Commune on the Great Wall Beijing
An hour from Beijing, Commune is a collection of 11 houses designed by different Asian architects. The project has won several awards and will open in September as a hotel. It will feature furniture by the likes of Philippe Starck, Kaname Okajima, Karim Rashid and Marc Newson and, in the clubhouse, there will be a courtyard restaurant, lounge, swimming pool, gallery, cinema and peacock-feathered library. Conveniently for structurally minded tourists, it is also right by the Shuiguan section of the Great Wall - a private path leads there from the hotel.
The Great Wall, Exit No 16, Shuiguan Badaling Highway, Beijing (00 800 426 313 55; www.kempinski.com). Doubles start from 80, including breakfast.
Other four best design hotels:
Red Capital Ranch Beijing
Jia Hong Kong
Fuchun Resort Hangzhou
Banyan Tree Ringha Yunnan
