Surrounded by lush greeneries and calm waters, Banyan Tree Hangzhou sits within China’s first wetland reserve, the Xixi National Wetland Park, home to an amazing wealth of thriving plant and animal life.
Book now for stays from Dec 01, 2009 to Mar 31, 2010 and enjoy complimentary daily breakfast for two, wireless internet and RMB300 spa credit per person. Stay for a minimum of two nights and receive a RMB300 Food & Beverage credit to be enjoyed at our dining venues. Stay for a minimum of three nights and receive an additional complimentary 90-minute spa session worth RMB800++ for one.
3D2N Banyan Tree Hangzhou
- SGD $1,358 Single
- SGD $ 708 Twin
- SGD $ 598 Triple
Extension Night Including Breakfast for 2
- SGD $ 568 Single
- SGD $ 288 Twin
- SGD $ 248 Triple
- SGD $1,858 Single
- SGD $ 958 Twin
- SGD $ 768 Triple
- SGD $ 438 Child with Bed
Extension Night Including Breakfast for 2
- SGD $ 818 Single
- SGD $ 418 Twin
- SGD $ 338 Triple
- SGD $ 178 Child with Bed
Validity
- Dec 01, 2009 to Mar 31, 2010
Inclusions
- 02 nights in choice of Terrace/Villa
- Daily buffet breakfast for two persons
- Daily fresh fruits
- Daily turn down service with complimentary turn down gift
- Complimentary access of broadband internet and wireless internet
- Complimentary use swimming pool, Spa onsen treatment room and gym facilities
- RMB300 SPA credit for 90 minutes/120 minutes Spa massage session per person per stay for advanced booking prior to guests’ arrival
- Service Charge and Government Tax
Additional benefits for 3-night stay
- RMB300 F & B credit per stay
- Complimentary one way send off transfer by our chauffeur-driven car to Westlake or downtown per
stay for guest staying in Water View Villa and higher. 24 hours advanced booking is required.
Exclusions
- All airfares and airport taxes
- China Visa, where applicable
-
Validity
- Dec 01, 2009 to Mar 31, 2010
Notes
- Check-In 1400 hours
- Check-Out 1200 hours
- All rates are subject to change without prior notice
- No pets are allowed
- RMB300 weekend surcharge is waived during opening promotion period.
Optional Tour – Fisherman Journey in Xixi Wetlands
- Enjoy the unique scenery of Xixi wetlands in a traditional hand-rowed wooden boat, partake in traditional fishing and farming activities, or handpick organic food grown in this unique natural environment for your lunch.
- Entire journey may take 3 – 4 hours to complete
- Price is at RMB1180 per boat for up to 4 person.
- For this arrangement, return transportation between hotel and Xixi Wetland will be complimentary provided by hotel.
About Hangzhou
History
Known as ‘Heaven on Earth’ and one of China’s seven ancient capitals, history in Hangzhou dates back thousands of years depending on what you’re looking for. Flip back 7000 years and there is one of the first civilisations to cultivate rice; 5000 years and you find the last ancient jade carving civilisation in the Yangtze River Delta. About 2200 years ago, the city of Hangzhou is officially founded by Emperor Qin Shi Huang; while 1100 years into recent history sees it entering its golden age as the centre of the Southern Song Dynasty. Its first Western visitor – Marco Polo arriving during this zenith – describes it as ‘the most beautiful and magnificent in the world’. Poets, politicians, and philosophers came to visit; mesmerised, they stayed for the rest of their lives. In the words of famed Song Dynasty literary master and statesman Su Dongpo, Hangzhou is ‘always alluring’.
Today, Hangzhou’s illustrious past still gleams in the reflection of its celebrated waters. The pearl that is West Lake, shrouded in legend, paints a different picture depending on where you are standing and when. Names like Lingering Snow on Broken Bridge and Lotus in the Wind in Crooked Courtyard evoke just some of the romantic stories engraved against the lake’s numerous scenic views. The classic world-renowned dramas of The Butterfly Lovers and Madam White Snake have their beautiful origins and tragic endings here, which is why Hangzhou is also China’s capital of love.
West of West Lake sprawls Xixi Wetlands, with 1800 years of history in its dense tapestry of crisscrossing waterways. What began as an ancient lake at the southern tip of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, incidentally also the oldest and longest in the world, was transformed into pockets of human activity – farmers rearing fish, silkworms and seasonal agriculture, poets and artists seeking common inspiration in Plum Bamboo Manor, Buddhist monks praying in small but significant temples such as Fall Snow Temple, and annual dragon boat festivals in Deep Pond, a pool fabled to be so deep that a dragon resides within.
Culture
Hangzhou’s famous Legend of the White Snake comes to life in a flurry of costumes, with the West Lake as its natural stage. This is the hauntingly delicate Impression of West Lake, an outdoor theatre of light, music and dance, directed by Zhang Yimou, an internationally acclaimed filmmaker, cinematographer and most notably, the director of the 2008 Beijing Olympic ceremonies. As evening falls over the Yue Lake and its picturesque bridges and courtyards, and famous Japanese composer Kitaro’s soaring orchestra of instruments fills the air, hundreds of performers seemingly glide on the waters of West Lake to put on the nightly spectacle.
A whole town modeled on Song culture is a tourist attraction beyond compare. If the town itself feels like a theme park, that’s because… it is. Based on the Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival by the noted Song artist Zhang Zeduan, the Song Dynasty Town is constructed by means of realistic, romantic functionalist gardening, resulting in a vision of heaven as imagined by the architects. Bordering the Qiantang River in the south and lying close to five-cloud Hill in the north, Song Dynasty Town is situated in the southwest part of West Lake scenic area. It happens to boast another grand endeavour – a full-length song and dance performance, based on the historical allusions and mythologies in ancient Hangzhou, merged with modern acrobatics and high-tech choreography. Consider it a living history lesson with laser lights, water fountains, live horses, real cannons and hundreds of performers in lavish costumes.
Culinary Adventures
One of the most authentic dining experiences is definitely in one of Hangzhou’s many raucous teahouses. Essentially you shell out for a cup of tea of your choice and gain access to a huge buffet array of snacks and small dishes. Immersing yourself in the lively chatter of a teahouse, with one family playing cards on the left and another eating on the right, is an excellent way to peek into how locals enjoy their tea.
Exploration
There is no end to the number of scenic views to explore in Hangzhou, and walkers will find that the greatest pleasure lies in turning an unexpected corner and seeing an angle of a scene that you can claim to be yours. Precious Stone Mountain reveals panoramic lake views, whereas Orioles Singing in the Willows, with its leaves trailing the water surface, is one of the most beautiful parts of West Lake. Arrive in early morning or late afternoon and you will see elderly groups practicing tai chi and many couples and families out and about, some waiting to get on wooden row boats and others content to watch the placid surface with their packed lunches. Pick up any map and you will see that the sights on West Lake are too many to be completed in a day; most people spend one day exploring the North and another the South. Make sure however that you make it to Lingyin Temple and Peak Flying From Afar; the former is one of the wealthiest and oldest Budhhist temples in China, and the latter is a unique outcrop of limestone that hides more than 300 religious carvings in its grottos and caves, making for fascinating exploring.
To get away from the thronging crowds that spill onto the lake especially during high season and weekends, step onto the many well-tended paths of Xixi wetlands, which offer several walking possibilities under its abundant persimmon and plum trees, bamboo and willows. Further afield, it is possible to make a day trip to the historic water towns of Wuzhen or Xitang, where the main mode of transportation is still without wheels.
Shopping
Those looking for gift-worthy purchases may make their way to the nightly Wushan market, which is a paradise for antiques , art and souvenirs; a veritable maze of makeshift stalls with both bric-a-brac and genuine finds, it is a treasure hunter’s playground. Qing He Fang Old Street is another popular area for discerning shoppers. Preserved century-old buildings house over 100 of China’s most cherished household names such as Tong Ren Tang and Zhang Xiao Quan, displaying products from traditional Chinese medicinal herbs to delicately carved bamboo chopsticks. As a result Hangzhou here boasts another chart-topper – Qing He Fang is designated as the ‘Top One Street of China’s Time-Honored Brands’.
Silk production is another famed craft of Hangzhou, and the city holds the largest wholesale and retail silk market in China, where worldly traders and consumers barter back and forth over rolls of the fabric to make parasols, brocade pieces, traditional dresses, shirts, scarves, ties and much more. With Zhejiang province being the centre of textile trade and production, tailors are kept busy by the constant demand for their sharp scissors (another famed product of Hangzhou) and quick needles. Si Ji Qing clothes market, Wu Lin Road and Yan An Road are other major commercial stops for fashion.