[For pics please visit my blog at
http://lexatlaxus.blogspot.com]
There is only a wall between my bed and the Summer Palace.
.
It was already 11PM when my flight finally touched down at PEK.
I was surprised to see someone holding a board card with my name on it right after I step out of the boarding gate.
I mean, right out side of gate and still within the custom.
I didn't expect it's coming at all, as I have never heard of any treatment like this except limited VIP visitors of the Chief Justice of Constitution Court where I used to work as a PR associate.
.
It was way too cold in Beijing, and that is why I felt so pampered when the GM of the resort handed over a cup of hot tea when I stepped into the lobby after mid night.
After a smooth check-in at my suite, I decide to have a hot bath to wash out all my exhaustion from the long flight. The room was aromatic moment after I dropped the bag of bathing herbs into the tub.
They said the herbs were collected at late spring earlier this year and have absorbed sunshine of entire summer in Beijing.
I let myself soaked in, body and soul.
.
I always adore Aman's design style and delicate service.
Thus, I decided to collect all the Amans after my stay at two Amans in Bali.
Speak of collection, there are currently 23 Amans around the globe, and Aman at Summer Palace is the third one on my belt.
My friends and I have been discussing which Aman will be our next. Hmm....It's a tough one, either Amankora in Bhudan or Aman New Delhi.
I heard the Aman New Delhi is consisted of a group of special tents. Wouldn't it be fun/fantastic to live in the tents as living in the stories of "One Thousand and One Nights."
I am not the first fan, the term "Aman Junkie" has existed since last century.
And I believe, Aman does worth it.
.
Aman's decor is predictably amazing, however I found it very surprising that Aman insists to only use local materials in the hotel. Yes, from the bricks and the stones, the ingredients in our breakfasts to the bath towel, bathing gel and even shampoo are all locally produced.
No wonder that Aman fits in so well with the Summer Palace, an 800 years old UNESCO history spot, even though Aman was only built in 2008.
.
GM told me there is a special highlight of my suite: the secret door open to the Summer Palace is right beside my door.
It gets dark late during the summer time, therefore lot of hotel guests choose to visit the Summer Palace after the Palace is closed to the public at 6pm during the summer. They can then have the beautiful lake and the amazing palaces all to themselves.
(Such a pity I visited here under such snowy weather. Hmm...)