The thing about China is that it’s just really massively big. Yes, that’s the kind of insight that makes Tablet Hotels such an authoritative source. But be honest: when you think of a Chinese holiday, the mountainous southwestern province of Yunnan is probably not the first place that comes to mind.
But like we said, China is vast, and contains multitudes. Lijiang, for example, the home of this particular Banyan Tree resort, is a UNESCO World Heritage site, an ancient town surrounded by endless rice fields with a spectacular view of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (which needs little additional description) and just generally about as scenic as a place can be.
As for the resort itself, it more than lives up to the promise of its location — its 55 villas are in the no-holds-barred luxury vein, scattered amidst tranquil gardens and pools. Within them you’ll find just the necessities — sprawling bedrooms, palatial bathrooms, and yet more pools: jet pools, plunge pools, or even full-fledged swimming pools. And should anyone need to unwind a bit after all that plunging and pooling, there’s a spa to end all spas, and a dizzying array of treks and tours for the restless, conducted on foot, bike or horseback, through the rugged Yunnan countryside.
author watson@mouselink.net, source www.tablethotels.com
