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Chanoyu Palace Hotel
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From Red Guides, the Hino Star Travel Guidebook.
Chanoyu Palace is a former palace, now a luxury and Gold Hino Star hotel. The complex is considered by some to be one of the most renowned hotels in all of Jizue Isles. It is located on Hai Shui island in Jizue Isles, and the complex is surrounded by numerous opulent gardens and composed of large siheyuan-style courtyard mansions. Because of its vast and rich collection of Chinese and Japanese gardens and architecture, Chanoyu Palace is widely viewed as a culmination of the variety of gardens and palaces from the various regions of the Jizue Isles.
Chanoyu Palace was constructed from 1750 to 1762 and was the former summer residence of Prince Hai of House Tran. During the Jizue Isles Civil War, the palace was extensively damaged and largely neglected. After the war, Prince Chan, the head of House Tran, sold the palace to Queqiao Corporation. Queqiao Corporation promptly undertook a large restoration project which restored the palace to its pre-civil war condition by 1965.
During the 18th century, Hai Shui became a fashionable area for the aristocracy, and as such, several notable summer palaces were constructed to cater to nobles and their families, where they dotted the coastlines of the island. In 1745, Prince Gong Hai, a royal prince of the Crane Rank, retired to his native home of Hai Shui after the death of his eldest son. He is most remembered for reforming the land tax system through his “Equal-Field” initiative, which allocated state-owned lands to individual framers to suppress the influence of large estates. His initiative was opposed by the conservative faction led by Chancellor Zhou Rang. Over time they gradually demoted and exiled Hai’s supporters in the Imperial Court leading to Hai resigning his post as Minister of Finance. In 1750 he was awarded a plot of land in Hai Shui by Emperor Dai in recognition for his meritorious service to the Imperial House, and he began work on the palace. The palace, meant to express his exquisite taste, received close attention from the renowned artist, poet, and friend, Shi Wen. The palace construction took 12 years, and Wen envisioned the palace as a bridge between Wabi Sabi and Lingnan aesthetics.
Early 1970s Room Ad
The successive heads of House Tran used this palace as their summer resort, holding their council meeting in the garden courtyards and hosting guests in accompanying mansions. In 1820, Prince Bao partitioned the eastern garden from the rest and made several modifications to it, notably converting it into a tea garden, and it inspired the setting of Songs of Grass, whose author, Du Osamu, lived in the garden when he was a teenager. During the Jizuan Civil War, the palace was seriously damaged during clashes between Republican and Imperialist forces when in 1947, a significant portion of the palace was set on fire, and the inner palace court was reduced to rubble during an exchange of heavy artillery fire. By March 1948, rebel forces seize control of the compound after heavy fighting.
In 1957 Prince Chan, then head of the Tran family, decided to sell the palace to Queqiao Corporation, which restored the palace and its garden and converted the palace into Hai Shui's first luxury hotel. The palace attracted a new class of affluent international travelers, who appreciated high-end luxury hotels and gained significant renown internationally for its banquet balls, which were often attended by esteemed figures and international royalty, and its individual private mansions. The palace was used as a setting for several films. In 1970, the palace became a Grade I listed building, in recognition of its cultural significance, and in 1972, the palace received its Gold Hino Star, while Yuecaiguan, its main restaurant, received a silver Hino Star. In 2015, the palace underwent its most recent renovation which saw the uplifting of the hotel facades, modernizing guest residence amenities, the addition of an underwater restaurant, and a museum that has a revolving exhibition of items from the palace archive.
The palace was designed by Shi Wen and constructed on the northern coastland of Hai Shui island and situated on an angel trumpet Groove overlooking the Forsian Sea. The hotel has 38 guest residences which are siheyuan-style mansion with garden courtyards complete with individual terraces furnished with reclining rattan planter chairs and linked by pathways. The main building complex is built above three levels of marble stone bases, and its sandalwood exterior is adorned with motifs of silver pheasant, while the interior is a blend of modern and traditional Japanese artwork with sleek black marble walls and gold leaf screens depicting the island landscape. A large outdoor ebony wood staircase leads to the hotel’s three-tiered infinity pool, and at the base of the pool is the hotel’s beach club with its own pool, bar, and private beach cabanas.
The Lobby
Main Complex
The main complex of the palace once serve as House Tran court room and main operational room is now the hotel’s lobby area and has the shopping area, the hotel’s main restaurant, and several entertainment outlets within the complex. There is a gate guests and visitors must pass through before entering the main complex which has three entrance arches, and the gate has two protruding arms on either side. A pavilion forms the superstructure of the gate which is once used to announce imperial degrees and speeches. On each of the protruding side, there is a building with seven openings with a single eave which once functions as guard towers. Crossing the gate, guest passed through three stone bridges over a water filled moat which opens onto a lush bamboo forest pathway to the three marbles stone base staircases of the main complex to the lobby.
The hotel’s lobby features sleek black marble where the walls are decorated with gold leaf screens in the style of Ogata Korin depicting portraits of the surrounding landscape and poems in calligraphy form. These screens are framed by silk brocade and bound with ebony wood. The lobby floor is raised one story above the third marble base, which create the impression of grandeur and allowed storefronts to be placed at ground level, and contains room registration, concierge, and cashier desks, the private Gion Chaya social club, Maison Salon, Yuecaiguan restaurant, and exhibit.
From the main lobby, the eastern and western secondary corridors lead to pathways to the guest residences and are distinguished by one another through the different colors of marble, where the west corridor wall is blue-tinted Carrara marble while the east one is Qingxiun green marble. The eastern secondary corridor led to the Grand Theatre. The lobby's northern side opens to an ebony wood staircase, where descending guests can reach the three-tiered infinity pool and beach club.
The Grande Theatre
The Grand Theatre was originally configured as a teahouse, where there is a three-story raised thrust stage with canopies on each level, supported by decorated pillars. The pillars are made from nanmu wood and have painted coiled dragons wrapped around them, while the stage lintels feature ornately painted carvings of sea waves. The viewing area is on three sides of the stage, where the first audience floor is arranged with tea tables, while the upper level contains boxes. Hanging from the Grand Theatre ceiling are paper lanterns and the red coffered ceiling, where, in each square, stars are painted onto the surface. There is a hole at the center of each star, where there is a light bulb affixed behind them to mimic the stars in the darkness. The walls have ink paintings depicting scenes from popular folk tales of the time.
Beach Club
The three-tiered infinity pool is an addition to the palace constructed in the early 1960s and features a bar pavilion at the top tier where guests can order drinks, and several sun loungers are arranged near the poolside. The pool is designed with mosaic-style tiles of koi fish, and each pool flows into the one beneath it. Guests can stream their own playlist while swimming, as each pool is equipped with an underwater sound system. At the bottommost tiered pool is where the beach club is located.
The beach club resembles a Shinden-zukuri style mansion, where the main building faces the water courtyard feeding into the ocean, and bridges connect the main building to smaller pavilions. The main building has an open interior where the walls are slidable doors, and the floors are made of tatami mats. The water courtyard features several isles with trees, flowers, and mountain-shaped rocks resembling the landscape of the Buddhist Pure Land. The beach club has a launch dock from the pier in front of the beach club for wooden motorboats, sailing boats, and catamarans for boat tours and guest transportation. Two of the hotel’s restaurants are located here: Ryu Ozen and The Lounge.
Ryu Ozen is a half-sunken restaurant where the building's cylindrical form breaks the surface of the water and rests directly on the seabed. The outer shell is designed to gradually function as an artificial reef over time. On the eastern side and western sides, the window panel offers partial underwater views, and at the top half of the window are fern forest-style aquariums featuring tropical fishes. The northern side offers panoramic underwater views. To reach Ryu Ozen, guests walk on a bridge from the beach club leading to a thatched pavilion at the end of a jetty and descend below a spiral staircase.
Garden
Reflecting Shi Wen vision of the palace as a bridge between Wabi Sabi and Lingnan, the palace has two main gardens: Sen and Liu Shui.
Sen Garden
Sen Garden is arranged as a circular promenade centered around a manmade lake shaped like the character of a heart (心) and contains three small islands: Penglai, Horai, and Ashi. A canal feeds water to the lake and creates the scene of a rushing river. The lawn of the garden contains over 120 varieties of moss, and there are steppingstones throughout the garden. The stones vary in size and texture from smooth to jagged to guide guests’ line of sight as they walk around the garden. The slopping promenade path creates contrasts between the shady pine trees and the sunny beach as one walks. Clay walls on three sides form the perimeter of the garden, and as time passes, the wall ages more with subtle brown and orange tones. Near the tori gate of the garden, there is an adjacent Zen Shrine, which has a rock garden behind it. There are sixteen stones in the rock garden arranged in five groups some of them have moss on them and are surrounded by white gravel, which is carefully raked every day. As the rock garden is meant to view as a whole from the seat of the shrine veranda, they are positioned so that only fifteen of the sixteen stones are visible from other angles besides the sited position. A bamboo fence separates the rock garden from the other portions of Sen Garden. The surrounding beach landscape and canal stream against the moss ground creates a dynamic naturalist sense of motion.
Liu Shui Garden contains pavilions and bridges set among a maze of connected pools and islands and combines the elements of stone, plants, and water to recreate the scenery of mythical islands. Guests first enter a three-bay hall which is divided by a lacquer screen engraved with a map of the garden and its windows wooden frames are decorated with carvings of scenes from West Chamber Play, while a scholar stone is mounted in the center of the hall. A bridge connects the hall to a pavilion with a hipped-gable roofline with flying eves and a portico on all four sides overlooking a lotus pond. From the previous pavilion, a covered bridge arched in three segments connects the pavilion to another one and is designed to give an appearance of a rainbow shimmering when its reflection is stirred in the water. The second pavilion is square shaped, and its four sides have a large moon gate, allowing sited guests views of the lake from all sides. A covered three-bay terrace hall with a portico built on piers over the water creates an illusion of an unseen source feeding the lake and connects the second pavilion to an octagonal tower. After crossing the covered terrace hall, there is a stone path leading to the tower which is sited on top of a rockery and forms an ideal vantage point for viewing the islands. Descending the tower, there is a covered passage that simulates a three-bay hall where its screen windows faced the pond and two small sky-wells on the opposite side is planted with mangrove. Crossing the covered passage leads to the last pavilion which has a three-bay terrace structure rear double arcade, with a full gable roofline open on one side with a backrest facing the koi pond and a century-old maple tree to provide shade. From the last pavilion vantage point, guests can view a freestanding structure on the pond that resembles a land boat. Exiting the pavilion, guests enter a courtyard that has two pillar couplets decorated with relics of soaring pheasants and numerous scholarly stones.
Guest Residence Courtyard & Main Bedroom Exterior
The entrance gate of guest residences faced south, painted vermilion, and has silver door knockers on it. There is a glazed painted screen tiled wall inside the gate for privacy and a pair of stone lions is placed outside the gate. After passing through the entrance gate, there is a private courtyard garden attached to each residence that has plants, rocks, water features, and flowers and serves as an open-air living room. The veranda divides the courtyard into several big and small spaces that are close by one other. Following traditional feng shui layout, the main bedroom building is located at the north, the eastern and western buildings serve as junior bedrooms, while the southern buildings functions as servant quarters, reception rooms, or kitchen. The rooftops of the guest residence resemble oyster shells which make the buildings resistant to wild changes in temperature, accumulation of rainwater, and insect infestation, and the downward curved rooftop ridges provide shade from the sun below and allow rainwater to flow along the curve rather than drop down.
The interior of the guest residence is minimal design and incorporates natural materials such as fine woods, bamboo, silk, rice straw mats, and paper screens. The color schemes of the residence are naturally based and usually in neutral palettes. Hand-painted paper screens divide up the areas of the buildings into rooms and allow for light to diffuse to create light shadows and patterns, as well as bring cooling breezes in. The floor of the residence is wood. The main bedroom and reception room feature a recessed space slightly situated above ground level displaying paintings and calligraphy scrolls. The bathroom features a depressed furo tub alongside a steam shower that draws water from nearby hot springs. For rooms that look out into the beach, they have wall-to-ceiling windows, allowing guests to have panoramic views of the water. The guest residence is constructed in proximity to nature, creating subtle natural environments through several elements, such as the sound of waves and the smell of angel trumpet flowers.
Each guest residence features a saltwater swimming pool which is located on the 1st floor of the main bedroom building, separate kitchen, dining, and living rooms in the southern side of the residence, and up to 5 bedrooms total, while 5 residences have live-in chefs and butler’s service. A pathway in a style of a cold alley links each guest residence to the main hotel complex, where the narrowness of the alley increases wind speed which caused warm air to rush out quickly while cooler air enters which has a cooling effect on passersby.
Ryu Ozen Restaurant Dining Room
The hotel is known for its remarkable service and currently has a staff count of ten staff to one guest. Transportation to the hotel is complimentary for guests either as luxury SUVs pickup from the airport or wooden motorboats over the water. There is also a helipad that can receive guests’ helicopters if needed. Upon arrival, guests receive welcome drinks of iced tea, juice, or mocktail, and check-in is done at the guest residence. Guest also receives a welcome basket which often consists of seasonal fruits, a cheese platter, a bottle of champagne, and a selection of cultural crafts. For guests traveling with small kids, a stuffed pheasant plush, cookies, and fruit smoothie are also part of the basket. In each bedroom, there is a complimentary mini-bar, and all guests have complimentary breakfasts.
The hotel has three restaurants: Yuecaiguan, Ryu Ozen, and The Lounge. Yuecaiguan fuses Kaiseki and Cantonese cuisine together, while Ryu Ozen cooked local ingredients through contemporary techniques, and both are only open for dinner. At Yuecaiguan, only seasonal, local ingredients are used and prepared to enhance their present natural flavor. Dishes are beautifully arranged with real leaves and flowers designed to resemble flowers and animals. Before dinners dine at Ryu Ozen, they are presented with a glass display of all the ingredients used to cook their multicourse meal. Classical dishes featuring firmly rooted local ingredients and flavors are creatively reinterpreted here. The Lounge is open from breakfast to dinner and has a famous music scene where during dinner service, they have jazz bands from all around the world performing and diners can dance to the music. Diners at The Lounge have options to revere private tatami room for lunch and dinner. On weekends The Lounge offers afternoon tea ceremony service in the style of Urasenke in the adjacent Chashitsu pavilion.
The Gion Chaya social club used to be the pleasure hall of the former royal owners but is now a private social member club. The exclusive club was founded to promote commerce and the arts and science. Facilities of the club include the tearoom, the backgammon room, and the library. On Friday afternoon, it is tradition for lunch lectures to be held, featuring speakers around the world. Food is catered by The Lounge, and for dinner, the club has maiko and geisha to entertain and converse with members. A dress code is enforced, where men are required to wear jackets while women are required to wear a dress.
The Grand Theatre features traditional performing arts such as Kabuki and Peking Opera. A few of the greatest classical and jazz musicians have performed at the Grand Theatre annually. At the gardens, complimentary En Plein air and calligraphy sessions are held for guests.
On the beach paddleboards, water bikes, snorkeling gear, outrigger canoes, and sunfish sailboats are complimentary rentals for guest usage. From the beach club’s launch dock, the hotel operates sailing boats, catamarans, glass-bottom boats, and yachts for boat tours and fishing or island-hopping charters. A fitness gym, three tennis courts, two squash courts, a spa, exercise studios, a library, and a boardroom are also at the beach club. The spa at the beach club is complimentary for guests and features a private jacuzzi, steam rooms, a dry sauna, a pool, and private treatment rooms. Treatments at the spa are Anma tradition based which is known for its acupressure techniques, and medical massages such as coolsculpting, ultrasound, and facial. Guests have daily complimentary wellness sessions with a private trainer such as yoga.
Jizue Isles first high-end royalty destination set on 32 angel trumpet scented acres of beachside mansions overlooking the Forsian Sea.
First Impression
After a 20-minute black car drive from the airport or 40 minutes wooden motorboat transfer winding past the backdrop of coastlines, there, behind massive stone gates, lies what is known to be one of the finest examples of mid-18th century palaces in Jizue Isles. Its original owner Prince Gong Hai initiated several financial reforms under Emperor Dai, and the palace was passed down the House Tran linage before it was sold to Queqiao Corporation shortly after Jizue Isles adopted its constitution. The scent of angel trumpet flowers and the sight of fast-running streams and moss-covered rocky paths transport one to Shangri-La. Epic in scale and ethereal for the senses, the hotel is deeply rooted in history but also reflects the country’s ongoing magnificence.
Accommodation
38 oceanfront guest residences dot the hotel’s coastline, and each one is an elegant courtyard mansion. The opulent royal exteriors are balanced by the simple yet beautiful Wabi Sabi style interior. Each residence comes with its own private green space, veranda, and swimming pool. Specific amenities vary as each is individually furnished to tailor the guest experience, but you can expect an effortless fusion of traditional vintage furnishings such as hand-painted scrolls and luxe contemporary frills such as a steam shower and home automation features. A fine balance between the ancient and modern is struck here. There are also select residences that offer in-residence chef and butler service for an extra splurge.
Dining
Despite the hotel’s immense size scale, there are only three marvelous restaurants. Yuecaiguan, the hotel’s flagship restaurant, serves traditional cuisine and holds its weight as one of the best restaurants on Hai Shui island, affirmed by its Hino Silver Star. For those wishing for cutting-edge cuisine, descends below the water at Ryu Ozen and watch as the chef works their magic as invents new dishes every night. Appropriate for a palace going back centuries, the hotel cultivates a relationship with nearby farms and foragers, so expect all the exquisite dishes here to be locally sourced and fresh. Plus, as expected, there is a heavenly Jizuan tea list and service at The Lounge.
Service
The service here is spectacular. Given that the hotel has few guests and you arrive via their cars and boats, all the staff member knows exactly when you're showing up, and they're ready for you, making check-in a seamless experience. The white-glove staff here excelled at all the right places, with some of them being yet for more than thirty years — always a good sign — and it shows. Highly anticipatory of your needs, they add unscripted personal highlights to your stays, such as lavishing your little ones with freshly baked cookies or gifted a silk pouch for your phone. As this hotel is both a wellness and cultural retreat, an enormous factor in the experience is the wellness offerings. Therefore, you will meet with your Cicerone guide for your initial consultation and then fine-tune your itinerary around that meeting (for example: arranging Hatha yoga classes or calligraphy sessions). All classes and treatments are included in your stay and arranged through your Cicerone guide. Additional activities such as deep fishing incursions, horseback riding, or helicopter tours can be arranged through the hotel.
Other Notes
To book a stay here, guests must send an inquiry request over the phone, a sign of how exclusive and closed off the hotel is. The area around the palace is an untouched paradise, which means this is a quiet place for intense introspection, not so much for the scene. The food here, although splendid and delicious, is regional, but in recent years The Lounge has offered more cosmopolitan dishes, and Ryu Ozen is a welcome fresh addition. The scenery here is breathtaking, and the garden awakes a sublime sensation in passersby. In sum, Chanoyu Palace is a rare retreat where the customization and the quality of the wellness and cultural programs are as strong as the flawless accommodations and service.
Bottom Line
At $3,000 a night during the low season, the hotel is for the well-dressed, sophisticated, and discerning person. Chanoyu Palace is for those who have visited all of the other islands and is so niche it is its own category. That to say, guests here have disposable income, are refined, are active, and are open to the arts and Anma treatments. Don’t be surprised when you bump into celebrities, business tycoons, or politicians. Staying here is a bespoke experience as it perfectly combines the best of Hai Shui — thanks to its prime beachfront location and fusion of Wabi Sabi Lingnan aesthetics — with its restrained luxurious style and ethos. This is the closest thing possible to living in a Jizuan palace, but with 21st-century benefits: infinity pools, infrared saunas, and room automation.
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