First Glimpse of the Jade Green Beach: Romantic Dalian with Besties at the City's First Boutique Wild Luxury Resort
My Dalian bestie has invited me to travel to Dalian more than once. Taking advantage of the scorching summer, I threw myself into the cool 20-something degree Celsius embrace of Dalian to escape the heat. My first encounter with Dalian turned out to be an incredibly romantic and beautiful trip, all thanks to my bestie's great recommendation—the newly opened Four Seasons Whale Whisper Hotel. At this hotel, said to be Dalian's first boutique wild luxury resort, we spent three days and two nights with old friends: sailing out to sea, paddleboarding in the bay, enjoying a lawn afternoon tea, taking hotel photos, watching an open-air movie on the sandy beach under the stars, and eating our way through Dalian—busy and joyful!
On the jade green private bay of Amber Bay, the Four Seasons Whale Whisper Hotel stands quietly by the seaside. The entire building was designed by a German architect, blending into the reefs and the sea. Originally an art gallery, after being converted into a hotel, it still retains much open space inside, full of artistic sensibility.
"Lonely yet abundant souls meet here." This hotel slogan fully illustrates its great aesthetic taste. It also gives you a sense of excitement at finding kindred spirits. The scent of eucalyptus leaves, one of my favorite plant fragrances, wafts everywhere—bliss!
Decorated with plenty of greenery and natural wood tones, it creates a strong sense of vacation and wabi-sabi aesthetics. As soon as I entered the hotel, it reminded me of the Casa Cook I stayed at on the Greek island of Rhodes five years ago.
We four booked two suites. Ya Ya's and my suite had a Wizard of Oz-like sea-view terrace and a huge soaking tub. The other suite, on a higher floor, offered a panoramic view of the jade green bay.
As soon as we entered the room, Ya Ya and I rushed to the terrace, pulled open the sheer curtains and heavy glass doors, and the jade green bay came into view. The terrace, surrounded by greenery, was so comfortable and exotic that we immediately started our first round of posing for photos with the girls.
A hotel that can blend architectural aesthetics, colors, home decor, vessels, and flowers so perfectly is rare in China. The aesthetic of this hotel earned unanimous praise from everyone!
The spacious and bright vanity counter has a touch-screen light, perfect for girls doing makeup. The large soaking tub can accommodate 4-6 people—too wonderful! Fresh and dried flowers placed everywhere fill the room with plant fragrances, immersing us in beauty.
Atelier Cologne bath products, Korean toothpaste, Japanese toothbrushes, Dyson hairdryer—these are hard to find even in five-star hotels.
The personal care pack specially prepared for women, which I've only seen in Japanese hotels, includes sanitary pads, hairbands, laundry detergent, etc.
Everything you need is here; what five-star hotels don't provide, this place still has. Canadian mineral water and various snacks are all complimentary. Thoughtful beyond a little!
I went to see Guo Guo's suite—equally delightful! The stunning sea view right by the pillow, as if falling asleep to the sound of waves.
The spacious living room in my favorite earth tones instantly makes you feel relaxed. Stepping outside, the tidy terrace gazes at the jade green sea in the distance. Having tea and chatting here is pure bliss.
The interior details continue the hotel owner's good taste, making it hard to tear yourself away from the plant-based home decor and vessels. The entire decoration style merges indoor and outdoor spaces, as if extending people and their surroundings into the embrace of the mountains and ocean.
The public spaces are also small but beautiful. This international aesthetic from Dalian, this beauty standing apart amid the tides and waves—you can have it all just by staying in this hotel!
Afternoon tea is common, but a lawn tent with an Instagram-worthy afternoon tea overlooking the sea is not. At the Four Seasons Whale Whisper Hotel, a wonderful journey and happy times with old friends begin with a romantic lawn afternoon tea.
With old friends, we've seen coral on the Great Barrier Reef, fed swans on the Danube, watched sunrise from a hot air balloon over Anbiano Plateau, shed tears over thousands of blue fireflies in Cairns, and ridden camels across the vast Gobi Desert at minus 40 degrees Celsius—we have measured and recorded the beauty of this world together.
After two years apart, we gathered in the private jade green bay of the Four Seasons Whale Whisper Hotel, recalling our journeys and continuing to write our story over Dalian's only sea-view lawn afternoon tea. Cheers to our limitless lives!
Dalian in midsummer is not sweltering. The afternoon sunlight casts happy, colorful hues. On the hotel's hillside lawn, surrounded by greenery, stylish safari tents and exquisite food await. Seasonal local cherries, other fruits, refreshing grapefruit juice, rich French fruit tarts, French croissants, romantic sparkling wine...
The girls also matched with romantic French-style dresses, people in the picture, creating an unattainable yet sought-after ultimate romance.
Dalian's sea breeze carries a lazy Bohemian vibe. At the Four Seasons Whale Whisper Hotel's private beach, there are various experience projects that are both aesthetically pleasing and fun. Watching the sunset from a Moroccan-style rock wall is one of them.
The hotel's bay is quite private, and non-guests can hardly enter, so all activities feel quiet and orderly.
On the rock wall, the hotel has set up a beautifully decorated photo spot. It's said that such a Moroccan-style photo spot is unique in Dalian. How thoughtful! In this bay, full of clever designs and careful decoration, everyone agreed it deserves its own name: Whale Whisper Bay.
Inside the bay, the hotel's professional coaches teach guests to try paddleboarding and kayaking. The professional lessons allow even beginners to quickly master the techniques. Since it's an inner bay, the sea is calm, and wearing life jackets is strictly required, so the water activities are very safe.
Having kayaked many times before, this was my first time on a paddleboard. I wore a life jacket for a few strokes to get the balance and direction, shifted gears and turned in no time, then took off the life jacket for another little round.
During the day, the Whale Tail Pavilion felt like a fake Dalian, as if we were on a month-long Southeast Asian vacation. At the bayfront Four Seasons Whale Whisper Hotel, people indulge in the pampering of a private beach.
Each tide brings different beauty. The Whale Tail Pavilion's day and night have different charms: vibrant during the day, enchanting at night. To match the scenery, naturally we did different photo shoots with the girls.
Coach Feng said a paddleboarder who hasn't fallen in the water has no soul. Well, I admit I'm just a soulless photo robot.
As night fell and the tide receded, the sea in front of the hotel became wide and open again. The gentle sea breeze brushed our faces. Sitting together on comfortable woven cushions, we even felt a bit cold.
I pulled the blanket brought by the hotel butler, shrunk my neck, and curled up on the soft cushion. I put on the hotel's custom mosquito repellent bracelet, found a comfortable position, and waited for the outdoor movie to start.
Star-like lights flickered on the tips of the grass atop the Whale Tail Pavilion, dancing gently; candlelight swayed in the wind. The humid air mixed floral, grassy, and salty sea scents into a layered natural fragrance—the taste of a Dalian night.
At the bayfront Four Seasons Whale Whisper Hotel, if the Whale Tail Pavilion is the tail, then the coastline part is the whale's thick belly. Lying on the waves, cradled in the whale's belly, we rewatched the romance of "Roman Holiday."
At this moment, in the romantic city of Dalian, we embraced the starry sea of the Four Seasons Whale Whisper.
In Dalian, a famous romantic coastal city, there are many ways to enjoy the sea. Leaving the hotel's private bay, we drove along the villa-studded mountain roads through the city to the famous Xinghai Bay Yacht Marina.
This must be the largest yacht marina in northern China. Rows of yachts shone brightly under the blue sky and white clouds. The hotel booked a luxury catamaran sailboat for us and had already prepared seasonal fruit platters, drinks, and even fresh oysters on board.
They also arranged props like flowers, balloons, English newspapers, and magazines—not only creating a romantic atmosphere but also great for photos. The service was so meticulous it deserves a shout-out!
Accompanied by flocks of seagulls flying across the sky, we began our romantic sea cruise. The beautiful and tranquil Xinghai Bay, the European-style One Castle, the elegant Xinghai Bay Cross-Sea Bridge—the sea scenery was superb, with the bustling city in the background.
With a local bestie as guide, everything went smoothly and beautifully. In my eyes, Dalian's beauty is a fusion of East and West, ancient and modern. The blend of tradition and modernity, East and West, permeates architecture, streets, people's lifestyles, and even their personalities.
Dalian locals are incredibly warm and hospitable, with the generosity typical of a traditional tourist city. No formality, very genuine—a simple greeting warms a traveler's heart. This simplicity and enthusiasm is often an important scoring item for a destination in my travels.
With a local bestie as guide, of course we went to the seafood market frequented by locals to broaden our horizons. At the entrance, we were stopped by the big cherries in the fruit section—huge and very cheap locally. I only regretted not living in Dalian!
The vast seafood section was even more astonishing: live jumping shrimp at 15 yuan per catty, a rich variety of sea cucumbers and sea fish, and even five or six kinds of cuttlefish. I asked my bestie to pick some seafood for us to take back to the hotel restaurant for processing.
Surprises at every bite
Back at the hotel's restaurant, Whale Joy Restaurant, we handed the seafood to the kitchen, ready to start a surprising dining experience. The hotel's good aesthetic runs through here too. The lush green restaurant is always filled with the scent of eucalyptus leaves. After a short rest, we were ready to taste the bounty of the Dalian sea.
Extensive use of whole wood, raw wood, bamboo, and greenery as decorative elements makes you feel as if you're in a dense tropical rainforest. Dining here feels like absorbing natural energy.
Also small but beautiful, Whale Joy Restaurant serves a fusion of Chinese and Western dishes with good value. There are two menus: fusion Chinese and Western. The Chinese menu's Secret Sauce Three-Onion Prawns, Black Gold Crispy Pork Belly, and the Western menu's Feather Steak with American-Style Potato Wedges left a deep impression on me.
At the seafood market, we bought mantis shrimp and what locals call "hunched shrimp." Cooked in the simplest and most authentic way—steamed—they were served on the table. I love steamed seafood; it retains most of the natural flavors, bringing out the sweetest meaty juices. These two large basins of seafood were incredibly satisfying!
The signature honey sweet potato pizza and handmade squid dumplings are the signature staples on the Chinese and Western menus. We ordered one of each—we had to try both. This wave of Dalian hospitality had to be eaten up completely.
Although the three days and two nights in Dalian were short and busy, they were incredibly wonderful.
This rich and beautiful romantic experience was at Four Seasons Whale Whisper, in the jade green Amber Bay, and in the sweet dimples of my Dalian bestie Guo Guo.
Goodbye, romantic Dalian; goodbye, dreamy Four Seasons Whale Whisper; goodbye, sweet Guo Guo.
Looking forward to seeing you again soon!
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[Four Seasons Whale Whisper] Resort Hotel
Address: Amber Bay, No. 248 Binhai East Road, Zhongshan District, Dalian
Room Rates: Peak season around 1,400–2,400 RMB; low season around 900–2,000 RMB
Special Hotel Activities: Lawn afternoon tea, private bay paddleboarding experience (with professional coach), sandy beach starlight open-air movie
Yacht Cruise on Xinghai Bay
Boarding Point: Xinghai Yacht Marina
Per person: 288 RMB/person, includes: boat fee, seasonal fruit platter, soft drinks, round-trip business car transfer
⌚️ Day: 8:00–17:00; Night cruise: 19:00–21:00
(Day 1 hour & Night 35 minutes)
⛵️ Itinerary: Depart from Four Seasons Whale Whisper Hotel, drive west along Binhai Road, passing attractions such as North Bridge and Yannwo Island, then take a yacht cruise on Xinghai Bay
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About the author @Coco Hu Bo
Global traveler, well-known travel self-media personality, KOL, photographer, travel columnist, senior travel media professional, Sina Weibo contracted travel blogger, Sohu Gold Medal author, Okinawa Tourism Ambassador, Italian Wine Promotion Ambassador, producer of the "Colorful Journey" series of travel video programs. Works often appear in travel and lifestyle magazines such as HNA Airlines, Cloud, and Travel World.
