Located in the idyllic water town of Zhouzhuang, the resort hotel of Xiangcun Qizhuang in Qibang village allows visitors to stay in buildings that were once used by local residents. To get a taste of authenticity, a seven kilometer drive from Zhouzhuang water town in Kunshan is all that is required.

The hotel recently entered trial operation and is offering a free night's stay on weeknights in March to one lucky winner. To be in with a chance, simply repost Xiangcun Qizhuang's WeChat post (see below).

The hotel project is set in a quaint countryside location and has opened four buildings for the trial operation.

House 7 is a bungalow built in the 1960s.[Photo from WeChat account zzgfweixin]

House 7 is a bungalow built in the 1960s. Enameled cups, old table lamps, vintage portmanteau and posters of Chairman Mao have been put in the house to create a typical household scene from that time.

A radio set, homespun tablecloth, certifications of merit with faded colors on the wall fit right in the house that was built in the 1960s. [Photo from WeChat account zzgfweixin]

House 5 was constructed during the 1980s. It is a two-story building with an enclosed courtyard where trees and potted plants grow under the sun.

House 5 is a two-story building from the 1980s. Green plants grow in the courtyard. [Photo from WeChat account zzgfweixin]

The House 1, from 1990s, could bring the post-80s generation back to their childhood. A tree in the courtyard has grown tall enough to be seen from the second-floor rooms and a pergola has been built against an exterior wall of the house. It offers comfortable shaded spaces in summers.

Built in the 2000s, House 8 more closely resembles the kind of architectural aesthetics and interior design found in houses today. The house is minimal, with large windows to allow sunlight to flood the rooms. A courtyard garden outside offers space to grow vegetables and flowers.

House 8 was built in the 2000s and features large windows in the bedrooms to allow sunlight to fill the room. [Photo from WeChat account zzgfweixin]

Contact: 159-5000-5736

Address: Qibang village, Zhouzhuang town, Kunshan city. North of the Tongli-Zhouzhuang highway and east of the West Ring Road in Zhouzhuang

WeChat account: Add "zz-xiangcun" (At the time of publishing, the repost-for-free lodging campaign has concluded)