Fit for a queen

The Summer Palace, outside Beijing, was the 19th century home of the formidable Empress Dowager Cixi, aka the Dragon Lady. Now, it's also the site of a luxury resort hotel – the latest in the Aman group – "which encapsulates all the magic that is China", says Jane Knight in the Times. With many rooms located in the old outbuildings, it's hard to see where the palace ends and the hotel begins. Sandalwood columns prop up sloping roofs, and willows weep into a miniature lake. Rooms are gorgeous in their simplicity, with Ming-style furniture and clay tile floors. But there's every facility here, too, including a cinema.

Contact amanresorts.com. Rooms from £260 a night plus taxes. ·