"We stayed at the Intercontinental hotel for two nights. The hotel grounds are very impressive and the staff is highly trained and speak very good English. We didn't use any of the facilities, but we did enjoy the great breakfast.
The hotel is located on the edge of Lijiang's old town. So while it's quite touristy, it's not as crowded as the centeral area.
So why only 4 stars? Here's the thing, we asked the hotel for a large taxi, fitting for four people and four large suitcases. The destination was Shaxi, about a 2 hours drive. They wanted 1,600 RMB for the trip. Why? Dunno. Because it's an expensive hotel, maybe. But I'd expect a hotel with Chinese speaking locals to help us get the best deal possible, not rip us off. How do I know it was a rip off? I texted a random driver with a van on wechat and got the same ride for 700 Yuan. That was also way too steep (the hotel owner in Shaxi explained it should cost 400-500).
The experience left a bad taste on my mouth. I'd recommend staying at a cheaper, less 'luxurious' hotel, where you're not just a walking wallet to them."