Breaking into Yangzhou Santorini’s Guesthouse
🌊 Breaking into Yangzhou’s “Santorini”! Shaojian · Huazhengqu Music Guesthouse Full Guide: 24 Hours of Rock, White Walls, and Blue Pools
🏝️ 1. First Encounter: When Northern Jiangsu Countryside Meets Mediterranean Poetry
“Pure White Dream”
Driving into Qianjin Village, Zaolin Bay, Yizheng, a cluster of pure white buildings suddenly appears—walls cut by geometric lines, hollow brick spiral staircases, and a deep blue infinity pool collide visually with the distant verdant mountains. The main guesthouse is transformed from the old village office, preserving the original building outline but infused with the soul of Santorini: arched doorways, rough-textured white walls, and natural wood platforms. Every snapshot looks like a “pretend trip to the Aegean Sea.”
“Rock ‘n’ Roll Genes”
Opening the glass door of the lobby, you are instantly enveloped by a musical atmosphere! The front desk’s background wall is covered with vinyl records, corridors are named after bands like “Queen” and “Tang Dynasty,” and the 14 rooms correspond to different rock legends. I stayed in the “Beatles Room”—above the bed hangs the classic Abbey Road cover mural, a vintage record player is decorated with eucalyptus branches and hydrangeas, and a Bluetooth speaker plays a personalized playlist anytime. The housekeeper joked, “Even the pool’s BGM here is a live rock version!”
🛏️ 2. Stay Experience: A Healing Space for Detail Lovers
► Room Design
- Santorini Aesthetics: Pure white minimalist base paired with natural materials—rattan pendant lamps, cement-textured washbasins, linen curtains, and bathrooms equipped with white magnolia scented bath products, echoing the Mediterranean philosophy of “less is more.”
- Hidden Easter Egg: The floor-to-ceiling window faces the courtyard’s olive tree (a Mediterranean signature plant!), waking you gently with tree shadows in the morning, as if on a Greek island.
► Top 3 Public Area Check-in Spots
1. Starry Sky Terrace: The rooftop red brick terrace overlooks Zaolin Lake’s sunset. When the lights come on at night, order a “Blue Mediterranean” special cocktail, with the pool reflecting stars and moon in the background—100% photo-worthy.
2. Rock-themed Bar: Industrial steel frame structure with warm yellow string lights, a self-service karaoke station, recommended to try the local craft beer “Zaolin Lake Light” paired with secret recipe barbecue.
3. Piano Key Spiral Staircase: Shooting from the second floor, sunlight filters through brick holes casting mottled shadows. Wearing a bright-colored long dress is recommended for visual contrast.
🚴 3. Nearby Activities: The Guesthouse as a Destination, Unlocking Zaolin Bay’s Secrets
⛰️ Must-visit spots within 5 km
| Hongshan Sports Park: Powered paragliding / off-road go-karts / kayaking 3 km Buy a combo ticket for “water, land, and air” thrills and stress relief!
| Nanshan Geological Park: Basalt pillar wonders + volcanic relics 8 km Explore the 5-million-year-old ancient Yangtze volcano with a guide
| Dengyue Lake Loop Road: 7.5 km rainbow cycling path Rent an electric bike to chase the wind and take “Little Kamakura” photos by the lake
🎨 Cultural Experiences
- Renfengli Cultural and Creative: (5-minute walk from the guesthouse) Experience making tongcao flowers in an old craftsman’s studio and collect 10 Yangzhou intangible cultural heritage stamps.
- Juyuan Spring Tea Garden: Pick spring tea, watch the “Lvyangchun” tea frying process, and taste tea with vintage teaware in the tea museum.
🍴 4. Zaolin Bay on the Palate: From Rock Breakfast to Local Wild Flavors
► In the Guesthouse · Rock Breakfast
Mediterranean-style plating amazes! Blue and white glazed dishes hold: Yizheng crab roe soup dumplings (with straws), three-diced shaomai, Zaolin Lake fish soup wontons, served with freshly ground coffee and fruit salad, full of ritual.
► Must-eats Nearby
- Qianjin Village Farmhouse: 200 meters on foot, try “Zaolin Fish Head Pot” (fresh and tender lake fish) + free-range chicken soup;
- Nanshan Nayuan: 10-minute drive, pick seasonal pears and peaches, DIY locust flower rice cooked on a traditional stove.
📸 5. Photography Guide: How to Shoot a “No Fake” Santorini
1. Time Magic
- 7:00 AM: Shoot reflections when the pool is empty, water mirrors white walls and blue sky, wide-angle lens enhances space;
- 6:30 PM: Capture the “pink-gold hour” on the terrace, wear a red long dress to contrast with the blue pool.
2. Props Bonus
- The guesthouse provides free props like straw hats, ukuleles, and vintage records;
- Order a special drink and place it by the pool to create a lazy vacation vibe.
3. Pitfall Avoidance
- Avoid shooting the exterior walls under harsh noon light to prevent hard shadows and overexposure;
- Turn on warm lights inside the room and turn off ceiling lights, use the record player as foreground for atmospheric close-ups.
💡: 24-Hour Escape Plan Achieved!
Here, rock music is the BGM of life, and Santorini’s white is the soul’s base color. When the pool ripples with the sunset glow, I suddenly understood that saying—*the countryside is not the end of escape, but the starting point of an ideal life.*
> 📌 Practical Information
> - Address: Old Village Office, Qianjin Village, Zaolin Bay Resort, Yizheng (Navigate to “Shaojian Huazhengqu”)
> - Room Rates: 880-1480 RMB/night (includes double breakfast + welcome fruit plate)
Bar prices: 39/899 RMB, singing free
> - Booking: Trip.com / Official Mini Program, recommend booking pool rooms 2 weeks in advance during peak season!
> - Transportation: 30 minutes by taxi from Yangzhou East Station; 1.5 hours by car from Nanjing.