Aman at Summer Palace

Adjacent to the East Gate of the Summer Palace grounds, Aman at Summer Palace, Beijing is housed in a series of dwellings, most of which date back over one hundred years. Some of the original dwellings were used by guests of the Summer Palace awaiting an audience with the Empress Dowager Cixi at the turn of the twentieth century.  Amanresorts’ new city-based resort is a peaceful retreat from which to explore the many exciting faces of China’s capital.

Aman at Summer Palace, Beijing offers a variety of accommodation which pays homage to the traditional architecture of the Summer Palace, celebrating its courtyard architectural style. Suites surround an internal courtyard featuring an intricate latticework of pathways, separating formal gardens and trees.

The aesthetic references draw upon traditional materials and the architecture and design of the Ming Dynasty period. Floors are finished in Jin clay tiles which have been polished to achieve a deep lustre. The ceilings are mostly open to exposed wooden roof beams and structural columns.

Accommodations: Simple and redolent of the past, the Rooms and Suites feature traditional wooden screens and bamboo blinds, creating a mysterious sense of peeking through the veil of time to the romance of another era.

There are eight Guestrooms and ten Courtyard Guestrooms, most of which feature king-size four-poster beds and Ming Dynasty-styled armoires.

Aman at Summer Palace, Beijing offers several types of accommodation. Suites surround an internal courtyard crisscrossed by stately pathways separating formal gardens, and are shaded by bamboo and indigenous trees. Aesthetic references draw upon the region and the Imperial period, and furniture and accessories are crafted from traditional materials. Floors are finished in Jin clay tiles polished to a deep lustre, and ceilings are mostly open to exposed wooden roof beams and structural columns. Simple, elegant and redolent of the past, rooms and suites also feature traditional wooden screens and bamboo blinds, creating a mysterious sense of peeking through the veil of time to the romance of another era.

Courtyard guestrooms – Most of the ten Courtyard Guestrooms feature king-size four-poster beds and Ming Dynasty-styled armoires. Bathrooms also feature twin vanities and separate shower and toilet facilities.

Suites – The eight Suites feature king-size beds, Ming Dynasty-inspired furniture and have a combined bedroom and living areas.  All are furnished with daybeds, reading chairs and writing desks. Every suite has its own unique layout and orientation with roomy bathrooms featuring island bathtubs and separate shower and toilet areas.

Deluxe suites – 17 Deluxe Suites also showcase furniture inspired by the Ming Dynasty, and while some have a combined bedroom and living area, others have separate bedrooms. All feature king-size beds, daybeds, reading chairs and writing desks. Bathrooms are spacious, with twin vanities and free-standing island bathtubs. Adjacent to the bathing area is a dressing room that is furnished with two large Ming-style wardrobes.

Courtyard suites-There are seven Courtyard Suites which are identical in design to the Suites, but more spacious. 

Imperial suite – The Imperial Suite comprises three separate pavilions: a private pavilion, a living/study pavilion and a formal pavilion. The private pavilion is the dominant structure within The Imperial Suite and is composed of a living area, a private dining area and a spa treatment room set around an enclosed courtyard. Adjacent to the reception room, which can be used for private meals, is a loungefeaturing a series of drum stools, a tah bench and a coffee table. The bathroom includes a bathtub and two separate spaces with a dressing area in between. Each space contains a shower, toilet and dresser. The living/study pavilion is located along the western side of the private courtyard. The formal pavilion is a boardroom-style meeting room with seating for 18 people. This can also be used for private gatherings.

Cuisine: In the reception area of the main building is The Lounge. Relaxed seating extends to a lower level overlooking a traditional courtyard featuring indigenous trees. The Lounge is open all day and serves Continental breakfast and light meals. In the afternoon, a choice of savouries, cakes and pastries is served.

The Chinese Restaurant offers Peking duck and several imperial dishes, along with traditional Cantonese fare. The restaurant consists of nine different dwellings; three larger ones for the restaurant and six smaller ones to be used as private rooms. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner.

The courtyard restaurants consist of two elegant dining rooms surrounding a tranquil reflecting pond. Each dining room is dedicated to a different cuisine. In Naoki, Chef Naoki Okumura serves original French Kaiseki, fare which combines the best of French techniques with a Japanese sense of artistry. Food is prepared in front of guests who are seated around a Japanese counter. Naoki is open for lunch and dinner. The Grill serves Western fare, specializing in a grilled-to-order selection of prime cuts of aged beef, lamb, game and fish. The Grill is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Both dining rooms are furnished with classic pieces of furniture in the style of the Ming Dynasty.

The Bar overlooks a peaceful traditional Chinese pond and garden, a quiet, private setting with relaxed seating. Within the bar area is a Cigar Room offering a wide selection of premium cigars. Beyond the pond is a Music Pavilion, where musicians perform in the afternoon and evening on warmer days.

Spa & Fitness: The Spa at Aman at Summer Palace introduces a tranquil retreat of indulgence, rejuvenation and multi-sensory respite for the Aman guest. Imperial Chinese well-being techniques are seamlessly blended with modern wellness therapies, and administered by the expert hands of professionally-trained therapists. Nine self-contained double treatment rooms offer moments of blissful relaxation to restore balance and harmony of mind and body.

Fitness-consultants are available to help you enjoy the use of our 25m indoor lap pool, 300 square metre fitness-room with Techno gym equipment including Kinesis, and two squash courts. A juice bar is ready to serve healthy in-season fruit drinks.

Other facilities include a dedicated pilates room, and a beauty and hair salon by Kim Robinson.

Housed in a series of historic dwellings adjacent to East Gate, Aman at Summer Palace is the perfect portal through which to experience China’s imperial past. The 51 guestrooms draw on a Ming Dynasty aesthetic, with polished Jin clay tiles, latticed woodwork and bamboo blinds. Four UNESCO World Heritage sites are accessible, with the 260-year-old Summer Palace just steps away. Cap off a day of cultural exploration in The Aman Spa, then dine in any of the three on-site restaurants, offering traditional Cantonese, Western and French kaiseki (a mix of Japanese and French) cuisine.

The hotel library invites a calligrapher several days each week to write guests’ personal messages in beautiful Chinese characters. Distance from Beijing Airport (PEK): 45 minutes