The Hidden Valley Resort, Shangri-la | Frequently Asked Questions

There are generally 2 ways to get to The Hidden Valley Resort.

By Air:

The Hidden Valley Resort is served by the Diqing Shangri-la airport (DIG), a 20-minute car ride away. DIG is a domestic airport with direct flights from the regional hubs of Kunming (KMG), Chengdu (CTU) and Chongqing (CKG). There are also indirect flights from the major cities like Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou that will stop over at one of these airports while enroute to Shangri-la. If you are arriving from an international location, you will need to fly into one of the cities listed above, then catch the domestic flight to Shangri-la County.

By Land:

Guests may choose to start their trip from a lower elevation to get acclimatised to the altitude. The most popular first destination is Lijiang, which is a 2½ hour drive from Shangri-la city. Lijiang is an ancient centre of trade and culture. While spending a day or two in Lijiang, travellers can take in the sights and sounds of the old Shangri-la town, the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, and the magnificent outdoor singing and dancing performance "Impression Lijiang". On the drive to The Hidden Valley Resort, you get to witness the historical first bend in the Yangtze River, and the roaring waters of the Leaping Tiger Gorge. If you are coming from Lijiang, we are happy to help arrange your transportation to The Hidden Valley Resort. A one-way trip starts at about RMB 800 (rates vary depending on number of passengers and type of vehicle).

Shangri-la is a multi-faceted destination, what travellers experience in one season is delightfully different than what they experience the next. With so much to offer, our adventure concierge team will recommend activities that best captures the essence of each season and out resident chef will pamper you with meals that celebrate seasonal flavours, using fresh produce from our very own organic farm or from around Shangri-la.

In Spring and Fall, the weather is pleasantly chilly; the air is fresh and skies are clear. You'll enjoy deep blue skies with puffy white clouds. At night, the sky is so clear that you can see stars and constellations. In spring, the valley will be covered in yellow and magenta flowers. In fall, the orange and gold colours of the leaves paint the landscape in deep and soft tones.

The Summer months (late June to late August) are the warmest, ranging from 27 to 31 degrees (C) during the day. As for Winter, it is filled with beautiful blue skies, and the temperatures are generally colder, especially in the mornings and evenings.

Simply email us at reservations@thehiddenvalleyresort.com and our Adventure Concierge will work with you to customise your itinerary and recommend seasonal activities.

Our full board rates (USD) are seasonal. To get a quote or make an enquiry, please email us at reservations@thehiddenvalleyresort.com

The Hidden Valley Resort only offers full-board lodging and this includes:

a. Accommodation

b. Three full meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) exclusively prepared by our chefs

c. Guided activities

d. Local transportation (including Diqing Shangri-la Airport transfers)

Check in time is 1 p.m., (excludes lunch, includes dinner). Check out time is 11 a.m., (includes breakfast, excludes lunch).

Central heating
Heated mattress
Heated bathroom
Fireplace (Selected Rooms)
Hair Dryer
Bathrobes
Slippers
Heater
Safe
Coffee/tea
Complimentary Wi-Fi

The Resort provide hiking poles for those who wish to go hiking, as well as raincoats, umbrellas, and oxygen cans. 

Conserve to Preserve

The Resort is mindful of our impact on the environment and the local culture in which we are a part of.  Please note that while  we do provide liquid hand soap, shower gel, shampoo and conditioner, we believe that disposable toiletries like  toothbrushes, shavers, and shower caps are counter to the conservation of the environment and resources. In light of that, you may wish to pack your own toiletries; however, they are available on request at the resort by contacting our GM. 

There are generally 2 ways to get to The Hidden Valley Resort.

a. By Air: The Hidden Valley Resort is served by the Diqing Shangri-la airport (DIG), a 20-minute car ride away. DIG is a domestic airport with direct flights from the regional hubs of Kunming (KMG), Chengdu (CTU) and Chongqing (CKG). There are also indirect flights from the major cities like Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou that will stop over at one of these airports while enroute to Shangri-la. If you are arriving from an international location, you will need to fly into one of the cities listed above, then catch the domestic flight to Shangri-la County.

b. By Land: Guests may choose to start their trip from a lower elevation to get acclimatised to the altitude. The most popular first destination is Lijiang, which is a 2½ hour drive from Shangri-la city. Lijiang is an ancient centre of trade and culture. While spending a day or two in Lijiang, travellers can take in the sights and sounds of the old Shangri-la town, the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, and the magnificent outdoor singing and dancing performance "Impression Lijiang". On the drive to The Hidden Valley Resort, you get to witness the historical first bend in the Yangtze River, and the roaring waters of the Leaping Tiger Gorge. If you are coming from Lijiang, we are happy to help arrange your transportation to The Hidden Valley Resort. A one-way trip starts at about RMB 800 (rates vary depending on number of passengers and type of vehicle).

You need to apply for a visa unless you meet the following visa exemption requirements:

1. According to bilateral agreements, citizens of some countries (List of Agreements on Mutual Visa Exemption between the P.R. China and Foreign Countries) holding appropriate passports may enter China without a visa.

2. Citizens of Singapore, Brunei and Japan holding ordinary passports may enter China without a visa through the ports of entry open to foreigners provided that they come to China for tourism, family visit, business or transit, and intend to stay in China for no more than 15 days. However, the following personnel of these three countries must apply for a visa in advance if:

Read more here:

The Hidden Valley Resort sits on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau at 3300 meters (10500 feet) above sea level.

Acute mountain sickness is caused by the lack of oxygen in the lower air pressure that exists at higher altitudes. It usually doesn’t affect people below 8,000 feet, although it can, according to the National Institutes of Health.

What are the symptoms of altitude sickness?

These include a headache within two to 12 hours of new altitude, trouble falling or staying asleep, dizziness, tiredness, lightheadedness, increased heart rate, shortness of breath during movement, and nausea or vomiting if acute.

The best ways to prevent altitude sickness are not going too high too fast, it is better to climb slowly; travellers can start below 10,000 feet or 3,048 metres. You can acclimatise at Kunming (1,892 m/6,207') , Dali ((1,975 m/6,480') or Lijiang ) (2,400 m/7,874') and take it easy for the first 1 to 2 days before flying to Shangri-la County (3,280 m/10,370').

Try to avoid tobacco and other depressant drugs including, barbiturates, tranquilizers, and sleeping pills. These depressants further decrease the respiratory drive during sleep resulting in a worsening of the symptoms. Medication:

Most doctors will prescribe acetazolamide, sold as Diamox, one of the few proven AMS drugs. Acetazolamide is generally given in a dosage of 500 milligrams daily, beginning 24 to 48 hours before ascent and continue for at least five days at higher altitude. The recommendation of the Himalayan Rescue Association Medical Clinic is 125 mg. twice a day (morning and night).

At the Hidden Valley Resort, our staff can give oxygen to increase oxygen pressure via

oxygen cans
oxygen tank machine.

Preventing Altitude Sickness: Read https://www.wikihow.com/Prevent-Altitude-Sickness

If you think you have altitude sickness: Quick Tips

stop and rest where you are.
don't go any higher for at least 24-48 hours.
if you have a headache, take ibuprofen or paracetamol.
if you feel sick, take an anti-sickness medication, like promethazine.make sure you're drinking enough water.
avoid alcohol.

The best months to visit Hidden Valley are in Spring, Summer and Fall (late April to early November).

In Spring and Fall, the weather is pleasantly chilly; the air is fresh and skies are clear. You'll enjoy deep blue skies with puffy white clouds. At night, the sky is so clear that you can see stars and constellations. In spring, the valley will be covered in yellow and magenta flowers. In fall, the orange and gold colours of the leaves paint the landscape in deep and soft tones.

The summer months (late June to late August) are the warmest, ranging from 27 to 31 degrees (C) during the day. Do keep in mind that late summer (late July and August) is also the rainy season so outdoor activities may have to take place between the periods of rain. As for winter, it is filled with beautiful blue skies, but the temperatures are generally quite cold, especially in the mornings and evenings.

Our rates (USD) are charged on a per person per night basis and are full board in order to provide guests with our total cultural and adventure experience.

The Hidden Valley Resort only offers full-board lodging

•Our per person/nightly rate includes:

a. Three full meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) exclusively prepared by our chefs - Guided activities for the day (one morning activity + one afternoon activity, or a longer activity that spans most of the day)

b. A comfortable night's rest in our international-class Owners' Residence or Tented Villa

c. All local transportation, including your arrival and departure transfers to/from the Shangri-la airport or town, and all activities within Shangri-la while staying with us.

•Check in time is 1 p.m., (excludes lunch, includes dinner). Check out time is 11 a.m., (includes breakfast, excludes lunch).

Why full board?

The Hidden Valley Resort lies about 30 minutes from old town Shangri-la where shopping and bars and restaurants abound. Our Chef buys farm fresh food and takes the worry out of meals for all. As pretty much everything is included in the package price, this is the best type of board basis for those who do not plan to venture far from the hotel/resort they are staying in, or who don’t want to worry about what to do while on holiday. All your activities are customised and paid for.

Are half board rates available? Yes, Half Board Rates include airport transfers, room & breakfast only.

You can either book the activities after choosing a room, ideal for those who want to explore their own daytime excursions on their own

Kindly email us to get a quote. Click here.

All rates are quoted in US Dollars.
Rates are per guest per night.
Half Board Rates include airport transfers, room & breakfast only.
Full Board Rates include airport transfers, room, 3 meals and daily activities.
Family Suites cater for 5 guests.
Children below 6 years old will stay free of charge when sharing room with adults.
Guests aged 6 to 12 years old will enjoy a 50% discount on the rates.
US$20 per day will be levied if rollaway bed is requested.
Rollaway beds are only available for Family Suites, Deluxe Suites and Tent Villas.
Rates are based on a Twin Sharing basis. For Single Occupancy, a 15% surcharge will be levied.

All reservations require payment in full and in US dollars. When the reservation is confirmed. Payments should be sent by inter-bank transfer to our Corporate bank account in Singapore. We are currently accepting payment by inter-bank transfer to our DBS bank account in Singapore. Upon confirmation of your reservation, we will send you an invoice with complete reservation and payment details. Payment can be made to our account within one week of confirmation. We will email you the bank details.

WiFi is available free of charge in the rooms and in public areas.

You probably already know that sites such as Facebook, YouTube or Google.com are blocked in China and that the only way to access them is with a VPN. Which websites are blocked in China?

Here’s a list of the most popular websites which, at the moment, are blocked in China:

Social

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, Snapchat, Picasa, WordPress.com, Blogspot, Blogger, Flickr, SoundCloud, Google+, Google Hangouts, Hootsuite.Apps, Google Play (this means that without a VPN you won’t be able to download any apps from Google Play),

Whatsapp, Telegram, Line, Periscope, KaKao Talk.Search enginesGoogle (both Google.com and the majority of local versions like Google.com.hk, Google.fr, etcetera), Duck Duck Go, various foreign versions of Baidu and Yahoo.

Video Sharing

YouTube, Vimeo, Daily Motion, Nico Video

Media

The New York Times, Finacial Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist Bloomberg, Reuters, The Independent, LeMonde, L’Equipe, Netflix, Google News, many pages of Wikipedia, Wikileaks.

Work tools

Google Drive, Google Docs, Gmail, Google Calendar (generally all Google services), Dropbox, ShutterStock, Slideshare, Slack, iStockPhotos, WayBackMachine, Scribd, Xing, Android, and many VPN sites

List is not exhaustive. Please refer to source- https://www.saporedicina.com/english/list-of-blocked-websites-in-china/

All rooms are comfortably furnished and look out into the meadows.:

Wi-fi in all rooms

Central heating in all rooms

Beds have electric mattress pads (winter)

Central heating in bathrooms and heated toilet seats (winter)

Tea and coffee making facilities, hot water flask and mineral water

Work space

Mini safe

Bath and face towels, hairdryer

Terry cotton bathrobes and Slippers

Shampoo, conditioner, body soap, and hand soap

Toothbrush (upon request only)Shaving razor (upon request only)

Our rates are seasonal and are charged on a person/night basis and are full board.

This includes 3 square meals a day, a morning activity, an afternoon activity and an excellent night's rest.

Check-In: 01:00 PM Check-Out: 11:00 AM

Reservations that are cancelled 14 days or more prior to Arrival Date will receive a full refund.
Reservations that are cancelled less than 14 days prior to Arrival Date and No-Shows will be subjected to a 5% processing fee.
Cancellations must be made in writing to

reservations@thehiddenvalleyresort.com
GM@thehiddenvalleyresort.com

Refunds will take 5 business days to process and will be issued by return inter-bank transfer in the same currency as the payment made.

Yunnan Pu Er Tea 普洱

This is Yunnan's well known tea. It is a traditional Chinese specialty that is produced in the Yunnan province where the land grows wild tea trees that are hundred to thousands of years old. The raw material for the ripe Pu-erh tea is the raw Pu-erh tea which composes of 1 bud and 2-3 leaves. Comparative to fine wine, Pu-erh teas have a collectible value which increases over time, as the flavours and textures of the tea evolve and become more complex. There are several tea shops when you walk around old town. There are fancier stores that will have a tea bar when they will serve you tea and teach you about the tea. For the tea connoissieur, there are several top grades. It is expensive and won't taste much different to the casual consumer.

Traditional Ethnic Silver Jewellery

Silver jewellery is a popular item with visitors to the area. These are traditionally hand-made pieces with local tribal and ethnic designs. When shopping for jewellery, pick the ones that will keep its original colour Sterling silver should be stamped with .925 or 925, meaning it’s 92.5% pure silver. Anything with less silver content than that may not keep its original colour. The real silver pieces will be sold by weight and will come with an official receipt. A good place to visit for an overview of Shangri La crafts would be the Yunnan MountainHeritage Foundation which features many folk artists.

Try the Yunnan Ham

Looks like prosciutto. Usually cut into bite-sized slices and stir-fried with veggies. You will find this usually in vacuum-sealed packages in many stores in Shangri-la.

Mushrooms

There will be lots of good dried mushrooms (like Matsutakes and Chanterelles) for sale in Shangri-la. Much cheaper than in most countries. You will find several vendors at the wet market. These mushrooms are locally grown and are also available fresh in July-August when they sprout.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do I get to The Hidden Valley Resort? Which airport do I land at?

What airlines are served by Diqing Shangri-la Airport? How far is the resort from the airport?

What measures should I take to prepare for the high altitude?

Do I need a China visa?

When is a good time to visit?

The Resort offers full board lodging. What does it include?

Do you offer child rates?

How do I book my stay?

Is Wi-Fi available at the resort?

What amenities does the resort provide?

Where is Diqing Shangri-la?

How do I get to The Hidden Valley Resort? Which airport do I land at?

Do I need a Chinese visa?

What airlines are served by Diqing Shangri-la Airport? How far is the resort from the airport?

Will I get mountain sickness at 3300 metres above sea level?

What is the weather like? When is a good time to visit?

What is a full board rate? What are your hotel rates?

Do you offer child rates?

How can I book a room(s)? How do I make payment?

At what time is Check-in and Check-out?

What sort of daily activities do you have?

Is Wi-Fi available at the hotel/in the room? Which sites are banned in China?

How can I see which features are included in the price?

What is your booking cancellation and no-show policy?

Where to shop and what to buy?

What food do you serve?