Alila Yangshuo, Guilin, China

A modern retro resort located by the Li River, Alila Yangshuo comprises the preserved buildings of an old sugar mill built in the 1960s alongside a new accommodation block housing 17 rooms and suites. Creative is expressed through the harmony between architecture and nature, while the 40,000 hand-pressed bricks ensure that Alila Yangshuo evokes an artisanal feel. Passing through the resort results in an alternation of light and shadow, with a sprinkling of mottled light sneaking through hollow-cut bricks.