Slow Summer Living: A Wellness Weekend at Hangzhou’s Xianghu with Kids

In the sweltering summer heat, when all you crave is a scenic spot to unwind, but as an office worker your time is limited and you can't go far, Hangzhou becomes the obvious weekend escape. Rich in history and scenic beauty, it's like a city steeped in Tang and Song dynasty poetry—'Endless lotus leaves stretch to the horizon, sun-kissed lotus blossoms take on a vivid red.' There are countless reasons to fall for Hangzhou. For hotel lovers, the city also dazzles with a variety of accommodation choices, each with its own style. Last weekend, we took the kids to the Hangzhou Yuxianghu Health & Wellness Resort, a perfect spot for friend gatherings and family leisure getaways.

French Romance, Chinese Elegance

The hotel is located within the Xianghu National Tourism Resort, opening right onto lake and mountain views. We drove from Shanghai, a journey of about three hours.

The interior exudes a touch of French romance with archways and columns, interwoven with Chinese flair—winding paths leading to quiet nooks, calligraphy and books adorning the space, much like the poetic and leisurely charm of Hangzhou itself.

The lobby is bright and spacious, with afternoon sunlight streaming in and a few goldfish gliding in a pond. Guests settling onto a sofa instantly feel a tranquil sense of ease.

The hotel has 228 rooms categorized by function: haze-free rooms, tranquil sleep rooms, family rooms, mahjong rooms, and so on.

Each room is equipped with an air filtration system that effectively purifies the air, making it Zhejiang Province’s first health-and-wellness smart healing hotel.

Upon checking in, guests can enjoy the comfort brought by the room’s air circulation system. The interiors feature elegant color schemes, smart home features like automatic curtains and a smart speaker.

Welcome fruits greet you; the room also has a sofa bed and a spacious work area, with a well-defined layout.

The hotel has a small indoor-outdoor children’s playground that’s a kid favorite—from morning till night you can hear happy laughter drifting out.

Meanwhile, adults focused on keeping fit waste no time heading to the gym not far from the playground to work up a sweat.

Leisurely Mood, Dining Pleasures

As a leisure getaway with kids, we ate all three meals at the hotel.

The buffet breakfast was sumptuous, with fruits like chilled lychees, bayberries, and jujubes, among others.

The Chinese restaurant also follows wellness principles, offering traditional dietary recipes and health-conscious dishes, overall leaning toward light flavors.

Even an ordinary steamed egg dish came in a lovely pale green color—some special ingredient must have been added. It was visually refreshing and tasted perfectly summery.

What I loved most was the afternoon tea in the lobby lounge. The lounge is elegantly set, with antique books displayed on traditional shelves, exuding a literary air that harmonizes beautifully with the greenery outside the window.

In various corners of the lounge, tourists from different places are seated on sofas. Though they may come from far and wide, at that moment they all share a leisurely, contented mood.

This Hangzhou trip was not just a family outing with my kids Yuanbao and Yuziyou, but also a long-awaited reunion with a high school classmate. Once we were adolescent girls full of youthful confusion; now, in the blink of an eye, our children are chasing each other around.

The afternoon tea had both savory and sweet treats, plus fruit and wellness tea.

Time flies. While reminiscing about the past and chatting about daily life, we nibbled on fruit and sipped tea. Super dad played pool with the kids nearby—perhaps this is a special kind of happiness for us 'middle-aged moms.'

Hanfu Experience, Xianghu Cycling

The hotel offers Hanfu rental, a special service, with outfits for both men and women. Yuziyou and I each picked a set and put them on.

We slipped into the greenery near the hotel, seizing the chance to fulfill a time-travel fantasy.

The hotel also rents out bicycles. On a summer evening, riding around Xianghu with a cool breeze was utterly delightful.

Pedaling past a fountain and meadows blooming with summer flowers, then cruising along tree-lined paths, Yuanbao sat behind me, beaming with joy.

Health Check-ups, Chinese-style Wellness

Unlike typical hotels, this one centers on health management, blending the essence of traditional Chinese wellness culture with modern healthy lifestyles. Built around wellness service concepts, it offers all-around personalized, customized experiences—truly a health resort brand that embodies traditional Chinese culture.

The hotel has its own health check-up center providing thorough professional examinations, as well as an anti-aging medical aesthetics center that offers customized beauty plans.

It also has a wellness center where you can experience specialized TCM services like moxibustion for health cultivation, meridian unblocking and acupoint therapy. This one-stop service lets guests enjoy a healthy and beauty-filled vacation of their own.

Honestly, after visiting the wellness center, I wished I could stay for ten days to half a month to fully tune up my body. There’s no help for it—once you hit middle age, health and wellness become the greatest temptation and attraction.

Water Rhythms of Xianghu: The King’s Feast

Summer, free from the harsh cold of autumn and winter, means the rise of outdoor nightlife.

We took the kids to see a water spectacle on Xianghu Lake titled 'The King’s Feast.' It’s close to the hotel, only a 10-minute drive, a grand production jointly created by the Xianghu National Tourism Resort and the New Youth Dance Troupe, showcasing Chinese national charm.

It combines water scenery, sound and light, dance, and dining into one, set against the historical backdrop of King Goujian of Yue returning after conquering Wu during the Spring and Autumn period, hosting a banquet for all. It weaves in Xianghu’s rich historical culture and folklore.

We sat at a table in an ancient-style street market, instantly transported back in time.

As wind rose over Xianghu, the tale unfolded: King Goujian, having defeated Wu and dominated the Central Plains, invites the states of Lu, Chu, and Yiqu to a banquet on Xianghu. And there really was a feast to enjoy—from a six-dish bento box to fruit and grilled chicken wings. The King’s Feast was indeed extraordinary.

Ten Li of Lotus Pond, Fragrance on the Breeze

Near the hotel is Xianghu Flower Field, where flowers bloom in every season. Now in high summer, there are vast stretches of lotus ponds.

Sitting on a rowing boat, gliding among the lush lotus leaves, a breeze carries the scent of lotus—perhaps nothing says summer more than this.

And so, we spent a leisurely and healthful slow weekend at Hangzhou Yuxianghu Health & Wellness Resort. We live in an era where health is traded for time and pressure; 'slowness' seems like a luxury in life.

In today’s fast-paced world, slowing down and enjoying life from time to time is the only way to move forward better.