Amanyangyun
Shanghai

Just outside the sprawling city and bright lights of Shanghai lies Aman’s fourth location in China, and possibly their most ambitious project to date; Amanyangyun. This masterpiece was a labour of love and a restoration project, which took over seven years to complete. Ancient dwellings dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasty were under threat from demolition, so were transported 700 kilometres from the remote Jiangxi province (along with 10,000 camphor trees), and have been restored, brick by brick, to their former glory to create beautifully refined spaces. They still bear the ornately carved family histories of their former owners, some reaching over 1,000 years into the past – a living monument of human history. Beauty is in the detail, and this hotel is the ultimate celebration of ancient architecture and heritage conservation.

Scattered amongst the whimsical backdrop of the flourishing, glossy green camphor forest, are 13 four-bedroom villas, central to the restoration project, and 24 contemporary one-bedroom suites, each one decorated in an earthy palette, in true chic and understated Aman style, designed to match its natural setting. The result is a unique luxury experience, combining ancient architecture and nature to create a peaceful camphor forest sanctuary.

Amanyangun provides six dining options, each promoting fresh local produce, and combining authentic flavours. The Aman spa focuses on holistic health, fitness and well being, with ten treatment rooms, a hydrotherapy suite, private hammam, Russian banya and a specialised area for reflexology. Like China’s other Aman hotels, Amanyangyun has a timeless appeal which draws on ancient Chinese traditions as well as the culture, history, heritage and the natural wonders of this breathtaking country.

I dislike feeling at home when I am abroad.
George Bernard Shaw