Aman at Summer Palace, Beijing 北京颐和安缦

Aman at Summer Palace, Beijing, a new upscale hotel opened in late September 2008, occupies a cluster of 100-year-old courtyard dwellings just outside the East Gate of the famous Summer Palace, about 10 miles northwest of Beijing’s Forbidden City.

The hotel features 18 guestrooms and 25 suites decorated in burnished clay tile and exposed wood beams. Guestrooms feature polished tile floors among a combined living-and-sleeping area arranged in intricate window screens, traditional paneling and wooden lounge furnishings with chunky upholstered cushions in subdued colors of burnt gold and creamy white. The suites are lavish and large, with individually designed spaces offering secluded daybeds, cushy reading chairs and dramatic views of the surrounding landscape. The resort is home to three full- service restaurants including Naoki, a French-inspired Japanese eatery overlooking a central courtyard. At the top end of the dining spectrum is the Chinese Restaurant, cooking up traditional staples like Peking Duck and Cantonese cuisine. A state-of-the-art spa offers a rejuvenating escape with nine fully furnished treatment rooms offering a mix of Eastern body treatments and Western-style procedures. The fitness facilities include a 25m indoor lap pool and a 300 square-metre gym with Techno gym equipment including Kinesis, as well as fitness consultants, two squash courts and a juice bar.

Address: 15 Gongmenqian Street, East gate of Summer Palace, Haidian District Beijing 100091 China

北京市海淀区颐和园宫门前街15号
Phone: (86) 10 5987 9999, 1 800 477 9180(in US)
Fax: (86) 10 5987 9900
email: theamansummerpalace@amanresorts.com

Rates: doubles starts at $480

Website: www.meiguoxing.com/Hotels/Aman_at_Summer_Palace.html