Blossom Hill Qiu Shu Li — Huzhou, China

Nestled in the heart of a tightly-packed neighbourhood of Ming Dynasty homes in Nanxun, a picturesque village crisscrossed by canals, Blossom Hill’s latest hotel is a labyrinth of passageways, warm spaces and courtyard gardens that unfolds in a series of soft reveals, progressively removing visitors from the bustle of the outside world.
Outwardly unassuming, the sumptuous interiors, with their effortless blend of the contemporary and the traditional, belong firmly to the school of Asian minimalism and are the work of Shanghai-based Dariel Studio, a boutique interior design firm developing a reputation for its thoughtful but playful melding of different eras and styles.
Perhaps inspired by President Xi Jinping’s declaration of the era of Fu Xing, Dariel’s approach to the bijou 20-room property has been as much rejuvenation as remake. Its intervention brings the former family compound firmly into the modern era without effacing its past, thus the craftsmanship of yesterday is complemented by artistry of today. Low-lit and atmospheric, Qiu Shu Li’s wooden screens and carefully placed windows, which look in as much as out, present a selective reading of its surroundings, the result is an oasis of serenity, hidden in plain sight.
INFORMATION
Website
ADDRESS
109 Nanxi Street
Nanxun Ancient Town
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Middle East Editor
-
Yannick Alléno takes over Monsieur Dior: ‘What would Christian Dior do if he were to create a restaurant today?’
At 30 Montaigne in Paris, the world’s most Michelin-starred chef reimagines French gastronomy as Christian Dior himself might have dreamt it
-
Oscar Ouyang’s imaginative knitwear makes him a London Fashion Week name to watch
The Guangdong-born designer, who recently graduated from Central Saint Martins, will hold his first runway show at LFW tomorrow. As part of our Uprising column, Wallpaper* gets a preview of the collection
-
The new Nothing Ear (3) are fine-sounding earbuds with added audio functionality
Nothing’s latest upgrade brings the Super Mic to its earbud range, enhancing call quality and creating a handy voice memo taker
-
Discover a futuristic bar in Shanghai with mad-scientist energy
Penicillin opens in Shanghai with a clinical steel and concrete design by LC Studio alongside trailblazing, sustainable cocktails
-
A colossal ‘ship’ in Shanghai honours Louis Vuitton’s travel legacy
Louis Vuitton’s The Louis is an OMA-designed hub combining retail, culture and dining in the heart of Nanjing West Road
-
Tour the best contemporary tea houses around the world
Celebrate the world’s most unique tea houses, from Melbourne to Stockholm, with a new book by Wallpaper’s Léa Teuscher
-
Prada and Wong Kar-wai dream up a cinematic restaurant in Shanghai
Prada partners with Wong Kar-wai to bring Mi Shang Rong Zhai to life, a dining experience influenced by the arthouse director’s seminal oeuvre
-
Enjoy heritage views and contemporary brews at a new Beijing café
JM Café, White Pagoda Temple by B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio nods to the history of the Xicheng District while injecting a shot of vitality
-
Must-visit cinemas with award-worthy design
There’s more magic to the movies at these design-led cinemas, from Busan Cinema Centre’s ‘flying’ roof to The Gem Cinema Jaipur’s art deco allure
-
China’s Alila Shanghai hotel is a stylish hub of idle tranquillity
Alila Shanghai, the brand's first urban resort in Greater China, is a serene bolthole amidst the pulse of the Jing'an district
-
2025 getaways: where Wallpaper* editors will be travelling to this year
From the Japanese art islands of Naoshima and Teshima to the Malaysian tropical paradise of Langkawi, here’s where Wallpaper* editors plan to travel to in 2025