China’s Top Resort Moves Up Market

Yabuli, the largest ski resort in China, will complete a $100m spend this winter with the opening of the third five star hotel in the resort in the past year.

It's a dramatic change for the centre which lies 1200km (750 miles) north of Beijing in Heilongjiang province, and is frequently criticised for awful hotels, restaurants and ski slopes by international visitors.

The new hotels have been built in a new development, Sun Mountain Resort, which also includes a heated gondola complete with leather seats, mini-bars and BOSE sound systems as well as a six-seater high speed chairlift with installations laid out to a design by Ecosign, the Vancouver based company which is behind the design of dozens of leading ski areas worldwide, including Whistler.

The last of the three hotels, which have added over 300 luxury hotel rooms in total, will open this autumn and is a member of the prestigious Small Luxury Hotel of The World selection.

Reports indicate however that the new resort area is not yet lift-linked to the original state owned resort and some commentators have noted that this, as well as factors such as temperatures droppuing as low as -30 C in winter remain challenges for the resort.

A fast new road to the regional capital Harbin (just under 200km away) as well as a new rail; link which opened in late 2007 have also improved access to the resort.
Courtesy of and © Snow24 plc