Aman Resorts’ first Shanghai property a magical journey into Chinese history
With its restored Ming and Qing dynasty villas, and peaceful contemplation gardens, luxurious Amanyangyun delivers ancient culture as well as 21st-century pampering
What is it? Officially opening tomorrow, this is the fourth Aman property in China and the first in Shanghai. The resort consists of 13 villas and 24 one-bedroom suites surrounded by an ancient camphor forest.
Hang on, I thought you said it was in Shanghai? You heard right – the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasty villas and the forest originally stood in Fuzhou, in Jiangxi province, about halfway between Hong Kong and Shanghai, but were relocated 700km to the north.
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That sounds like hard work. Why bother? It was a labour of love on the part of entrepreneur Ma Dadong. In 2002, Ma visited his parents in Fuzhou, his hometown, and discovered that thousands of trees – many more than 1,000 years old – were being cut down to make way for a reservoir. He arranged to transport 10,000 to a site just outside Shanghai, where they were replanted, the majority surviving the process. Ma also saved 50 Fuzhou villas from destruction, deconstructing them and storing the wood and stone in a warehouse.
The trees and villas may be ancient, but the property itself is brand new; on our visit last month, much was still under construction. It’ll take a little while for vines to climb the walls and the resort to fully settle into itself.
When it’s finished, the spa should look pretty Zen, with the yoga studio overlooking a reflecting pond for deep and meaningful stretching, and the whole surrounded by bamboo and yet more ancient trees. Speaking of which, on arrival, guests will be encouraged to water the grand dame of them all, a 17-metre Emperor tree at the heart of the property.
If you feel like giving this beauty a hug, you’ll need some friends; it takes six pairs of outstretched arms to fully surround the trunk.
Dedicated Aman junkies may already be familiar with Nama, the Japanese restaurant that was introduced at Amanpuri, in Phuket, in March last year. Nama is the Japanese word for “raw” and also, handily enough, “Aman” spelt backwards. The new restaurant will follow the Japanese tradition of washoku, which translates as “food in harmony”. Arva, the Italian restaurant, opened in Aman Venice in October and is soon to be a feature of a number of the group’s properties.
What’s the bottom line? A one-bedroom suite costs 5,188 yuan (HK$6,200) a night and the price rockets to 30,000 yuan for a Ming Courtyard Suite, including 24-hour butler service, breakfast and return transfer to Shanghai airport. Transportation back to the Ming dynasty comes free of charge.