Aman Summer Palace

Just steps from the East Gate of the Summer Palace grounds lies Aman at Summer Palace. It is the ideal location from which to discover Beijing, providing easy access to landmarks such as the Great Wall, The Temple of Heaven and the hutongs.

The resort's accommodation and public areas are housed in a series of pavilions, some of which date back over a century. Many of the rooms and suites surround an internal courtyard crisscrossed by stately pathways and formal gardens, and are shaded by bamboo and indigenous trees. Aesthetic references draw upon the Imperial period, as well as furniture and accessories crafted from traditional materials. Floors are finished in Jin clay tiles polished to a deep lustre, and ceilings are mostly open to exposed wooden roof beams and structural columns. Simple, elegant and redolent of the past, all feature traditional wooden screens and bamboo blinds.

Why we like it

• The Aman at Summer Palace incorporates a series of historic dwellings just steps from one of Beijing's most iconic landmarks
• Dining options span Chinese and French-Kaiseki cuisine
• The spa blends Imperial Chinese well-being techniques with modern treatments
• The resort has a 25 metre indoor lap pool
• Other facilities include bars and lounges, a library, cinema and boutique, a 300-square metre sky-lit Gym, two squash courts and a juice bar serving healthy fruit and vegetable drinks