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CHINA
263
October14
Aman Summer Palace is a tranquil shelter
from the bustle of Beijing, though just one wall
away fromone of the city’s biggest attractions.
LOCATION:
It is located in northeast Beijing – about
40 minutes by car from the city centre – in a walled
compound to the east of the famous Summer Palace.
A wall separates the hotel from the former imperial
living quarters inside the palace.
LOOK:
Thinkweepingwillows, bamboo-lined stonepaths,
painted corridors and Chinese courtyards. The hotel
blends seamlessly with the imperial architecture of the
Summer Palace – as it should: many of the buildings
are over 100 years old. There are no lifts, no signs of any
kind, no grand ballrooms and no tour groups. It’s a quiet,
regal place – a place to reflect after days spent battling
legions of tourists at the Forbidden City and Tiananmen
Square, a place
where you can expect to dine, swim
and stroll in peace.
LUXURY:
Rooms boast carved Chinese walls, gabled
ceilings, fine Chinese porcelain and Bose speakers
fromwhich emanate the soft sounds of mandolin strings.
Chinese tea, baked goods and complimentary mini-bar
drinks are replenished daily. There are only 50 rooms
and suites, though guests can still enjoy private Pilates
classes (withor without Reformermachines), agrand spa
experience, a luxury gymworkout and a nightly film in the
hotel cinema. Three on-site restaurants offer traditional
Chinese (including an absolutely exquisite platter of
Peking duck), French and
kaiseki
-style Japanese fare.
Breakfasts are, of course, made to order.
LASTING IMPRESSIONS:
A few things not to miss at
Aman Summer Palace: afternoon tea on the terrace
of the lotus pond, learning Chinese calligraphy
in the Cultural Pavilion, participating in the daily
tea ceremony, and enjoying a morning picnic of
viennoiseries
and smoked salmon on the palace
grounds before the gates open to the general public.
amanresorts.com
T IP:
Hotel guests get private access to the
Summer Palace through a secret door
that links the two properties. Not only
do you avoid entrance fees and queues,
but you can go before or after official
opening times to
escape the crowds.
LUXURY
WHAT IS THE SUMMER PALACE?
Building of the former summer home of the Chinese
imperial family was started in 1153 and not completed
until the mid-1700s. It was abandoned in the 1920s
and30s after the fall of the last emperor, and renovated
from head to toe before the 2008 Beijing Summer
Olympics. The site – which is dominated by the man-
made Kunming Lake – features gardens, former
imperial living quarters and a temple, and is now one
of Beijing’s main tourist draws.
Hotel Highlight:
Aman Summer palace
Summer Palace
Photos by Amanresorts