Amandayan

By this point an Aman hotel hardly needs vetting, true, but it remains a pleasure to detail their ongoing success story. They’ve hit photogenic gold again here in Lijiang, jewel of China’s Yunnan province, an astoundingly well-preserved repository for the region’s heritage and peerless natural beauty. Amandayan overlooks the impossibly ancient Old Town, a rich lattice of irreplaceable artifacts and architecture with a whimsical penchant for bridges and cobblestone streets.

Here in the Land of Eternal Spring, so-called for its clement weather, it’s the snow-mantled Jade Dragon Snow Mountain that gets highest billing, in every sense — presiding over Yunnan’s limestone heights and untamed rivers, its lordly presence elevates many room views from that’s nice to must have. Good thing these all-suite accommodations recognize that fact, and even better that they pair it with flawless interiors in the time-tested Nakhi tradition. The universal luxury signifiers are here in the clean lines and lofty ceilings, of course, but the specifics will astound you: pagoda roofs, courtyard-core, and expertly carved screens and ornaments in local pine and elm.

The affect is open, soothing, and softly lit throughout, extending into the bathrooms with freestanding tubs for the requisite soak. Technology, though state-of-the-art, is kept supremely discreet; you’ll enjoy the flat-screens, the sound system, and the underfloor heating, we’re sure, but they won’t obtrude. And tempting though it may be to cocoon yourself in your room, you’ll be glad for the restaurant when hunger strikes. Serving a balance of Yunnan and Cantonese fare, it centers on mountain-foraged plates, with global dishes available nearby in the lounge. There’s also a tea house, oriented towards some of the resort’s best views, with both traditional and Western varieties on offer. And it wouldn’t be Aman without a wellness suite, here emphasizing Chinese medicinal herbs and massage, augmented by a lengthy heated outdoor pool, a fully equipped gym, yoga classes on request, and multiple treatment rooms.

How to get there: Amandayan is a 40-minute drive from Lijiang Airport.