The beautiful town of Lijiang, in the northwest of Yunnan province, has welcomed another luxurious development.

Close to the Old Town, Aman Resorts' Amandayan (www.amanresorts.com/amandayan) features 35 suites which boast wooden interiors, Oriental decorative touches and views of the snow-capped mountains. 

History buffs will also be delighted to discover that the resort actually surrounds the Wenchang Palace, built in 1725, which used to serve as an examination hall where ancient scholars took their entrance exams to enter Chinese civil service.   

The resort also boasts a spa, gym, library and cinema, with rates from around B23,000-31,000 a night.