in the valley.
Highlights
- About five minutes on foot to Sideng Square and the old opera stage, and about the same to Yujin Bridge — on the quieter river side of the old town
- A restored Bai courtyard house — the original timber beams and columns, rammed-earth walls and grey-tiled roofs, with contemporary rooms fitted inside
- Nine rooms around a courtyard with a reflecting pool: king rooms, twin rooms, three family rooms and a 65 m² courtyard suite
- Floor heating, a heated bathroom and a Hansgrohe thermostatic shower in every room, with a pillow menu and winter and summer duvets
- A tea room, a lounge with a fireplace, a terrace and a dining room; breakfast is Chinese or Western
- Rated 4.9/5 across more than 500 reviews on Ctrip; the staff carry luggage in from the car park and help plan days in the valley
Inside Wuliu Xinsu
Staying at Wuliu Xinsu
01 Where exactly is Wuliu Xinsu in Shaxi Ancient Town?
At No. 56 Sideng Street, on the Heihui River side of the old town. Sideng Square and the old opera stage are about five minutes' walk away (roughly 380 m), and Yujin Bridge is about the same. The car park is a minute or two's walk from the gate, and the staff carry the luggage in.
02 Does it work for families?
Yes. Three of the nine rooms are family rooms. The 57 m² courtyard family room is two connected bedrooms, each with a 1.8 m bed, sharing one bathroom. A 40 m² family room is laid out the same way with a 1.8 m and a 1.5 m bed, and a 42 m² family room has the same two beds. The 65 m² courtyard suite has a king bed and takes a free 1.2 m extra bed. No other room takes an extra bed.
03 When is the best time to stay?
March to May and September to early November, for the Friday market in full swing, warm afternoons and clear autumn light. Shaxi sits at about 2,100 m, so winter nights are cold, but every room here has floor heating and a heated bathroom. That makes November to February a comfortable, quiet time to come. June to August is the rainy season.
