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Club Med meets China for a truly unique hotel experience

October 3, 2013

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By Tatyana Leonov

I was fortunate to travel to Guilin in China to check out the new Club Med Guilin last week. You’ve got your beachy Club Meds, your ski Club Meds… and then you’ve got Club Med Guilin – a completely different and unique resort.

GUIC_F112_031-1

I set off a day later than anticipated due to a typhoon (forgotten quickly once reclining in my lie-flat seat on my business class China Southern flight). As soon as I arrived I set about making the most of every moment over the 3 days I had at the resort.

The first thing that stands out about the Club Med Guilin is the setting. It’s surrounded by rugged, sugarloaf karst peaks and luscious greenery that make for a picturesque backdrop. To be honest, it’s way more than that. The landscape that the park sits in is recognised by UNESCO because it’s so amazingly beautiful. First tick.

View from Welcome Center

The second (probably even more interesting) point is that the resort is located within a sculpture park. A Taiwanese entrepreneur named Tsao Rhy-Chang founded the park in 1997, dedicating it to the promotion of contemporary art and culture, and today the 46-hectare park has over 150 unique, massive sculptures. Tick 2.

Because of the remarkable setting, the resort had to be designed to impress. Occupying a former Relais & Chateaux site, Club Med interior designers, Marc Hertrich and Nicolas Adnet, were hired for the job.

GUIC_L112_008

The accommodation is spread out across 2 different buildings. The boutique HOMA Chateau Hotel has 46 rooms based on 5 different design concepts – modern Chinese-themed, rooms based on modern sculptures by artist A Kan, a cave series (with inspiration taken from the surrounding karst rock faces), a lin grass series and contemporary rooms. The second building is the modern Courtyard Hotel which is brand spanking new. It has 284 rooms, all with views (a big plus given the surrounding environment).

I’m not quite sure what the design theme of my room was, but my HOMA room was quirky-cool and it worked. Beds are super important to me – I travel a lot and if the bed ain’t right, I don’t feel good. Another tick. The mattress was soft enough for a relaxed sleep, hard enough to support my back.

GUIC_L112_013

Superior Room @ Courtyard

My room was split into a living area, a bedroom and a separate toilet and shower, which I liked. The washbasin was located in the bedroom which is a little different, and it was quickly evident that Hertrich and Adnet maximised space with the aid of novel design aesthetics.

Club Med Guilin has a bunch of other cool spaces to hang out in (4 different restaurants, 3 bars, a super swish spa… ) – so there really is something for everyone – families, couples, adventure seekers and those wanting to simply escape for a while. One of my favourite spots was the HOMA Moon Bar. A textured multicoloured floor, brightly coloured lounge seats and white drapes certainly made for an interesting interior scheme! I like to relax on holidays, so also enjoyed the soothing background music (for those who want to party you can get the opposite experience every night at the Atelier Bar – the Club Med team know how to put a fun party on!)

The Lotus restaurant
The Lotus restaurant
The spa reception
The spa reception

The other space I completely fell in love with was the Limestone Cave. It’s a fair way from the main complex but you can call for a buggy to take you (OK really it’s probably only 15 minutes walk from the Welcome Centre). Because it’s away from everything else it feels secluded (if being in a cave didn’t already give you that feeling). The fact that you can have a cocktail inside this gorgeous natural space subtly accentuated with dim lighting (it’s reserved for special events) is pretty spectacular.

Limestone Cave

And this is what Club Med is all about. I’d never been to a Club Med before and didn’t know what to expect. Truth is, I’m picky. I get hungry at odd hours, I get cold, then hot. I like to eat my cereal with a teaspoon… Everything at Club Med Guilin was thought of to make my stay exceedingly comfortable. Umbrellas were strategically placed around the resort complex in case of rain, buggy drivers appeared when my feet got sore, and fruit platters arrived in my room just when I was getting peckish. I thought I’d love my stay because of the quirky-cool design and the gobsmackingly beautiful location – and I did (to be honest I’ve never stayed anywhere quite so unique). What I also loved was that everything possible was thought of – easy to say – much harder to do! I’ll be back with hubbie next time.

For more information visit www.clubmed.com.au

Tatyana Leonov is a writer, editor, avid traveller and determined dreamer. She’s mastered (beginners’) yoga in Goa, partied with Russia’s elite in a Moscow club, sampled local delicacies all around the world (including a camel burger in Morocco and guinea pig in Peru), trekked to Nepal’s Annapurna Base Camp in Havaianas and had a short-lived career as a Bollywood star.

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Not many friends in life fall into the unofficial Not many friends in life fall into the unofficial family category and they're a special gift. So ends three weeks with @danisteve81 who left her husband and son in the UK (I'm forever grateful they lent her to me!) to come and cheer me up and help me in the most practical ways after I spent Christmas and New Year in hospital. There were tears and I miss her so much already but how amazing to have had all that time together as adults. Such a rare treat and would never have happened without having been through something so challenging. Silver linings and all that. So many other friends have also been incredibly thoughtful and kind. There aren't many times I'd say this without cringing but I am 100% blessed!

I still cannot believe we have been friends since we were 12! 12! Are you still close with your childhood besties?
The renovation of this 80s beach shack @camillo_ho The renovation of this 80s beach shack @camillo_house is a work of art and while almost every surface was updated, the decision to keep the original slate floor was genius if you ask us. 

Owner @clarehillier__ says: "With its purple, pink, red and brown tones, the slate was the starting point for our interior palette."

Come and check out the before and afters via link in bio now and read the reno story. It's a real beauty.

And you can book it for your next holiday too!

Blair Smith Architecture @kateshanasy

#slatefloor #slatefloors #80shouse #80sbeauty #camillohouse #interiorsblog #interiorsblogger #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #realreno #holidayhousesofinstagram #morningtonpeninsulahomes #morningtonpeninsula #morningtonpeninsulasmallbusiness #blairgowrie #blairgowriebeach #airbnbstyle
Me and my boys 💗 Me and my boys 💗
Just a couple of dorks who've been friends for thr Just a couple of dorks who've been friends for three decades going out for a child-free dinner 💓😁
Excuse me while I die of a cute attack 🥰 @damia Excuse me while I die of a cute attack 🥰 @damianfrancis 

This doesn't happen often these days!
Hello friends! Just thought I'd say hi. Two weeks Hello friends! Just thought I'd say hi. Two weeks since leaving hospital and I'm doing much better than I expected to be at this early stage. A long recovery road ahead but making progress in how much I can move my arm and although I drag myself through some days non-stop yawning, others I can go for a little walk or out for lunch before collapsing on the couch! I can now tie my own hair back and put on a real bra which is very exciting 🤣 Having my bestie here to help us with the boys, drive me places and just be brilliant positive company is the best thing I could have asked for not to mention the many Dinner Ladies vouchers from friends! Thanks for all your kind messages, cards, flowers, gifts and offers of help ❤️
I definitely feel like a statistic now but hoping I definitely feel like a statistic now but hoping to raise some awareness off the back of my misfortune (and also very lucky escape).

@newsouthwaleshealth have just put out this warning about a rise in serious bacterial infections. iGAS (invasive group A streptococcus) is what caused my necrotising fasciitis and sepsis.

Apparently there's similar happening in VIC too.

It's extremely rare but very serious nonetheless so please have a read and be aware of symptoms. I've linked to the article from a button via my link in bio.

#interiorsaddict #jenbishop #necrotisingfasciitis #groupastrep #groupastreptococcus #sepsis
While new technologies continue to shape the inter While new technologies continue to shape the interior design scene, one that has been getting a fair bit of traction of late is marble-look porcelain. A cheaper alternative to natural stone, the latest printed porcelain tile technology makes it difficult to distinguish from the real thing.

Founded by husband and wife duo Anton and Rita Bourtsev, Sydney’s @kaolintiles has a unique offering in this space with over 100 different marble-look tile designs in small and large formats.

More via link in bio now.

#porcelain #porcelaintile #porcelaintiles #largeformattiles #largeformattile #marblelooktiles #bathroomtrends2023 #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #heartyourhome #realrenovations #goldsink #brasssink #jenbishop #kaolin #kaolintiles #interiorsblog #interiorsblogger
Promise this is the last wretched hospital photo I Promise this is the last wretched hospital photo I'll post and I hope to be home and with my lippie back on by Monday. You know it's serious when I'm lipstick free, right?!

This was about a week ago in intensive care. And although my arm is still bloody sore I'm now on a normal ward and no longer attached to any drips, drains or a catheter. I've come a long way.

This has been the most physical and mental challenge of my life but I'm through the worst. I kept my arm. The doctors saved my life.

I cannot say it enough times. If you're worried about your health, don't hang around. Things can change so quickly. 

A huge thanks to my amazing husband @damianfrancis We've had the hardest year yet and our marriage has never been stronger, even if my rings did get cut off my finger in hospital 😜

As great of a job as he is doing at home with the kids, I cannot wait to get home now. Countdown is on to a new year and a fresh start.

And I can't say enough just how overwhelmingly grateful I am to all the medical professionals involved in my care, from the @healthdirectaus nurse who sent me to Emergency to the exceptional surgeons, doctors, nurses and support staff.

Happy New Year, everyone. Remember you never know what's around the corner and this is not a dress rehearsal!

And huge thank you for all your kindness here. Has been amazing while stuck in bed.

Xxx

For those who missed it, I was unlucky enough to get necrotising fasciitis. You'll have to Google it.
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