Once the domain of Empress Dowager Cixi, the 19th-century Qing dwellings that make up Aman Summer Palace have been carefully transformed into a calming, culturally connected destination. Tranquillity reigns in the blossom-strewn courtyards that connect sleek, tile-roofed suites; calligraphy demonstrations and tea ceremonies take place to the strains of music drifting from the adjacent opera house. Below ground, the wisdom of Chinese healing meets with state-of-the-art design in the sleek Aman Spa. Beyond the Summer Palace grounds – accessed by a secret door for Aman guests – Beijing’s marvels await.