Jiangnan House Chaozhou

The courtyard at the center of this 20-room boutique hotel was the childhood home of Rao Zongyi, the Chaozhou-born sinologist who wrote over a hundred books and became one of the great scholars of the last century. Century-old timber rafters and paper globe pendants coexist without much visible strain, and Bvlgari amenities arrive without apology. Guangji Bridge, one of China's four great ancient bridges, is a short walk.