Early Autumn in September: A Unique Family Journey from Yuxianghu

As autumn breezes blow, Hangzhou's sweltering summer has finally ended. Even on sunny afternoons, you no longer feel the oppressive heat. Autumn is my favorite season—a time of colorful scenery, high skies, and crisp air, perfect for traveling. Having lived in Hangzhou for years, I've visited West Lake a few times and its crowds have long since lost any appeal. I'd heard of Xiang Lake but, being a bit far, had never been. This time, in early September, I set off from the Yuxianghu Resort Hotel for a one-of-a-kind family trip.

DAY 1: Slow-paced life at Financial Town, a different kind of getaway at Yuxianghu

Travel is wonderful, just like the magnificent sea of flowers I'd imagined at Xiang Lake. That flower field was to be our first stop. Yet travel is also full of surprises. When we arrived, what lay before us was not the expected blooms, but plots of barren land—the flowers had all been cleared away.

Though such disappointments happen now and then, a little sadness is hard to avoid. Right next to the former flower field, a new spot has drawn crowds over the past two years: the Financial Town Slow Life Block. Located within the Xiang Lake National Resort's Financial Town and nestled against Shiyan Mountain, it's a service project offering culture, tourism, and shopping in the resort area.

Entering Financial Town, the first thing that caught my eye was rows of white-walled, gray-tiled standalone buildings—a classic Jiangnan style, some built into the hillside, others beside the water. Despite its name, what I felt was the area's overwhelming southern charm. Crossing a bridge, we reached the Slow Life Block. Since it was a weekday noon, only a few visitors were strolling. My wife, our little one Yunbao, and I were among them.

I'd rather call the Slow Life Block a market. In front of every shop was a gorgeously decorated stall. On weekends, these stalls sell all kinds of distinctive goods. Besides the shops, there are countless photo spots, and Yunbao loved pausing at these interesting places for us to snap pictures of her.

The rhythm of slow living is something I've found hard to recapture since moving to this modern, digital city. This time, with Yunbao, we wanted the whole family to experience a different kind of unhurried vacation—from sightseeing to dining to lodging—to slow our pace and truly enjoy the journey. After Financial Town, we drove to our hotel: the Yuxianghu Resort Hotel.

The Yuxianghu Resort Hotel is part of Yuxianghu International Wellness City, one reason I chose it among the lakeside hotels. It's superbly located, by the Qiantang River and within the Xiang Lake National Resort. In the lobby, a bright, spacious hall blending Chinese and Western decor caught my eye. There are two front desks on either side: the left for hotel check-in, the right a service desk for the wellness city's other centers.

Further inside, past the lobby, is the lobby bar, with a lovely name—Deer Pecking Spring. A traditional redwood screen separates the bar from the lobby. The bar's other wall is a huge floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the scenic wellness city complex. Between the bar and the lobby sits a pond where several goldfish swim leisurely. Every time Yunbao passed by, she'd lean over to watch their tails swishing.

At check-in, the staff were thoughtful and attentive, showing the high-quality service here. Efficiently checking us in, they noticed we had a baby and lots of luggage, so they kindly helped carry everything and led us to our room. Our room was in Building 8, which meant passing through the lobby of another building. As we walked, I marveled at the size of the place, and Yunbao was full of curiosity about all the new things.

In the room, the staff told us we'd been upgraded to a family room free of charge. There are family rooms for boys and for girls, and they gave us a cute girl-themed one. How could anyone not love such service? The room's style matched the lobby—Chinese decor, fabric, and redwood furniture making it elegant and cozy.

The biggest surprise was the children's room. Yunbao has traveled with us to many places and stayed in many hotels, but I've rarely seen her so excited. She ran around the whole room. The kids' room isn't huge, but to Yunbao it was plenty. There's a child's bed with a pink Hello Kitty pillow, a bright yellow tent beside it with a toy deer inside, and Hello Kitty frames on the walls. The girly decor even pleased my wife.

Having stayed at many hotels, I have my own standards for luxury. To me, bathroom amenities best reflect a hotel's quality. Here they use excellent Kohler fixtures. Beyond the family theme, the hotel thoughtfully provided many baby items: disposable slippers, toiletries, a step stool for the sink, and a potty seat.

As a high-end resort, Yuxianghu Resort Hotel has complete facilities. On our building's first floor are a gym and yoga room. The Chinese-style corridor leading there is so beautiful I'd never guess it's the way to a fitness center. Treadmills, spinning bikes, and other equipment are available 24/7.

I remember my spirited college days. Now, with aging parents and having become a father myself, I truly appreciate the importance of health. That's why I chose this hotel—it's not just a place to relax, but also to manage my wellness. Led by a staff member, I entered the wellness center in the basement of Building 8.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) focuses on strengthening the body's foundation, and this center centers on TCM. The guide told me that several well-known TCM doctors from in and out of the province practice here, offering a wide range of treatments, including common ones like moxibustion and acupuncture.

The wellness center has two special features: a rare jade energy room and urn therapy. The jade energy room, as the name suggests, is paved with jade. Jade is said to nurture the body, and the entire room aids in recuperation. I then experienced an hour of moxibustion. As an office worker hunched over a computer, my shoulders and neck often feel stiff; after the treatment, they relaxed completely. The effect was so obvious that it gave me a new perspective on TCM.

Besides the wellness center, the health city also has a professional beauty center staffed by licensed doctors, so it's reassuring to get treatments there.

The health management center is another area. It focuses on monitoring, evaluation, and creating personalized health plans. It boasts top domestic experts and international high-end equipment, like the US L.I.F.E. bio-energy intelligent detection and repair system, the world's most advanced quantum technology device. In just 20 minutes, it can check over 7,000 indicators in the human body—the very project I'd signed up for. Twenty minutes, a brief nap, and a thick report was handed to me. I was a bit bewildered by all the numbers, but luckily a specialist walked me through the results one-on-one.

Autumn afternoons are always lovely. My wife, Yunbao, and I visited the tea restaurant on the hotel's ground floor. The restaurant follows the same Chinese-Western blend as the lobby, but with a twist: Chinese hard furnishings paired with Western soft decor, a visual delight. We chose a spot we liked and quietly awaited our food.

A leisurely vacation afternoon wouldn't be complete without afternoon tea. When the server brought our treats, I was surprised again. A dessert tray designed like a traditional Chinese vanity case held an assortment of sweets, along with richly flavored Spanish ham and a varied fruit platter.

Little foodie Yunbao, seeing all this tempting food, couldn't resist. Her hands were reaching out, first for this, then for that. After tasting, she blinked her approval, very satisfied with each treat. That's what a slow-paced trip is like—you don't have to go to a tourist spot; a delicate afternoon tea can be a wonderful travel experience in itself.

During our two-day stay at Yuxianghu, the hotel kept surprising Yunbao. After finishing afternoon tea, we strolled around the public areas and accidentally found something that made her incredibly excited—the kids' playground.

We have a small play area at home, but she's never been this thrilled. Seeing those facilities, she burst into delighted laughter. The playground is a converted room next to the hotel's Western restaurant. Inside is a huge sea of ball pit balls and a multi-function slide. The design is thoughtful: leather benches are placed against all the walls to keep little ones from bumping into hard surfaces.

For dinner, we went to Xiyixuan on the hotel's second floor. This restaurant is also open to the public. Though it wasn't quite dinner time, many diners were already there. The waiter told us that the private rooms are usually fully booked for both lunch and dinner. The dining area has indoor and outdoor sections; the outdoor area is special, offering a direct view of the ground-floor lobby.

The restaurant's environment is as elegant as its name suggests. We had a set menu. The cuisine emphasizes new-style Hangzhou dishes. To be honest, aside from some old Hangzhou natives, not everyone likes traditional Hangzhou food, and I'm no exception. But here, the innovative approach made it much more appealing.

Dish after dish arrived, looking irresistible. The server explained that because the hotel focuses on wellness getaways, the food is designed with health in mind. Green pea and shrimp congee, cowpea with beef fillet, steamed osmanthus fish, freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juice… Every dish balanced nutrition, mostly light, and perfect for our baby. Yunbao especially loved the fresh juice.

DAY 2: Waking one September morning, riding a bike to feel Xiang Lake's charm

When we find a hotel we love, Yunbao, for a change, goes to bed early and rises early. After a long time, we too enjoyed a good night's sleep and woke to this September morning. Breakfast is in the Western restaurant. Passing a Chinese-style screen, we entered. Seeing we had a baby, the server led us to a window seat away from the air conditioning.

Breakfast is a buffet with a rich selection, from Chinese morning dishes to Western salads. What surprised me was the matsutake mushrooms—arguably the season's most delectable ingredient and quite expensive. Having matsutake for breakfast was a rare treat.

Since Yunbao came along, I'd long stopped exercising. One of the best ways to stay healthy is to move your body. So the hotel offers free bike rentals to guests. Just go to the front desk, show your room card, and complete a simple procedure. Each bike has a sealed pouch on the handlebar where you can put your phone, wallet, and other items.

On the pouch is a handy map showing routes to nearby attractions, distances, and approximate cycling times. These small touches are very thoughtful. We rented two bikes, ready to enjoy a ride through the Xiang Lake National Resort.

Gazing at the vast, scenic wellness city complex, we first pushed our bikes around the grounds. Yunbao was endlessly fascinated by every plant and tree—that's the innocence of a child.

That quiet persistence, waiting serenely. I look forward to a kind of happiness that, after hundreds of missed chances and hundreds of glances back, still seeks a warm home for the heart…

Our two-day wellness family trip at Yuxianghu ended all too quickly. We'd admired the delightful scenery of Xiang Lake, experienced the cozy family room, and indulged in scrumptious cuisine. Now we look forward to returning again.