The Alila Yangshuo, a five star-hotel in the southern province of Guilin, China, was not always so brilliant. During the cultural revolution in 1960s China, these buildings served as a sugar mill. It wasn’t until one former factory worker risked everything to preserve the buildings that they were restored for their cultural beauty and historical relevance.

The campus sits in a small valley along the Yulong River where the karst mountains that rise high and fall fast. The setting is truly breathtaking, and Vector Architects worked hard to maintain the integrity of the original campus while designing additional modern structures for guest rooms.