Anantara opens second hotel in China

Anantara has opened its second property in China, the 103-key Anantara Xishuangbanna Resort & Spa in Yunnan Province.

 Anantara Xishuangbanna Resort & Spa is located in the midst of this national scenic resort destination, an hour’s drive from Jinghong International Airport through unspoiled countryside.

 The resort is set along a sweeping curve of the Luosuo River, within lush gardens and water features, and comprises 80 Deluxe guest rooms, as well as 23 one, two and three bedroom Pool Villas.

Additional facilities include a selection of dining options, an Anantara Spa, an impressive outdoor swimming pool, a kids club and more.

Dillip Rajakarier, CEO of Minor Hotel Group, Anantara’s owning company, said, “Having opened our first property in China last November in Sanya, we are delighted to now welcome guests to our second stunning resort in the country. Xishuangbanna is a key new destination on the tourism trail for both local and international travellers, giving the opportunity to experience a unique blend of spectacular scenery, history and culture. China is a key strategic focus for Minor Hotel Group, both for Anantara and for our other brands, and we already have five further properties in the pipeline.”

The resort’s indigenous guest experiences can be enhanced with visits to the many ethnic tribes in the area, such as a tea picking journey with China’s last minority group to be recognised – the Jinuo tribe. Guides will lead guests through 1800 year old tea plantations high in the misty mountains where guests will pick tea the traditional way before heading back to roast the leaves as the tribe has done for centuries. The Hani tribe will welcome guests into their home and sing traditional songs before sitting down to a home cooked meal, or guests can tour the local Dai tribe’s village close to the resort.

Xishuangbanna opens a window to a unique blend of nature, history and culture. Located in the southern extension of the Hengduan Mountains, where the lesser known Luosuo River later becomes the mighty Mekong, Xishuangbanna has over 95% of its territory occupied by mountainous and hilly areas, creating ample opportunities for leisure activities including mountain hiking, bird and wildlife spotting, and boat trips along the Luosuo River, all made even more attractive by an average temperature of 18 – 22 degrees Celsius. The destination is also home to one of the largest tropical gardens in the world. Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden is spread over an impressive 900 hectares, with 35 different garden habitats featuring a total of over 10,000 species of tropical plants. Inspiration by nature at large includes gazing in wonder upon a nine hundred year old banyan tree, as well as spotting China’s last few Asian elephants in Wild Elephant Valley. Gastronomic journeys in the new resort will capture diverse international cuisine at the all-day dining restaurant, accompanied by a lobby lounge bar and the poolside bar and snack zone, balanced by the rich flavours of local culture fused within an Indo Chine specialty restaurant. In the realm of private dining, options include the resort’s Dining by Design and in-villa dining concepts.

For leisure, guests can plunge into an expansive outdoor swimming pool set amidst extensive landscaping, or energise in the fitness centre 24 hours a day. From one of eight treatment suites at Anantara Spa, treatments sourced from Asia’s ancient wellness traditions and beyond are tailored precisely according to each individual’s needs. Guests can stay in touch with WiFi in the guest library and a neat business centre kitted out with iPads.

Children can be kept safely entertained at the kids’ club where a sizeable activity room of quiet and active areas features alongside a dedicated young children’s zone. Moving up the entertainment programme, a teen’s centre offers a cool hangout thanks to a chill out zone and high tech entertainment such as Sony Play Stations, TV and DVD viewing, computers and WiFi.