The Intercontinental is one of the largest hotel in Lijiang with 3 restaurants serving classical Chinese, Southeast Asian and lounge favourites. Perhaps the most popular option is to perch oneself over tea at the lobby lounge and behold the snowy peaks of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain looming ahead.

The breakfast scene here most poignantly paints the menace of civic mindlessness so prevalent in this country - step away from your table for a flash and you risk being unceremoniously supplanted by a garrulous family of 4 abetted by some nonchalant waitresses too eager to seat anyone who walks through the door.

In any other Chinese city this Intercon might be a design flagship but in Lijiang it stakes out as a respectable mass-luxury class hotel with the right timbre of class. The most precious feature of this hotel is its excellent view of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, a visage so spectacular everything seems to point towards it.