I first came across Maple Leaf Inn from reading online travel blogs and upon further research, I was immediately attracted to its location. It is in Shuhe Old Town, which is about 4km away from Lijiang Old City, thereby potentially shielding it from the hustle and bustle of Lijiang.
When I first arrived I thought that its distance from Lijiang Old City would make it inconvenient for sightseeing. But contrary to my belief, I’m very glad that I chose to stay in Shuhe instead. The fact of the matter is; Lijiang Old City, though fairly commercialized and touristy, has some attractions such as Mu Fu and Lion Mountain that could be seen/visited in half a day. And if you don't have a lot of shopping to do, then you won’t actually be spending that much time in Lijiang Old City at all. This is why I find my stay at Maple Leaf Inn in Shuhe Old Town so enjoyable, as it is much more quaint and serene than Lijiang (also commercialized but much less tourists), and a morning or evening stroll around the environs of the Inn is extremely revitalizing.
The Inn is run by a Dutch-Chinese family, and the couple is very friendly and attentive to the needs of their customers, giving the Inn a warm, hospitable, and cozy setting. The standard rooms are extremely spacious and well equipped with sofa and television (which I thought was a luxury), and very clean as well. The reception is also happy to help arrange transportation to attractions around Lijiang (even with late confirmation at night, which I am very apologetic but also deeply thankful for), making my trip planning much more convenient and enjoyable.
However, there might be a bit of problem getting there if you have a lot of and/or heavy luggage, as vehicles are only allowed to enter Shuhe after 11pm and before then you would be dropped off at the main gate and have to walk 100-150m on cobblestone path to the Inn. However, if that is really the case, the Inn can pick you up from the main gate (as stated on their website), and that could solve the above-mentioned problem ☺
Perhaps the only area of improvement that I hope for would be more variety for the breakfast menu; and potentially having heating systems in the rooms during winter as it does get quite chilly in the rooms at night and the early morning.