[2025 Suzhou Stay] Travel Guide for SANGHA Retreat by OCTAVE Institute (Updated May)

🏨 Hotel: Sangha Retreat by Octave Institute 📍 Location: No. 199 Yangcheng Ring Road, Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou --- 【Hotel Highlights】 Created by Mr. Frederick Chavalit Tsao, a descendant of the "Chinese Ship King," the name "Sangha" means a longing for and pursuit of a natural life. This is not just a hotel, but a community that integrates wellness and learning, helping every guest find a balance between health and life. 🌿 【Room Features】 From 53-square-meter lake view rooms to 7-bedroom villas, all rooms offer stunning views of Yangcheng Lake. The rooms feature eco-friendly wood floors, hypoallergenic carpets, and Egyptian cotton bedding, with attention to detail that shows a focus on health, providing guests with the warmest and most tranquil stay experience. It is worth mentioning that the corridor template decoration is inspired by the keel of a ship, incorporating the "Ship King" family's DNA into the hotel design, which is unique. 🛏️ 【Dining Experience】 The hotel's restaurant, Thought for Food, offers healthy organic food, with the menu clearly marking the calories of the food to meet the dietary needs of different guests. Guests can also customize exclusive recipes according to their physical condition, achieving a healthy balance through scientific diet. Every meal is a care and nourishment for the body. 🍽️ 【Rich Activities】 The hotel has a 1,600-square-meter spa center, offering a variety of activities such as sound therapy, Pilates, and cooking classes, making every day full of vitality. The 12-step thermal therapy spa is especially recommended. After a day of travel, a full-body relaxation will instantly dissipate the day's fatigue. 【Wellness Concept】 Wellness is the core experience of Sangha Retreat by Octave Institute, with dining and activities tailored to guests' physical examination results. Advanced testing equipment allows you to better understand your physical condition. The most worthwhile experience is the traditional Chinese medicine physical examination, where the doctor seems to know your body better than you do! Recently, the hotel has also launched medical beauty services, which interested guests can try. 👨‍⚕️ 🎨 Stunning Lake View: All rooms offer stunning views of Yangcheng Lake, with beautiful scenery. ⚗️ Luxurious Facilities: Eco-friendly wood floors, hypoallergenic carpets, and Egyptian cotton bedding, with attention to detail that shows luxury. 🛝 Rich Activities: Spa center, sound therapy, Pilates, cooking classes, with a variety of activities. 🏌️‍♂️ Customized Wellness: Wellness programs tailored to physical examination results, with traditional Chinese medicine physical examination especially recommended. 🍽️ Healthy Dining: Offers healthy organic food, with the menu marking the calories of the food, ensuring healthy eating.

Yangcheng Lake in Suzhou is a great place to visit! I went there last time in autumn, when the crabs were fat and the whole lake was filled with the faint aroma of crabs. Walking along the Yangcheng Ring Road, with lush trees and crystal-clear lake water on both sides, is a refreshing experience. This time, I want to recommend a hotel I stayed at - Suzhou Water Heaven Resort, which will definitely give you a different Jiangnan experience. 🌿 Yijing Mind & Body Wellness Area: Find a place of peace in the midst of busyness 🍃 In addition to the Yiyuan Clinic, which offers comprehensive health assessments and wellness programs, there is also a fully equipped Yijing Spa. Imagine soaking in a warm pool after a long day, with soft music in your ears and the shimmering lake in front of you, and you will feel completely relaxed. They also offer mindfulness classes designed based on the body's physiological rhythms to help you adjust better and prepare for a wonderful journey the next day. 🏡 Yishe Lakeside Courtyard: A little happiness in the scenery 🏡 101 lakeside villas, each one is a carefully arranged work of art. Open the window and you can see the beautiful view of Yangcheng Lake. When you wake up in the morning, the sunlight shines through the curtains, and even the air seems to be extra fresh. If you like to take photos, this is definitely a great place to do so! 🎨 Yixing Interactive Learning Area: A novel experience of learning through play 🎨 For families with children, this is a paradise. Children can participate in various fun activities, such as parent-child handicraft classes and nature exploration tours, which not only allow them to learn but also enhance the parent-child relationship. I remember making kites with a few kids that day, and I was infected by their innocent smiles. 🍽️ Exquisite Vegetarian Cuisine: A surprise on the tip of your tongue 🍽️ Finally, I have to mention the dining service in the hotel. Especially their vegetarian cuisine, which is really impressive. Every dish is made with great care, from the presentation to the taste, and even meat lovers will be impressed by the deliciousness. In short, whether you want to get away from the hustle and bustle and enjoy a moment of peace, or plan a family trip to find fun, Suzhou Water Heaven Resort is a good choice. I hope my sharing can inspire you, and I hope you can come and experience this beauty for yourself~✨

📍 SANGHA Retreat by OCTAVE Institute, Suzhou, China Nestled in Suzhou's serene landscapes, this isn't just a hotel—it's a wellness haven. Imagine a place where your schedule is crafted to pamper you, from hydrotherapy to Michelin-starred nourishment. 🧘‍♂️🍴 🏞️ Set against a backdrop of architectural marvels and Asia's largest spa, this retreat promises relaxation at its finest. The prestigious lake view rooms offer comfort with a touch of luxury, complete with a personal butler to cater to your every whim. 🛌🍇 🍽️ Dining here is an experience in itself, with a snack bar brimming with healthy treats and seasonal gourmet meals that delight the senses. And yes, the birthday Black Forest cake is as delicious as it sounds! 🍰🥂 🎨 The activities are endless. From Western baking to sound therapy with singing bowls, every experience is designed to enrich your wellbeing. The TCM consultations are enlightening, perfect for those looking to blend ancient wisdom with modern health. 🍵🔔 💆‍♀️ And the signature massage? It's a journey through a 12-step heat therapy cycle that will leave you feeling reborn. The couple's spa and the skillful technicians elevate the experience to celestial heights. 🌺👫 In summary, if you're looking to reconnect with yourself and indulge in a luxurious, mindful escape, this retreat in Suzhou is the ultimate destination. 🌅🌱

Hotel Background It's expensive for a reason: It is said to have cost 4.3 billion and took 10 years to build It has won multiple global architectural design awards Boasts the largest spa center in Asia Tailored wellness programs plus three meals crafted by Michelin-starred chefs & nutritionists Rather than calling this a hotel It's more appropriate to call it a healing and wellness sanctuary From the moment you enter, you're in 'lazy mode' What to do at each time slot, when to eat, when to get a massage All schedules are well arranged It's the first time I've felt 'busy' staying at a hotel Our package includes one night + three meals + body assessment + 12-step hydrotherapy hot bath cycle + 60-minute spa treatment & foot massage Let's talk about "Staying" The room is a prestigious lake view king room, very comfortable layout, but only 53 square meters. To be honest, for a 5k+ hotel, a room less than 90 square meters comes with welcome tea, fruit, and snacks, and room decoration & custom cake for birthdays or anniversaries. The bath amenities are custom 8 by octave, which smells particularly nice. The bedding is very comfortable and skin-friendly, with different pillows to choose from. The butler service is one-on-one, for activity reservations, meal arrangements, or any other needs, just talk to the butler. Now about "Eating" The lobby has a snack bar, offering unlimited healthy drinks, nuts, and fruits (this is super awesome). The three meals are really sumptuous, and there's nothing to fault, the menu is adjusted according to the season, and the birthday Black Forest cake is also delicious. Next, the "Activities" There are so many activities, we experienced Western baking, medical check-up & traditional Chinese medicine consultation, sound therapy singing bowls, tea ceremony, etc. The medical equipment here is very advanced, the TCM consultation is super patient, and I learned a lot about daily health maintenance. I highly recommend the singing bowl experience here, especially for those with sleep disorders, as it helps you relax quickly. Finally, the "Signature Massage" As expected from the largest spa center in Asia, it's very ceremonial, with a large swimming pool and a massage jacuzzi. I love the 12-step heat therapy cycle here: massage jacuzzi, Himalayan salt house, infrared sauna, herbal steam bath, music sensory lounge chairs... the whole set is very uplifting . The couple's spa has private rooms, and the technicians are particularly skilled.

Five top luxury hotels in Suzhou, how many have you stayed in? 1Suzhou Yinyu Water Zhongtian Hotel Address: No. 199 Yangcheng Ring Road Opening Time: 2017 Basic room: from 7000 Keywords: health Suzhou Yinyu Shuizhongtian Hotel, with an investment of 4.3 billion yuan, took a full 10 years to build. Strictly speaking, Yinyu Shuizhongtian is not a hotel in the traditional sense. Shuizhongtian is more like a sanatorium. body 2Suzhou Naked Resort Hotel Address: No. 199 North Taihu Avenue Opening time: 2020 Basic room: from 3600 Keywords: Family vacation The third Naked Port Hotel, produced by Golden Mantis, is an all-villa resort hotel located on the shore of Taihu Lake, and is the most suitable hotel for family vacations. It's not the hotel's fault, it's my fault. 3Four Seasons Hotel Suzhou Address: No. 88, Siji Road Opening time: 2023 Basic room: from 2600 Keywords: city vacation Four Seasons Hotel Suzhou is the eighth Four Seasons in mainland China. It is also a four-season resort hotel. Occupying a private island on Jinji Lake, it is adjacent to the luxury villa Four Seasons Lakeside. Looking at the Four Seasons hotels in Suzhou, the starting price of around 2,600 is really very friendly. Sun Hung Kai Properties' big move, which has been under construction for a decade, began in 2014. The resort-style Four Seasons Suzhou, which countless hotel lovers have been looking forward to for a long time, will finally open its doors to guests in the fourth quarter of 2023. Park Hyatt Suzhou Address: No. 69, Xizhou Road, Suzhou Opening time: 2020 Basic room: 1600 and up Keywords: Luxury courtyard Park Hyatt Suzhou is the ninth hotel in Greater China. I would like to call it a classic of Park Hyatt in China. Different from the Park Hyatt hotels in other cities, Park Hyatt Suzhou proudly chose to independently build a "Little White Building" beside the AAAAA-level scenic spot Jinji Lake, perfectly interpreting the Jiangnan water town garden hotel. Whether it is the newly opened Four Seasons, the newly debuted Mandarin Oriental, Waldorf Astoria, or Banyan Tree, it is difficult to surpass the Park Hyatt Suzhou in design when it comes to interpreting the garden style in Suzhou. 5InterContinental Hotel Suzhou Address: No. 288 Wangdun Road Opening time: Opened in 2010, renovated in 2021 Basic room: 1000 onwards Keywords: old five-star, online level Many people would say: When did InterContinental become a top luxury hotel? I want to say: the hotel that suits you best is the "top luxury hotel". Fourteen years after its opening, InterContinental Suzhou has firmly occupied the C position in Jinji Lake. The hotel's basic facilities and services are very online, and it is also quite generous in room upgrades. An extra-large round bathtub and a whole floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the Jinji Lake. If you want to live by Jinji Lake and want a lake view room, then InterContinental Suzhou may be your first choice. Park Hyatt Suzhou naked Porto

🏨 Suzhou Yinyu Shuizhongtian 🌟Highlight Features: Explore the journey of life, insight into the true self. Yinyu focuses on the relationship between people and nature, others, and themselves, and has built a mindfulness living system that integrates Eastern wisdom and Western science. ❤Recommended Reason: Through a series of learning projects and experiences, it supports people to comprehend the essence of harmonious relationships, feel the state of mind of heaven and man, and finally reach the state of life that is free and living in the present. 🏨Hotel Environment: The hotel covers a very large area, and the architectural design and space design can be called excellent in China! The key is that the fashionable health vacation concept provided by the hotel is very worth a try. 👍Most Recommended: Mindfulness courses, restaurants that provide healthy food, fitness Pilates courses, health courses, a large spa area, and professional medical services, here you can get physical and mental health from head to toe! 👍Most Recommended: 2-day and 1-night journey of physical and mental recovery A directional consultation or private lesson (optional Chinese medicine physical diagnosis, nutritionist consultation, Pilates equipment or cicada soft) 12-step hot bath cycle therapy experience Physical and mental practice group class experience 📝Note tips: A night stay in the prestigious lake view room of the leisurely residence (up to two people) 🍽Dining Recommendation: Michelin chef's special healthy meal (including breakfast + lunch or dinner)

I went to a one week mindful living retreat because I wanted to re-center my body, mind and soul❣ My week at Sangha was filled with a lot of plant based eating, meditation, conversations and healing. After we have gone through a turbulent time due to the pandemic this was exactly what I was looking for. The resort offers various programs, one of the biggest Spa's in Asia and a beautiful infinity pool. Perfect environment to reset yourself🥰 #awesomepic#naturalwonders#lakes#infinitypool