Sunyata Hotel Meili — Meili, China
Rare is the establishment outside Japan that manages to pull off the nation’s oft-mangled concept of wabi-sabi with aplomb. However Sunyata Hotel Meili, in China’s Meili Snow Mountain region, presents a successful homage to the Japanese philosophy of finding beauty in the imperfect, not just in aesthetics, but in concept.
Carved from a pre-existing property cradled in a remote hillside, the 19-room hotel has been revived by Dali-based studio Zhao Yang Architects, who transformed the two-and-a-half storey former hostel into a four-floor hotel inspired by traditional Tibetan architecture. An expansive atrium, featuring a golden arch that reflects the sun, feeds the property with natural light, while the locale lends itself to a plethora of soothing views. Rugged topiary and the jagged silhouettes of neighbouring mountains abound from each angle, counterbalanced by an interior of smooth lines, clean angles and a controlled nude palette.
Wabi-sabi abstractions, in particular, are explored via natural materials such as wood and bamboo, present in guestrooms via coarse beams, rustic pottery and roughly hewn furniture, all curated by designer Ke Xie. They are equally visible in public spaces such as the property’s library and in-house restaurant, both of which capitalise on the uneven qualities of highly textured linens and concrete walls. For the ultimate zen experience, a stand-alone villa maintains the rhythms of this faultlessly executed concept with the added luxuries of a deep-soaking and a fireplace.
ADDRESS
Wunongding Village
Deqen County
Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
China
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Melina Keays is the entertaining director of Wallpaper*. She has been part of the brand since the magazine’s launch in 1996, and is responsible for entertaining content across the print and digital platforms, and for Wallpaper’s creative agency Bespoke. A native Londoner, Melina takes inspiration from the whole spectrum of art and design – including film, literature, and fashion. Her work for the brand involves curating content, writing, and creative direction – conceiving luxury interior landscapes with a focus on food, drinks, and entertaining in all its forms
-
Minotti presents Giampiero Tagliaferri’s Supermoon sofa at Salone Del Mobile 2024
Minotti brings its new Supermoon collection to Salone del Mobile 2024, with a unique blend of Milanese and Californian aesthetics
By Jasper Spires Published
-
Step inside Juno Omakase, London’s smallest counter dining experience
Juno Omakase, inside Los Mochis Notting Hill, offers a one-of-a-kind tasting menu in which Tokyo meets Tulum
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
‘Help me go faster’: How Nike Air is priming its athletes for Olympic success
Ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics, Nike’s chief design officer Mike Lotti opens up to Wallpaper* about its latest high-performance sneakers, developed alongside world-leading athletes and honed using AI technology
By Ann Binlot Published
-
Inside Palazzo Versace Macau, a lavish, mosaic-rich hotel
Palazzo Versace Macau, the brand’s first hotel in Asia, continues to preserve Donatella Versace’s swanky hospitality vision
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
Villa One at the One & Only Palmilla — Los Cabos, Mexico
By Chadner Navarro Published
-
West Kowloon wonders to discover now
Cultural and culinary adventures, extraordinary spaces and outstanding experiences in West Kowloon, Hong Kong
By Simon Mills Last updated
-
Ramshackle farmhouse in China's Hubei province gets a slick makeover
The reimagined farmhouse is now a contemporary bolthole
By Lauren Ho Last updated
-
Martim — Wroclaw, Poland
By Daven Wu Last updated
-
Tattersalls Hotel — Armidale, Australia
By Dimity Noble Last updated
-
KLoé Hotel — Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
By Jennifer Choo Last updated
-
Beast x Gubi House — Shanghai, China
By Cat Nelson Last updated