Alila Yangshuo

This converted sugar factory makes for a peaceful stay near Guilin in southern China.

I'm sure there are plenty of things to do in Yangshuo. Undoubtedly you could go on spectacular hikes or kayak down the river, but when you’re at a place like Alila Yangshuo I’m not sure why you’d bother. The resort practically demands relaxation. A nap by the unbelievable pool. A leisurely stroll around the immaculate grounds. A massage in the subterranean spa.

Formerly a working sugar mill, the Alila is notable for its design and setting. The stone buildings provide an old world feel that naturally blends with the mountain peaks exploding from the ground in all directions. The central attraction is the pool with the ruins of the mill’s truss framing it against the river backdrop. If your entire stay consisted of nothing more than sipping whisky, reading a book from the hotel’s library and taking an occasional dip here, there’d be no fault in that.

Yet there’s much else here to recommend. The rooms are housed in a newly-designed wing that is rather contemporary but perfectly in keeping with the old mill aesthetic. Each accommodation blends warm woods and modern amenities and design flourishes. I spent a fair amount of time every morning just sitting on the balcony, sipping coffee and admiring the view back towards the mill.

Next to the pool is the 1969 Bar, a large bar and lounge area in the former pressing room. It’s a large space with a sunken bar and inventive design that incorporates elements of the mill’s ruins and glass platforms that are illuminated by evolving red, blue, green and yellow lights when the sun goes down. I took most of my meals here, though the Sugarhouse Restaurant in the nearby refining room offered a comfortable, if less dynamic, setting as well.

For the more active or wellness minded, the resort offers rock climbing on a sheer face of the mountain across from the accommodations wing and a somewhat mysterious spa accessed via a stone hut nearby. I could go on about the handmade syrup available, the cozy little library and shopping boutique in the small boiler room and the old water pump room that requires a little effort to find, but I suppose you get the gist.

Hotel website: Alila Yangshuo