Lijiang is a must for Yunnan-bound travelers. It's in the heart of Naxi country and a jumping off point for Himalaya adventures or the Tea Horse Trail. And now there's a cool new boutique hotel which the international travel mags are raving about: The Bivou.

It's yards better than the nongjiale-type stuff which has dominated the Lijiang boutique market for the last 10 years. It was converted from a pair of old Naxi farmhouses and the whole place screams local. There are copper pans on the walls. There's a concierge who knows Lijiang inside and out. The beds are 400 thread count. You get the idea: no expense has been spared to make this a unique (and uniquely comfortable) experience. And it's not even crazy pricey--rooms start around USD100+. That no doubt explains why they are already top 10 on TripAdvisor.

They are also doing a ton of events. They've hooked up with famed photog Michael Freeman to do a workshop in April. They can also get you special access to the numerous festivals that take place in the region all year long.

But enough talking, check out the photos for yourself.