A dash of modernity — trendy B&Bs near Wuzhen
Located just outside Wuzhen, an ancient river town in Tongxiang city, East China’s Zhejiang province, Ciyun Road has over the past few years garnered the reputation for being an enclave for contemporary minsu (Chinese-style bed-andbreakfast) that offers travelers a refreshing alternative to local hotels with dated decor or those located within the scenic zone.
One of the newest kids on the block is Muji Art Villa at No 517 Ciyun Road, which stands out prominently against the landscape with its modern white facade. From afar, the white building does indeed look like an art space.
The interior of the main lobby, which comprises the reception desk, a bar counter and seating areas, features an eclectic mesh of industrial, whimsical and country styles. While all the walls are either in black or white, the furnishings provide a welcome injection of color into the various spaces.
“Before we opened this place we spent a long time thinking about the color of the walls. We then realized that colors are rather seasonal in the sense that green could be popular this year, but pink could be the ‘hot’ color next year,” says Zhao Ti, who runs Muji Art Villa with her brother Liu Kun.
“That’s when we decided to go with black and white. We wanted a minsu that bore the characteristics of its location and we felt these two colors reflected how timeless Wuzhen is.”
Having come from creative backgrounds, the siblings made the majority of the design decisions. Zhao majored in interior design during her time at Yangzhou Polytechnic College while Liu is a graphic artist.
Zhao, who was born in Jiangsu province, conceded that starting a minsu was never one of her life goals. Before starting this business, she worked in the real estate industry. After marrying a Tongxiang native she moved to the city with him in 2008.
Zhao says the idea to enter the hospitality business was born when she and her husband, both of whom are avid travelers, visited Lijiang in Yunnan province, a few years ago. The couple were so charmed by the themed guesthouse they stayed in that they decided to explore the possibility of starting their own.
While all the 19 rooms in the Muji minsu are distinctively colorful, they are nonetheless different from one another in
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terms of decor. One of the key highlights in each room is the ceiling lamp. In one room, the lamp looks akin to a crown of feathers. In another, the lamp is made up of three bulbs shaped like eggs that seem to be perched in a nest.
“The colors we chose for the rooms are more vibrant because we want to invoke joy. We want guests to have fun while they stay here,” says Liu.
Zhao says that she is currently working with Chinese travel information provider Qunar to promote her business, which only began operations in October. But the two owners are already thinking long-term — Zhao plans to open another four or five minsu businesses in Tongxiang within the next few years.