The silhouette of Hongxigu Hot Spring Resort

2 min read

We first walked down one of the long corridors past dozens of small lantern-lit private pools that could hold just a few guests. At each junction point you could veer off to a landing of larger pools with differing heat levels clustered together. These pools were open to the elements and were surrounded by snow capped foliage and subtly lit paths. The cold air inthe mountains was brisk but the warm mist flowing off the water surface from the outdoor pools made it bearable to wander around in your swimsuit to see what else was on offer around the mountainside.

After a successive series of dunkings in a collection of outdoor pools one of the many attendants that were always nearby suggested we head over to the network of cave pools at the bottom of the hill. As Liaoning has many famous geological sites, the Benxi Water Cave being the most famous, many of the hot springs were first found near or inside caves. To key on this idea many resorts have built elaborate networks of caves filled with pools to explore and enjoy the waters both in the day and night. After yet another long soak in cave we finally decided it was time to head back into the resort’s main area and relax a bit then of course hit the steam room one more time.

While the entire valley is still being fully developed, when it is finished it will be a wonderful destination to visit for anyone looking to experience true luxury under the guise of rehabilitation. After a day on the slopes or a round of golf nothing could be better than a soak in the hot springs topping off the evening with a banquet of local foods. To borrow from the brochure of the Rainbow Valley Hot Spring Hotel you will be”entertained to an excessive extent.”