There are lots of beautiful places in Zhangjiajie, but you may be having trouble deciding where to stay.
Most hotels in Zhangjiajie are concentrated in two areas:
- at Wulingyuan (a small town adjacent to the national park),
- in downtown Zhangjiajie.
We summarize the pros and cons, and who each area would be best suited to, below.
Stay in Wulingyuan Town - Highly Recommended
The majority of the Zhangjiajie attractions (Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon and Glass Bridge, and others) are located around the Wulingyuan area, which is where we recommend our customers stay. This is about 40 minutes' drive north of downtown Zhangjiajie.
Advantages
- Hotel choices varying from 5 star to home inns
- Comfortable hotels and Western breakfasts
- Convenient transportation to many famous spots in the scenic area (Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, Yellow Dragon Cave, and Baofeng Lake)
Disadvantage
- Far away from airport/railway station (about 50 minutes' drive)
- A bit far away from Tianmen Mountain.
Recommended if you…
- Require high-quality hotel service.
- Have plenty of time to catch your onward flights or train.
- Want access to various parts of Wulingyuan Scenic Area, not just the national forest park.
Recommended Hotels
- 5-star: Vantu·ANNICA Tourism Resort and Neodalle Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan
- 4-star: Pullman Zhangjiajie Hotel
Downtown Zhangjiajie - for Flight/Train/Tianmen Mountain
Most travelers spend more than 2 days touring Zhangjiajie. We don't recommend you stay in downtown Zhangjiajie more than one night.
Advantages
- Five-star hotels to budget inns: the biggest range in the area
- Convenient access to Tianmen Mountain, on the south of the city, and other minor sights
- Close to the airport and railway station
- More entertainment at night
Disadvantages
- The city is not as scenic and natural as Wulingyuan
- Wastes time and transportation fees driving to Wulingyuan Scenic Area and drive back to your hotel (1 hour or more per journey)
Recommended if you…
- Arrive at Zhangjiajie late at night.
- Want to see the night show on Tianmen Mountain, or other city nighttime entertainment.
- Have to catch an early onward flight/train.
- Want to visit sights around Zhangjiajie city, such as Tianmen Mountain, Tujia Minority Customs Park, and Old Courtyard.
Recommended Hotels
- 4-star: Suxin Tianmen Yinlu Hotel and Sunshine Hotel & Resort Zhangjiajie
No Staying inside Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
Wondering if it's possible to stay in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park?
To protect the environment, the hostels operated by local people in the forest park have been closed. So now you cannot stay overnight inside the national park. There are also no campsites permitted.
Best Place to Stay in Zhangjiajie for Your Tour
Still can't decide where to stay in Zhangjiajie?
Here are the most popular two solutions based on different itineraries for your reference:
1. Stay all nights in Wulingyuan
If you arrive early, you could visit Tianmen Mountain on the first day and then transfer to your hotel in Wulingyuan.
If your onward flight/train departs in the evening or at night, you could go to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park directly on arrival and visit Tianmen Mountain on your departure day.
2. Stay one night in downtown Zhangjiajie, other nights in Wulingyuan
If you arrive late in the evening or at night, you could stay one night in Zhangjiajie city, visit Tianmen Mountain on your first full day, and then transfer to Wulingyuan for the rest of your stay
If you plan to catch a very early flight or train on your departure day, you could visit Tianmen Mountain on your penultimate day, then stay one night in downtown Zhangjiajie.
Contact us for more specific recommendations if you have a special itinerary.
About Zhangjiajie Accommodation
Star-rated hotels in Zhangjiajie might not be up to the standard of those in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai. Most hotels in Zhangjiajie opened over 10 years ago and have not undergone renovation, so the facilities might not be very new. For example, 4-star hotels in Zhangjiajie might only compare to economy standard hotels in cities like Shanghai.
Breakfast at a 4-star hotel at Zhangjiajie is very basic, and 5-star hotels breakfast is usually Chinese style mixed with some western choices.
The hotels we use in the tour are carefully selected based on criteria like hotel environment, location, service, and previous customer feedback.
Just let us know your preference and requirements, our experienced advisor will recommend a hotel right for you.
Tour Zhangjiajie with China Highlights
China Highlights' tours allow you to experience the local life and visit the most famous scenic spots in Zhangjiajie. You can also contact us to tailor make a Zhangjiajie tour according to your requirements. All of our Zhangjiajie tours can be customized according to your interests.