Deep in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon territory, nestled amid the bamboo blanketed hills of China’s Zhejiang province, Alila has raised the bar with its first property in China. The eco-resort is styled after the rural villages that guests pass on the two-and-a-half-hour drive from Hangzhou (or four hours from Shanghai), with whitewashed courtyards and sloping gray-tiled roofs. Seventy-four ultra-spacious villas and suites with large terraces and picture windows zigzag up the hillside overlooking a glittering lake. All around, rolling peaks carpeted in bamboo and neat tea gardens offer refreshing vistas in endless shades of green. The scenery also appears on your plate, with wild bamboo shoots and white tea-smoked salmon must-try dishes at Alila Anji’s two restaurants. Numerous options to unwind include Spa Alila, an infinity-edge pool that appears to float above the bamboo canopy, and a cruise aboard an elegant wooden boat appointed with cushioned daybeds and a tea butler. Or simply relax on your private terrace sipping the world’s most expensive white tea (it’s grown in the area) and appreciating this largely untouched part of China. (86 572/510 3888; alilahotels.com; doubles from US$218).
This article originally appeared in the December 2016/January 2017 print issue of DestinAsian magazine (“The Luxe List 2016: Alila Anji”).