The 2011 Romance List
Amanfayun, China
The Amans excel at harmonising their properties and their environments so accurately and intricately that guests are really not staying at a hotel at all but luxuriating in exquisitely furnished and impeccably serviced accommodation. The perfect example is the new Amanfayun in China, where you can live like a Tang dynasty Mandarin in a hidden valley. Wake at dawn for a bicycle ride around West Lake or a stroll through the green tea plantations and bamboo stands, spend an hour’s silent vigil at the 1,685-year-old Lingyin Si Buddhist temple, and fall in love with your partner again in the Aman Spa with a couples’ treatment inspired by the plants and climates of this region’s four distinct seasons, followed by a peaceful hour in a traditional wooden soaking tub.
The property is built on the site of an old Tan village and, with typical Aman panache, has been designed so each room and villa is unique. The art, the decor and the materials are all inspired by the blissful surroundings and to add to the overwhelming sense of tranquillity, TVs are on a request-only basis. For complete serenity choose one of the Village villas.
Review from Matthew Brace [Meet our Romance List Panel]
Why you'll love it
Perfect for couples looking for complete calm in a secluded and historic environment.