Because I was greedy, I went to Hangzhou to attend a lunch that lasted nearly four hours!
Moving from the extremely simple Amanfayun, there are pink walls and black tiles with an ancient style, while Zixuan is a quiet forest with gurgling streams. I discovered and compared many subtleties and details. If I had to choose between two options, I would vote for Zixuan. This is just a choice. It doesn’t mean that Aman is bad. In fact, I quite like Aman.
1. I had a good impression of the name Zixuan, and later I found out that it was the name of the daughter of the hotel owner. Interestingly, at the West Lake cruise cocktail party on the day of the event, I accompanied her and asked her if she was a hotel staff member or a coordinator of a public relations company. She shyly said no. Later at the cocktail party, she was introduced as Zixuan, and it suddenly dawned on me. I felt a little embarrassed.
2. Daylily forget-me-not, purple daylily is pretty good. I was also curious about the names of the hotel's Kaiseki restaurant and SPA. The restaurant is called Manshu, and Su Manshu was a talented scholar who was good at poetry and painting and had a unique life experience. Not long ago, I saw the introduction of Nanshe in the Mi Lou in Zhouzhuang, and he was one of its members. He was born in Japan, was a heavy drinker and glutton, and the hotel's top-notch kaiseki restaurant was named after him, which seems both special and reasonable. The SPA's name is Xiaoqing, Feng Xiaoqing, a lady from a wealthy family and a talented woman. This is really unexpected, which shows the humanistic spirit of the hotel.
3. Therefore, whether in the hotel guest rooms or restaurants, you can see many calligraphy and painting pendants from famous artists, as well as gifts from the boss’s friends, which are full of elegance and interest. There are only 9 guest rooms in Zixuan. Both suites and villas are hidden in the mountains and forests, away from the hustle and bustle, quiet and peaceful, with mountains and water. So the logo of Zixuan is a compound word of "林" and "水", which represents that the hotel is located among mountains, water and trees, with a unique design.
4. Zixuan is a member hotel of Relais & Chateaux and is part of the "Three Stages Dream Trail" scenic area of the new Yanggong Dike scenic area of West Lake. It is close to Huagang Fish Viewing Area and is less than ten minutes' walk away. When I have free time, I will go there for a stroll or hike in the nearby mountains and forests. If you don't stay in the hotel and just visit it, it's hard to imagine that this is a top luxury resort hotel. This reflects the hotel's ability in site selection and design, which is compatible with the scenery and harmoniously unified.
5. Zixuan's luxury is not only reflected in the unique environment, but also in the good taste of hardware, including "Aqua Palma" bath products, "Givenchy" wash cups, "Villeroy & Boch" washbasin and coffee utensils, "Duravit" bathtub, "Axor" shower, and two carefully provided cans of loose tea (West Lake Longjing and Pu'er) and a set of tea drinking utensils. There is a set in the MINI bar of the room I live in, and another set in the independent and spacious reception space outside. This is the intention of the operator. Drinking tea is a must when visiting Hangzhou.
6. Actually, this trip to Hangzhou was a temporary invitation. In addition to experiencing Zixuan and another Relais & Chateaux member hotel in Hangzhou, Lakeside Village, the highlight was actually the food feast I mentioned earlier. 7 Chinese and foreign chefs jointly prepared a table full of delicious food and art. I am a greedy person and I came for them. These Chinese and foreign chefs from Asia all have unique skills. They uphold the mission and spirit of Relais & Chateaux to protect and promote local food culture around the world. On the premise of advocating ecological protection, they work together carefully to create a perfect symphony of taste.
7. Our lunch feast was held after the cruise cocktail party and was arranged at Zixuan’s French restaurant, Sanyan Pavilion. Mr. Jean-François Ferret, CEO of Relais & Chateaux, came from afar and attended the cocktail party with representatives of member hotels in Asia and delivered a pre-dinner speech. This lunch was probably the longest one I have ever had. It lasted until nearly 16:30 in the afternoon, a total of four hours. From appetizers to main courses and finally desserts, each of the seven chefs contributed one dish. The dishes were served one by one, full of a sense of ritual. The chefs also took turns to introduce their own works accordingly. It turns out that there are certain rules and methods to enjoy such exquisite delicacies. The world of food is also very sophisticated and contains a lot of knowledge. This lunch took a little longer, but it was satisfying.