For millennia, Chinese gentry and royalty alike descended on Hangzhou whenever they needed some R&R from the intrigue and stresses of the capital.
These days, the city’s charms – among them scenic lakes and ancient monuments – remain very much extant, a fact seized on by the quaintly monikered Littlenap.
Snuggling up against the Qiantang River, a forested village and framed by Mount Xijiguanlong, the 11-room hotel is the work of local studio, Say who have renovated a clutch of old red-bricked residences into a three-storey complex joined by a traditional Chinese roofline, and dressed the interiors in an austere mix of whites and dark browns, and low-slung furniture.
A sun-soaked lap pool on the second floor flanked by facing mirrors makes for a leisurely interlude as does a walk through the forest trails. There is, for now, no in-house restaurant. For that, an excursion is required into the nearby bijou village, which is barely a hardship.
Address
No.56 Xu Cun
Xihu District
Hangzhou