Lying amongst the wild karst mountains, on the banks of the Li River in China’s Guangxi Zhuang region, The Alila Yangshuo Resort is a serene and exotic escape. Set in a converted sugar mill, the luxury hotel is the work of renowned Beijing-based Vector Architects with interiors by Horizontal Space Design and set to open this July. A project that demonstrates how contemporary design can enhance classic architecture, it sympathetically partners the old to the new with a generous use of natural woods, stone, concrete and marble. A muted palette of browns, greys and whites create a calm and inviting atmosphere that works to complement the inherent beauty of the original buildings. Contemporary furniture also works to bring the 20th-century mill into the modern day, with pieces from renowned design houses like Stellar Works seen throughout the 177 rooms, suites, luxury villas, restaurants and spa. Using light as more of an artform than function, the entire thing is quite simply beautiful.

Stellar Works is available locally at Backhouse.