21 Degrees North: Journey to a Hotel Embracing the Pulse of Tea Mountains

Flying from Guangzhou to Kunming, then to Xishuangbanna, and jumping into the hotel shuttle waiting at the airport, it was a non-stop journey to our destination. This trip went very smoothly - without traffic, we reached the hotel in 2.5 hours, though I heard it usually takes 3-4 hours during heavy traffic. The fact that Brilliant Resort chose to locate itself nearly 3 hours from the airport shows both their willful independence and confidence. Like a pilgrimage, those who understand will traverse mountains and waters to see its beauty. After my tiring journey, I finally stepped into the heart of the tea mountains and was embraced by its freshness. Sometimes, a little extra effort is worth it if the destination proves worthy. 1. At Brilliant Resort Jingmai Mountain, almost every dish is related to tea, with tea leaves being an essential ingredient. Each meal is paired with tea, making dining and tea drinking a synchronized experience. My most perfect dinner here was the tea set menu, reminiscent of an equally perfect Chinese wellness set menu I had at Brilliant Resort Chongqing. 2. Brilliant Resort Jingmai Mountain lives up to its Relais & Châteaux membership. The tea set menu was refined and artistic, with meticulous attention to presentation, ambiance, and service. Though the servers are local youth from nearby towns, their service level shows thorough training. They have excellent attention to detail, serving and clearing plates promptly and efficiently, always polite and smiling. 3. The dinner stretched from dusk till nightfall, from verdant views to deepening darkness, from village sounds to evening birdsong and insects, from dissipating heat to evening breezes. This meal left me in awe of its luxury - it's hard to imagine finding such high-quality organic cuisine in an ancient tea garden. 4. The luxury extends to Brilliant Resort's tea gardens, surrounded by beautiful mountains, stunning subtropical scenery, fragrant tea aromas, blooming wildflowers, and in winter, seas of clouds like a fairyland. Waking up in the tea garden mountain view suite each morning, stepping onto the balcony to let fresh air fill your lungs, with sunshine already spread and birds awake - experiencing nature's sounds and tea garden morning views is something ordinary hotels can't offer. 5. Travelers who come "from afar" to Brilliant Resort can enjoy their own luxurious moments at the must-try tea garden spa. I dedicated my indulgence to exploring the thousand-acre ancient tea garden. Led by the hotel's tea master Xiao Ye, I learned about Pu'er tea and the Jingmai Mountain ancient tea gardens. She showed me century-old tea trees, whose trunks were surprisingly slender, and taught me about the "crab legs" of Loranthus parasiticus, known for relieving wind and dampness. 6. While touring the ancient tea garden, you occasionally see protected "king trees" and prayer flags handwoven by local ethnic minorities like the Lahu, Dai, and Blang peoples hanging on ancient trees as offerings, showing their devotion to the tea ancestors. I was slightly unlucky, having just missed their annual tea ancestor worship ceremony. 7. I also spent a luxurious moment night running in the forest. Working out in the hotel gym facing the tea garden is also a wonderful experience, as is swimming in the infinity pool overlooking the tea gardens. Most importantly, you must drink tea here - take time to appreciate it, whether in the tea room or the hotel library, spending half a day with a pot of tea. Under dappled light and swirling tea smoke, quiet your heart and savor the leisure. Having come so far across mountains and waters, don't skimp on this time - slow down.