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Best Luxury Destinations in China

Chongqing Forest-Chongqing Night. Photo by Jerry Wang

Ten years ago, if you suggested a holiday in mainland China to any Hong Kong native, they would have looked at you with equal parts confusion and horror.

How things have changed since then: as Chinese tourists have become more knowledgeable and well-travelled, they have also begun to look progressively within their own country’s borders, igniting a tourism gold rush.

In 2015, four billion domestic trips were made, which was double the figure in 2010 and has only increased since then.

There’s no better time to travel north than now, with a plethora of five-star resorts serving as the icing on the cake to China’s plethora of appealing attractions. We’ve compiled a list of the best new resorts and hotels in the country.

1. Sangha Retreat

The service is relaxed yet attentive: friendly, engaging staff anticipate your every need. Nothing is too much trouble, from bubble-wrapping a delicate gift so it doesn’t crush on the flight home (a large piece of calligraphic art in my case) to remembering you like the sweet beetroot juice.

Smiling staff will guide you to your various appointments. A self-service fresh fruit and snack station, an outdoor swimming pool, a multi-faceted spa, holistic wellness, and medical offerings for mind, body, and soul are among the amenities.

Exercise facility, Parking Garage, Pool, Restaurant, Sauna, Spa Steam room/hammam, Wi-Fi are all available amenities offered in the

2. Capella Sanya

The island province of Hainan, known as China’s Hawaii, became the toast of the Chinese domestic tourist industry, with international tourism growing nearly 70% between 2010 and 2015.

The island’s crown jewel is , located on the southern coast and designed in stunning East-meets-West fashion by hotel design superstars Jean-Michel Gathy and Bill Bensley.

Three restaurants and a cocktail bar provide a lot of options for food connoisseurs, while Chinese teas are heavily displayed on all drink menus.

Unwind  and tranquillity are the order of the day here, as evidenced by a visit to the Auriga Wellness spa facility, which includes 10 treatment rooms, including a Moroccan hammam and the region’s first Snow Cabin.

3. InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland Hotel

A beautiful hotel room. Photo by Vojtech Bruzek-

The fact that the was constructed at all is a testament to the originality of the concept: a 336-room luxury hotel clinging to the wall of a disused quarry in the Sheshan mountain range outside Shanghai, with 16 of its 18 floors cascading down into the water below and the bottommost two floors submerged inside a 33-foot-deep aquarium.

The hotel took several years and 5,000 workmen to build and was designed by Studio JADE+QA, who also designed Dubai’s Burj Al-Arab.

Passageways stretch into the quarry lake and snake up the walls, allowing visitors to explore the sceneries from every angle, and bungee jumping and rock climbing activities are available to make the most of the beautiful place.

4. Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain

, located at the foot of Taoism’s most religious site, the UNESCO World Heritage site of Mount Qingcheng, undoubtedly gilds the cultural charms of Chengdu, both the world’s panda capital and its main highlight of Sichuanese cuisine.

The estate’s 113 villas are spread across 11 hectares and linked by moon bridges, giving the impression of a traditional Chinese village.

Along with the standard amenities (a farm-to-table restaurant, spa, indoor and outdoor pools), visitors can take an opportunity to see the resort’s easy access to panda reserves and the millennia-old Dujiangyan irrigation system, an accomplishment of ancient Chinese engineering expertise.

5. Amanyangyun

Ahn Luh Qiandaohu, 淳安, China. Photo by Li Yang-

Walking up the approach to main hall, the Nan Shu Fang, you could be forgiven for thinking that the building had been sitting in its current location on Shanghai’s outskirts since olden days.

Indeed, as earlier as 2002, it and the surrounding 50 Ming and Qing dynasties village houses, as well as 10,000 camphor trees enclosing the estate, were located 700 kilometres away in Jiangxi province, in the hometown of philanthropist Ma Dadong, who discovered during one of his frequent visits that a dam was set to flood the area upon finalization.

He quickly arranged for the iconic buildings and trees to be professionally relocated to a safe location, which is now known as China’s most aspirational tourism plan, Kerry Hill Architects’ courteous revitalization has made it much more attractive. Visiting this resort is a compelling step back in time, as well as an enormous feat of heritage for younger generations.

6. Alila Yangshuo

, built inside a neglected Communist-era sugar factory tucked away between Guilin’s famous limestone karsts, struck gold in terms of natural landscapes.

The resort was designed by Vector Architects and Horizontal Space Design, who preserved the building’s traditional industrial design with very little interventions of bamboo, mountain stone, reclaimed wood, and concrete supplied from the surrounding area.

The mill’s multiple rooms were brilliantly repurposed into its existing complexes: the molasses storage tank was transformed into Spa Alila; the old pressing room was transformed into 1969 Bar, complete with an in-house distillery; and the boiler room was transformed into its library.

Staying here allows you to witness a particularly sensitive period in China’s recent past.

7. Four Seasons Hong Kong: The Presidential Suite

in Hong Kong requires at least of a two-night stay in the case of the Presidential Suite. As a result, what would commonly cost around $17,500 per night will now cost at least $35,000 because you must stay two nights. However, you get what you pay for!

There’s no need to go any further with this because Four Seasons is in the title. This stunning suite is unrivalled in terms of luxury and poise, and it offers 180-degree views of the beautiful city of Hong Kong. This is a choice if you don’t mind staying for a few days. You also get a butler!

8. Mandarin Oriental Pudong Shanghai: The Presidential Suite

Choosing the Presidential Suite in  for any of your vacations appears to imply that you will be spending a lot of money. The suite at the Mandarin Oriental Pudong in Shanghai will set you back a hefty $23,175 per night.

You may wonder what makes this suite so unique. First off, on top of everything else, you get a roof garden, a wine bar, and a meeting room. Furthermore, you’ll be surrounded by absolutely stunning views of the city that will take your breath away. You also get your own wine bar. What a cool idea!

9. The Peninsula Shanghai: The Peninsula Suite

If you were one of the most influential people in the world, one of Hollywood’s greatest paid actresses, or a prominent politician, would almost certainly be your choice for your trip to China. You’d probably go with The Peninsula Suite, which costs at least $21,000 per night.

What can you anticipate? Nothing less than exceptional. From insane views along The Bund and across the Huangpu River to a fireplace, a private gym, and a dining room, even those used to living large will be taken aback by this suite.

10. The Wanda Reign: The Presidential Suite

A close up of a Rolls Royce. Photo by Taras Chernus-

, dubbed Shanghai’s first 7-star hotel, is an opulent establishment that reportedly cost $516 million to build. When you walk into the hotel, it’s evident where the money went: the display of wealth is all around, from the décor to the pieces of artwork.

A night in the Presidential Suite costs a whopping $20,000 per night. It has a five-star price and a seven-star quality. You can have your greatest wishes, such as driving around in a Rolls Royce with a private driver. Why? That’s because it costs $20,000 per night!