China

Autumn (September to November) is the finest window nationwide — clear skies, comfortable temperatures and beautiful light on Beijing's monuments. Spring (April to May) is a strong second. Summers are hot and humid, especially in the Yangtze cities, and northern winters are cold but bring thin crowds to the Great Wall. Avoid the Golden Week holiday in early October, when domestic travel peaks.

Ten to fourteen nights lets you pair the imperial north with a complete change of pace in the south or west — Beijing with Hangzhou's West Lake, the mountains of Yunnan, or the Taoist peaks near Chengdu — connected by the high-speed rail and short domestic flights we arrange. China rewards structure, and we plan the guiding and logistics end to end.

Beijing for the imperial heart — the Forbidden City, the Great Wall and the Summer Palace park, staying at one of the city's heritage grandes dames. Then contrast it: Amanfayun beside Hangzhou's West Lake, Amandayan above the old town of Lijiang, or Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain, a sacred Taoist landscape near Chengdu we have reviewed first-hand. We tailor the pairing to your interests.

Very much so. You pay the same rate as booking direct and gain preferred-partner benefits — breakfast, upgrades when available, and credits — at properties such as Amanfayun and Amandayan. Just as valuable is the access and structure: visa guidance, private English-speaking guides, high-speed rail and flights, and experiences like a Forbidden City wing before opening, all arranged for you.

Aman's Chinese properties lead for character — Amanfayun beside Hangzhou's West Lake and Amandayan above Lijiang. Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain brings wellness to a sacred peak near Chengdu, while the great-city grandes dames — the Peninsula and Waldorf Astoria among them — we know first-hand from our own reviews.