Amanfayun

The reason Amanfayun looks like a town that could have served as a backdrop in a period film from director Zhang Yimou is probably because it is an actual village. Sitting on a magical 34-acre plot near West Lake, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the property consists of 47 stone dwellings, some of which are more than 100 years old.With stone pathways, clay-tiled roofs and bamboo stalks jutting from nearly every corner, the place has an Old World charm that doesn’t come off forced or fabricated. Of course, conjuring such a mood isn’t difficult when you have Buddhist temples and tea gardens within walking distance of your room.But location and latticework aren’t Amanfayun’s only timeless qualities. Treatments in the spa have been used for generations. Dishes in the restaurants go back even further. If the resort didn’t have so many modern conveniences, it could almost be mistaken for a village from the Qing Dynasty.