Enjoy Nature Homestay — a 9.6-rated design homestay in Wulingyuan, with the Avatar mountains framed from your bed, ten minutes' walk from the park gate
Picture waking up in a roomy bed with the window framing a row of towering sandstone pillars — that's the thing guests mention most about Enjoy Nature Homestay (溪境·悦见山度假民宿·武陵源国家森林公园店), a small design homestay in Wulingyuan (武陵源), only about a 10-minute walk from the entrance to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. Honestly, if you've come to Zhangjiajie to see the real Avatar mountains at Yuanjiajie, the Bailong Elevator and Tianzi Mountain, sleeping on the Wulingyuan side within walking distance of the gate is the best base there is. What guests agree on is the 9.6/10 score from around 238 real guest reviews — very high for such a small place — paired with rooms that feel bigger than the price and have mountain/stream views from the room, plus a tea room, a terrace garden, a little bar and a warm young host who helps plan your trip. This isn't a big hotel — it's a homestay that opened in 2025 with only about 15 rooms — but if you want a warm, characterful stay close to the park for several times less than five-star prices, this is one people genuinely pass on to friends.
Honestly, the first reason people pick this place is its location in Wulingyuan — and in Zhangjiajie, that matters a lot. The National Forest Park (the Avatar mountains) and Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie city are about 33 km apart, so if you've come for the park you want to sleep on the Wulingyuan side, ready to be at the gate before the crowds. Enjoy Nature Homestay sits on Wuling Road (武陵路) in the centre of Wulingyuan, about a 10-minute walk to the park entrance and a short stroll to Xibu Street (西部老街) with its restaurants and the bus station, with mini-markets, eateries and a pharmacy all around. Once you're inside the scenic area, the free park shuttle (included with your ticket) takes you to all the highlights: Yuanjiajie (袁家界), the Bailong Elevator (百龙天梯), Tianzi Mountain (天子山) and the Golden Whip Stream (金鞭溪).
"We chose this for the easy walk to the park gate. The room was huge and we could watch the mountains from bed; the young host was really kind and helped us plan our park route and book tickets. There's a tea room and a terrace to relax on. Outstanding value for somewhere this charming."
The rooms are what guests praise most after the location. Enjoy Nature is a design homestay that opened in 2025, so the rooms are brand new, clean and far bigger than you'd expect — plenty of reviews say the 34 m² rooms feel like suites. Some have a big soaking bathtub and a wet-and-dry bathroom, the beds are comfortable with soft, plush bedding, and the signature is the mountain/stream view from the room that you can take in from bed, true to the name 溪境 ('by the stream'). The shared spaces are lovely and homestay-warm too — a tea room, a rooftop terrace garden and a small bar, plus self-service laundry on the 5th floor. There's an on-site Chinese restaurant for an easy meal, and pets stay free, so it suits anyone who wants somewhere warm and personal rather than a formal hotel.
But there are honest gripes worth knowing before you book, compiled from real guest reviews. First, it's a very small place of only about 15 rooms, so it books out fast in high season; if you're coming in summer or over a long holiday, reserve several weeks ahead. Second, a few reviews mention a barbecue smell drifting in from the grill restaurant next door in some rooms or at certain times — if you're sensitive to smells, ask at check-in for a room away from that side. And third, this is a homestay, not a big resort — there's no pool, gym or full-service luxury amenities. It's about lovely rooms, good views, a host who looks after you and being close to the park, which is entirely fair for a rate several times cheaper than the marquee hotels. If you'd rather have an international five-star brand in Wulingyuan, look at the Pullman Zhangjiajie near the park's East Gate instead.
One more thing to know before you arrive: Zhangjiajie has no metro. Getting around relies on the park shuttle (free with your ticket), city buses, taxis and DiDi. From Wulingyuan into Zhangjiajie city — the base for Tianmen Mountain, the cable car and the airport — is about 33 km, roughly a 40–50 minute drive; Hehua Airport (DYG) is about 34 km away and the Zhangjiajie West high-speed rail station (张家界西站) about 25 km, both on the city side. The popular way to do it is a split stay — 2–3 nights in Wulingyuan for the park, then move into the city for one night for Tianmen Mountain, the Heaven's Gate cave (天门洞), the 99-bend road and the cliffside glass skywalk. The Grand Canyon Glass Bridge (玻璃桥) is usually done as a day trip. The host can arrange transfers (for an extra fee) and help plan tickets, which makes this an easy base for tackling the park.
Entry rates start at around ~¥280 (฿1,400) a night, with the year-round average closer to ¥570 (฿2,850), because Zhangjiajie is steeply seasonal. In normal periods you'll see roughly ¥280–620 (฿1,400–3,100) depending on season, weekday versus weekend and room type, with mountain/stream-view and tatami rooms a little higher. During the peak of July to October, China's summer school holidays, Chinese New Year and Golden Week (1–7 October), prices can more than double and rooms sell out fast, because Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is one of China's most popular nature destinations and a favourite of Thai tour groups. If you want the best rate, avoid those peaks, book several weeks ahead, and choose a free-cancellation rate. One note: Zhangjiajie is often misty — but that thin mist drifting around the peaks is exactly the classic look people come to photograph.
Bottom line, friend to friend — Enjoy Nature Homestay suits travellers who've come to do the National Forest Park, want to sleep on the Wulingyuan side within walking distance of the gate, love a spacious design room with mountain/stream views, and like the warm, personal feel of a host-run stay. Whether you're a couple, a group of friends, a small family or a nature photographer, it delivers value that's hard to find at a 9.6 score — and, importantly for international visitors, it accepts foreign guests, so check-in is straightforward. If you'd rather have a design stay in town with a bigger review base that's a similar walk from the gate, compare the Lanting Elegant Hotel or the Manyuan Resort Hotel in our list first.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ About a 10-minute walk to the National Forest Park entrance, near Xibu Street
- ✓ New rooms, bigger than the price, with mountain/stream views from the room
- ✓ Warm young host who helps plan your trip, arranges cars and books tickets
- ✓ Tea room, terrace garden and a small bar — a warm, personal feel
- ! A very small homestay of around 15 rooms; books out fast in high season
- ! Some rooms/times get a barbecue smell from the grill restaurant next door
- ✓ Walk into the park early, before the crowds — a full day on the Avatar trails
- ✓ Spacious rooms, comfy beds, some with a big soaking bathtub
- ✓ Accepts foreign guests — easy check-in for international travellers
- ✓ Excellent value for a design stay this close to the park at this score
- ! A homestay — no pool or gym like a big resort
- ! Zhangjiajie has no metro; getting around relies on shuttle/taxi/DiDi
- 💡If you're coming in high season or over a long holiday · it's a very small homestay of around 15 rooms that books out fast in summer / Golden Week, with prices spiking hard · fix → book several weeks ahead, choose a free-cancellation rate, and avoid the peaks if you can
- 💡If you're sensitive to food smells · some reviews note a barbecue smell drifting in from the grill restaurant next door in certain rooms or at certain times · fix → ask at booking or check-in for a room away from the restaurant side, and keep the window closed in the evening
- 💡If you want a pool, gym or five-star service · this is a small near-park homestay with no big-resort facilities · fix → look at the Pullman Zhangjiajie near the park's East Gate, or the Hilton Garden Inn Wulingyuan in our list