China

7 hip hotels in China

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  1. A complex of traditional style Chinese villas nestled into the mountainous landscape of South Western China. Lijiang has to be one of the best preserved traditional Chinese towns and the Banyan Tree Lijiang is the closest one can get to experiencing the magic of old China.

    Each guest is spoiled with a villa; your own walled complex which adds to the prevailing feeling of authenticity. Each has either a jet-pool or a private swimming pool, and each of the pools have a view of the spectacular 5,600 metre Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.

    Set in a traditional pavilion along a reflecting pool, the bar is situated to take in the most spectacular view of the compound. A place to enjoy the magnificence of the surroundings.

    ‘House of Flying Daggers’ with room service and a fabulous wine list.

    Photos of Banyan Tree Lijiang

    • Each guest is spoiled with a villa built in the distinct form and style of Lijiang architecture – your own walled complex which adds to the prevailing feeling of authenticity.
    • Each guest is spoiled with a villa built in the distinct form and style of Lijiang architecture – your own walled complex which adds to the prevailing feeling of authenticity.
    • Each and every guest villa has either a jet-pool or a private plunge pool, and each of the villa plunge pools have a view of the spectacular 5,600 metre Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
    • Set in a traditional pavilion along a vast basin and reflecting pool, the bar is situated to take in the most spectacular view of the compound.
    • There are two restaurants at Banyan Tree Lijiang; Bai Yun is an intimate space that focuses on local specialities.

    Prices from:

    £1,129 pp

    Perfect when twinned with Ringha

    Read more details about Banyan Tree Lijiang

  2. At an altitude of 3,200 metres, Banyan Tree Ringha is the part of Tibet known, appropriately enough, as Shangri La.

    Ringha is an extraordinary story which started with the purchase of 20 old traditional Tibetan farmhouses and the subsequent deconstruction of each house supervised by the former owners, and the reconstruction of the same houses on an idyllic site by a river that snakes through a verdant mountainscape.

    With a very large fireplace and a view of the surrounding wooded mountains, the bar is the perfect place to kick back after a day of trekking – very, very ‘A River Runs Through It’

    Not a room, a house. Every guest gets their own Tibetan farmhouse – a funky Himalayan loft with a fireplace in the middle.

    Photos of Banyan Tree Ringha

    • More a handful of authentic 30 year old Tibetan farm houses than a hotel, Banyan Tree Ringha is a community unto itself in one of the most spectacular locations on earth.
    • More a handful of authentic 30 year old Tibetan farm houses than a hotel, Banyan Tree Ringha is a community unto itself in one of the most spectacular locations on earth.
    • Not a room, a house. Every guest gets their own 30 year old Tibetan farm house – a funky Himalayan loft with a fireplace in the middle.
    • With a very large fireplace and a view of the surrounding wooded mountains, the bar is the perfect place to kick back after a day of trekking – very, very ‘A River Runs Through It’.
    • There are two restaurants, one of which is an all red Tibetan affair that dominates the upper storey of a house dedicated purely to eating.

    Prices from:

    £400 pp

    Perfect when twinned with Lijang

    Read more details about Banyan Tree Ringha

  3. The hotel offers 42 villas (236 rooms) designed by twelve different architects, scattered along the two-thousand acre property, culminating in a large pavilion that houses two restaurants, three bars, a swimming pool and a reception lobby.

    The drive to the Great Wall takes under an hour from the centre of Beijing, but the total change in environment and ambience makes it feel like you’ve travelled for weeks.

    The best words to describe the Commune by the Great Wall are fearless and experimental; fearless in its willingness to take risks and experimental in openly embracing the new. It is a creative showcase of Asian talent: a collection of houses, all inspiringly different, adjacent to one the Wonders of the World –
    the Great Wall of China.

    “…. the new revolution in the People’s Republic of China – a design revolution – one of the most compelling hotels in Asia.”

    Photos of Commune by the Great Wall

    • “…. the new revolution in the People’s Republic of China – a design revolution – one of the most compelling hotels in Asia.”
    • “…. the new revolution in the People’s Republic of China – a design revolution – one of the most compelling hotels in Asia.”

    Prices from:

    £845 pp

    Perfect as part of a tailormade tour of China

    Read more details about Commune by the Great Wall

  4. JIA Hotel

    Shanghai, China

    Definitely the most cutting edge property to be added to the Shanghai hotel scene. JIA gives the city street cred in terms of overnight accommodation that it already has in spades in the art world. Set in a stunning 1920’s building in the heart of Shanghai, JIA offers a stylish yet informal environment for people who want to get away from convention and predictability.

    A dark sexy affair, the bar is on the ground floor just off the lobby, a cocktail joint in the new spirit of Shanghai. More like lofts than rooms, each guest apartment features a proper living area complete with slouch couch and coffee table, and the bathrooms are havens of mosaic chic.

    JIA offers contemporary China chic in one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities

    Photos of JIA Shanghai

    • The most cutting edge property to be added to the Shanghai hotel scene, JIA gives the city street cred in terms of overnight accommodation that it already has in spades in the art world.
    • The most cutting edge property to be added to the Shanghai hotel scene, JIA gives the city street cred in terms of overnight accommodation that it already has in spades in the art world.
    • More like lofts than rooms, each guest apartment features a proper living area complete with slouch couch and dining table, fully-equipped kitchenettes, and the bathrooms are havens of mosaic chic.
    • A dark affair, the bar is on the ground floor just off the lobby, a cocktail joint in the new spirit of Shanghai.
    • Find Italian flair in Shanghai. Italian food can (and should) be great, with Issimo re-creating an authentic Italian eating experience.

    Prices from:

    £935 pp

    Complimentary Breakfast

    Read more details about JIA Shanghai

  5. The China Club

    Beijing, China

    Situated down a quiet hutong not far from Tiananmen Square, this former palace has changed little since it was built in the seventeenth century for a son of Emperor Kang Xi. Remarkably, virtually all of its architectural features have survived intact.

    The guestrooms are unlike any you're likely to have been in before but the true beauty of the place is the way it's divided into pavilions. Everywhere you go, there's another hidden courtyard, private dining room or secret bar.

    The China Club plays host to one of Beijing's most successful `scenes’. Every evening at around 7pm, an entire convoy of shiny black limousines with tinted windows pulls into the courtyard.

    Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. These were the first words a friend in Hong Kong used to described the China Club in Beijing. ‘You'll love it: it’s just like staying in the film but with great food.’ And she was right.

    Photos of The China Club

    • The true beauty of the place is the way it's divided into pavilions. Everywhere you go, there's another hidden courtyard, private dining room or secret bar.
    • The true beauty of the place is the way it's divided into pavilions. Everywhere you go, there's another hidden courtyard, private dining room or secret bar.
    • In the guestrooms, colour has been limited to dark red or chartreuse green. The bed is hidden, divided from the living room by trellis panels that also provide a decorative focus.
    • Authentic Sichuan cuisine and a 920’s style bar and cigar bar.
    • Restaurant at the China Club

    Prices from:

    £899 pp

    Go for a Winter Break

    Read more details about The China Club

  6. The Opposite House

    Beijing, China

    Special Offer

    The name derives from the ancient custom that the guest house is always situated on the opposite end of a traditional courtyard home. It is also a reference to the hotel’s fondness for contrast. Situated in the village of Sanlitun, a community based on traditional, low-build Beijing hutongs, The Opposite House stands out with its striking emerald glass exterior, designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. The colour is traditional but the design certainly is not.

    With 98 studios, three restaurants, (including Mediterranean Sureno and North Asian Bei), two bars and a state-of-the-art fitness centre with the a unique stainless steel pool, The Opposite House does not lack for facilities, yet the approach is still very much that of a small, individually minded outsider.

    Timeless tradition and a captivating, contemporary dynamic are the opposing ying and yang that successfully juxtapose to make this Beijing hotel.

    Photos of The Opposite House

    • Art and innovation is juxtaposed with tradition and historical order.
    • Art and innovation is juxtaposed with tradition and historical order.
    • High ceilings and open-plan living evoke the atmosphere of a loft. Under floor heating and large, spa-inspired bathrooms provide the comfort.
    • Punk takes luxury underground and a cool cocktail lounge called Mesh serves an eclectic menu in a chilled atmosphere.
    • Sureño has a wood-fire oven and specialises in flavours of the Mediterranean. Bei is all about reinterpreting dishes from Japan, Northern China and Korea.

    Prices from:

    £999 pp

    Free night offer!

    Read more details about The Opposite House

  7. URBN Hotel

    Shanghai, China

    URBN is a small, groovy, Highly Individual Place that has made global warming a central theme. It is probably the first hotel to make carbon neutral as much a part of its makeup as restaurants, bars and room service. In a rapidly growing city, URBN distinguishes itself with six square metres of green space per hotel guest, with plenty of trees and lot of bamboo. There are five different types of room, all using a combination of natural materials such as linen, silk and wood - distinctly contemporary but nonetheless Asian.

    Two blocks from Nanjing Road, Shanghai’s high-end shopping, entertainment and business district, URBN is a downtown hotel in the midst of a vibrant hub of the city, close to the colonial lane houses and the former French Concession – possibly the most photographed part of historic Shanghai.

    Urban hedonism with a twist … eat, drink and party with a clear conscience.

    Photos of URBN

    • URBN is a small, groovy, Highly Individual Place that has made global warming a central theme.
    • URBN is a small, groovy, Highly Individual Place that has made global warming a central theme.
    • What all rooms have in common is the approach; a combination of natural materials executed in a distinctly contemporary but nonetheless Asian way.
    • The bar is part of Roomtwentyeight Restaurant, which is operated by a crew from Wagas who have made a bit of a name and reputation in Shanghai for cutting edge eateries.
    • Small, casual and smart, the restaurant called Roomtwentyeight has a wall of glass with a view of the bamboo garden. High ceilings, black wooden floors and a marble-clad bar set the tone, but the view of some welcome green sets it apart.

    Prices from:

    £929 pp

    Both an alternative city break or the gateway to HIP China

    Read more details about URBN

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