Photo provided to China Daily

The Lijiang hotel's 70 guest rooms feature several themes. The Superior rooms, for example, are inspired by the nearby Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, and boast luxurious spa-baths - with tub exteriors trimmed in horsehide - that passing riders eight centuries ago could never have imagined.

Deluxe rooms sport the equine theme with light fixtures and clothes racks in the form of horseshoes, while the dcor of Super Deluxe rooms celebrates the horse bell of the caravans. Emperor suites, meanwhile, are museum-like with their arrays of Tibetan artifacts.

The hotel's Chama restaurant also mines the best of what's local. Yunnan cuisine is one of the province's big draws, and the a la carte menu is grounded in the region's classic dishes, often with a gourmet twist. The tearoom Cha't evokes the legacy that is undiminished today - Yunnan is home to some of China's most prized teas - and the selections are served with great ceremony all day and evening.

For those combining business with pleasure, a 100-square-meter conference room with state-of-the-art technology can host up to 60 people (and be divided into two conference rooms). Meetings managers are on staff to coordinate activities and offer personalized services.

If that's not enough, Hotel Indigo Lijiang can be enjoyed as one-half of a combo package, with its own intimate luxury experience and the muscle of a quality chain hotel right next door. The adjacent Crown Plaza, in fact, has the same general manager as the Indigo, so you can easily split your stay between the hotels, or stay at the Indigo but enjoy big brother Crown Plaza's amenities such as the gym and swimming pool.