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.

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! 👍

Loved it!! Although we were only here 2 nights, this was one of our 2 favorite stays of our 2 weeks in China. We’re loved it here. This hotel was just what I was hoping for. Traditional courtyard hotel. It’s beautiful! We felt like we were in a movie. It was so relaxing. Both mornings I just relaxed on the swing in the courtyard and enjoyed the peace and the environment. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Helen was very nice and helped us with any questions we had. The room was clean and beautiful. I will say you need to be prepared for a very firm bed - but that’s the style and party of the experience, This was one of our favorite parts of our trip. If we’re fortunate enough to have the chance to come back, I will definitely stay here again. I highly recommend.

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!

The hotel is located right inside Pingyao Ancient City, making it super convenient to get to all the famous restaurants. The rooms are really unique, and the owner is so friendly and even helped us with our luggage. They also offer a photo service, which is a nice touch. Overall, it was great!

A wonderful and very memorable stay. This is a true guesthouse experience, not a polished chain hotel, and that is exactly its charm. The room was large, with plenty of furnishings, a big king bed, and a nice courtyard setting. Sure a few things were slightly old, broken, or not quite perfect, but that simply added to the character and human feel of the place. The mattress was quite firm and I slept very well. What really made this stay special was the family. The mother was incredibly kind and helpful, taking the time to provide a map, sightseeing advice, and an efficient walking route to help me see the key highlights of Pingyao while minimising unnecessary walking. Later I met the son and daughter-in-law, who were both equally warm and friendly, and the son very kindly drove me to the train station the next day, which was greatly appreciated. Breakfast was simple but perfectly good, and exactly what was needed before more exploration of the town. This was not luxury accommodation, but it offered something far more memorable, genuine hospitality, kindness, and a personal touch. I would happily stay here again.

Four families traveled together and booked five rooms. The entire experience was exceptionally worry-free. The butler proactively contacted us in advance, sent us travel guides, helped us purchase tickets for the 'Meet Pingyao Again' show, reserved dinner at the hotel, and even arranged a tour guide and a shuttle for us, saving us a lot of hassle. The courtyard is charming and ancient, and the rooms are clean and tidy. The traditional 'kang' (heated bed) was very comfortable to sleep on. The hotel dinner was outstanding, and the breakfast selection was incredibly rich, featuring many local specialties, including freshly shaved and deliciously chewy knife-cut noodles. The guesthouse even has its own vinegar workshop where you can sample aged vinegars, and we took a few bottles home as gifts. The ancient courtyard has a wonderful atmosphere. I highly recommend it for family trips; it's perfect for a relaxing stay of a few days!

Superb! The front desk service and the staff who showed us to our room were incredibly warm and helpful, offering fantastic tips for exploring. Our room was spotless, the bedding was super comfy, and the 'kang' (heated bed) was huge – big enough for five! They even helped us arrange a private car and a really professional tour guide. The food recommendations were divine, and the restaurants near the hotel were also delicious. The location is perfect, making it easy to get in and out of the city. What really sets this place apart is that it's the only guesthouse within the ancient city walls with a grand seven-courtyard layout, very impressive! Even celebrities have stayed here and loved it. The in-house photo shoot service was also a nice touch! Breakfast was excellent, especially the handmade noodles – we each had two bowls! Overall, our entire family was extremely satisfied. An absolutely fantastic stay! 👍👍

房間的質量不錯，滿足了心中對於老式古建居所的遐想。服務其實很周到，能夠在人員如此密集的情況下幫助安排個停車的地方，並且安排人幫助把行李運至客棧，屬實有心了，客棧有自己的街拍，水平不錯，但是代駕就是沒能睡懶覺，早上9點，窗外就傳來拍攝的聲音，春節期間，整體平遙的通行環境很混亂，開車的朋友注意一下。

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.