The Address Magazine Nov-Dec 2013 #92: The Winter Issue

The Yabuli area, while relatively unknown in the West, is widely hailed in
China as an especially picturesque area often used for movie location shoots
← c l u b m e d y a b u l i – Opened as the first international
premium all-inclusive ski resort in north eastern Heilongjiang,
Club Med Yabuli is all pristine shimmer with its top
notch four-Trident ‘Charm and Prestige’ category. Some 180
kilometres southeast of the province capital, Harbin, it is an
under four-hour drive from the airport and within a national
park. The elegant architecture of the resort, built in 2008,
complements the surroundings; Canadian château style with
ample stone and wood and an eye-catching clock tower.
Inside, it is contemporary, convivial and family-friendly
with the appealing visual derivations inspired by plum, elm,
oak, walnut and maple trees that flourish in the surrounding
landscape. The rich indoor hues of intense red, yellow, gold
as well as green, reflective of the vibrant landscape, reverberate
throughout the resort with embracing warmth.
As Margaux Lhermitte, its interior designer, explains,
“The resort decor is a cornucopia of plants and trees, where
spices, seeds and grains from the region will be displayed, as
well as French illustrations of plants. The Yabuli Resort is a
botanical home, blending exoticism with French flair.”
Within the resort, the rooms and suites number some 280
in total. They are spacious and designed in soothing tones,
have good internet access and amenities and reassuringly
heated bathroom floors.
The three restaurants guests can dine at include the casual
Apple Garden, which offers a substantial international buffet
offering familiar Western, Chinese and Japanese favourites.
There is also Bianco, which serves Italian fare. Mudan,
Club Med’s first Chinese restaurant, is a touch more formal
with its elegant oriental dining set up and à la carte menu
featuring regional specialities.
The resort, of course, offers the winning Club Med formula
where guests enjoy an all-inclusive package. Here at
Yabuli, there are ski passes and a ski school for children ages
four years and up from certified ski instructors.
The resort is constantly abuzz with families, couples and
some business groups. And skiing, of course, is the main
draw, with guests enjoying quick easy access to the slopes
and where at extra charge, premium skis, snowboards,
boots and other equipment can be rented.
There are 18 ski runs in total with the biggest beginner’s
terrain in the country. Its five ‘magic carpet’ surface
lifts are especially useful for novices. There is also a highspeed,
heated eight-person gondola that transports guests
smoothly up the 530-metre vertical rise to the mountaintop
in under ten minutes. The scenery along the way is picture
perfect with soft, powdery snow and surprisingly less crowd
than a fully booked resort should expect.
Along with skiing, there are other outdoor activities such
as snow tubing, snowboarding and going on purportedly the
longest alpine slide in Asia. Back inside, the fun continues
in imitable Club Med fashion with flying trapeze, bungee
bounce, yoga, karaoke sessions at three private KTV rooms
(a first for the Club), billiards and mahjong. There is also
an adults-only indoor pool and Jacuzzi. And for sybarites,
the Club Med Spa is a 10-suite haven offering pampering
treatments using top French skincare brand, L’Occitane.
From top — The Club Med Yabuli resort; The Club Med Spa by L’Occitane;
One of the Suites at Club Med Yabuli
nov/dec 2013 | TA 79