More than just a guardian of the past, Amanyangyun offers its guests the opportunity to experience advanced holistic wellness facilities; to explore China’s heritage of arts, culture and philosophy; and to enjoy the finest local and international cuisine at its three headline restaurants.
Set around an impressive central courtyard, the 2,840sq m Aman Spa is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the Aman collection. Its ethos and atmosphere draw inspiration from the resort’s name, ‘Yang Yun’, which is taken from an inscription made on a pavilion in Beijing’s Forbidden City three centuries ago, and means ‘nourishing cloud’. The complex houses eight treatment rooms, two double spa suites, extensive relaxation areas, a sauna, plunge pool, Jacuzzi and two swimming pools; indoor and out. Two private Spa Houses each offer a suite of thermal facilities, including a Russian banya and Turkish hammam. All unique to Aman, the treatment programmes and 15 specially developed spa journeys combine the ancient healing practices of traditional Chinese medicine with the pioneering advancements of 21st-century wellbeing technology.
The main spa building is also home to the fitness and movement centre, installed with professional cardio and strength equipment, and houses a Pilates and yoga studio where three walls of floor-to-ceiling glass provide inspiring, serene views over Amanyangyun’s lake and resplendent forest gardens. Through its membership programme, a limited number of Shanghai residents will be granted an exclusive opportunity to escape the city and experience specialist therapies in this peaceful and timeless setting.
Amanyangyun’s Cultural Discovery Centre, a convivial meeting ground for children, will offer a host of experiences, each designed to help the resort’s younger guests unearth the rich culture of China. The club, open from 9am to 5pm, will welcome children aged from five to 12, and will also have a dedicated programme for teenagers.
Nature programmes will take young guests on adventures to the resort’s wetland to learn about the unique ecosystem that surrounds them, whilst keen foodies in the making can spend time on Amanyangyun’s own organic herb and vegetable garden to learn about traditional Chinese farming techniques. Chinese lantern making, paper cutting, pottery moulding and tea ceremonies will also be organised, as well as Chinese shadow puppet shows. Children’s yoga and spa treatments can also be arranged, on request, for those who feel that a bit of pampering is in order after a day spent exploring. A light food and beverage menu will be available throughout the day, along with a snack bar.
Positioned throughout the forest to allow guests to experience the rich variety of the landscape, each of Amanyangyun’s five restaurants and bars is designed with a combination of refined modernity, material simplicity and sensitivity to both the local environment and the culinary philosophy of each concept.
The kitchens of Chinese restaurant Lazhu pay homage to Jiangxi province, the original home of Amanyangyun’s camphor trees and Antique Villas, and headed up by the Executive Chef of the resort, Steve Miao, who was born and raised in Shanghai. Combining dishes first conceived during the Ming and Qing Dynasties with Cantonese classics, the menu makes use of the region’s abundant soya plantations to offer an inventive array of tofu-based plates, as well as taking advantage of seasonal produce from Amanyangyun’s 200sq m organic herb and vegetable garden.
At Nama, close to the lake, Executive Chef Keiji Matoba brings the flavour-led simplicity of Japan’s washoku tradition to Amanyangyun. A menu of authentic, uncomplicated and elegant dishes combines the classic techniques of the Japanese kitchen with the finest and freshest ingredients available locally.
At lakeside Arva, Master Chef Andrea Torre – fresh from helming the kitchens of Aman Venice – presides over a menu that draws inspiration from Italy’s farm-to-table gastronomic tradition, showcasing signature dishes and sharing plates in a warm and convivial atmosphere. Here, a bimonthly programme of Italian cookery classes offers guests hands-on instruction in pasta-, pastry- and mozzarella-making, among other culinary arts.
Amanyangyun guests can head to The Bar for expertly crafted cocktails, afternoon tea and a live jazz soundtrack in front of an antique fireplace, or stroll up the picturesque path to the Cigar Lounge. In this copper- and oak-accented space, a selection of fine cigars from Cuba and the Dominican Republic awaits, along with a humidor and temperature-controlled wine cellar where guests may store their personal collection for future visits.
Set in a scenic bamboo grove, the Banqueting Room allows for 200-seat receptions, conferences, weddings and special-occasion feasts with breath-taking views through its floor-to-ceiling windows, while a 25-seat cinema offers classic film screenings. When it opens its doors on 8th January 2018, Amanyangyun will stand tribute to one of the boldest conservation projects in China’s history, while offering Aman guests the same standards of design, service, natural beauty and cultural immersion to which they are accustomed. Breathing new life into ancient history, Amanyangyun brings the promise of a soul-easing sanctuary to Shanghai; a place where mindful living, natural splendour and historic wonders interweave and thrive.
