The famous Chinese writer Lao She once described his ideal cozy nest for the cold winter days as an ancient town surrounded by mountains and water. With its crisscrossing rivers and backdrop of rolling hills, he could easily have been describing Zhouzhuang.

The water town is full of beautiful nooks to keep you warm and comfortable during the winter. Possibly the best of all are the homestay hotels in Qibang village to the west of Zhouzhuang.

These unique cottages are each furnished in the styles prevalent in the Chinese countryside in a different decade, with houses done up in the fashions of the 1960s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.

Homestay hotel in the 1960s

Decorated in the traditional style most popular in the Jiangnan region south of the Yangtze River Delta, the hotel provides guests with excellent riverside views. [Photo/zhouzhuang.net]

The enameled cups, old-fashioned table lamps, leather suitcases and wooden bed take you back in time. [Photo/zhouzhuang.net]