La Maison Monet – A French-Inspired Aesthetic Escape | Yunxi Manor

I had originally planned to meet a friend at 7MU Café, only to find it completely booked out for a Prada event. By sheer accident, we wandered next door and stumbled into what looked like a set from a dream – a space styled as if it were part of a Monet painting.

The first thing that caught my eye upon entering was an irresistibly charming white Persian-looking cat. There are two of them in the garden: one lazily sprawled across a chair outside the wooden café house, basking in the sunlight; the other meowed endlessly at us, eager for attention.

The manor sits against a gentle backdrop of tea fields, its pale beige European-style façade spread across roughly 1,600 square meters – 600 indoors and 1,000 in the garden. Outside, a small white fountain crowned by a cherub with angelic wings quietly murmurs. The manor rises three stories high. The rooftop remains largely unfinished, still under construction, but the first floor already exudes an antique charm. Two connected rooms are filled with vintage furniture. The surrounding garden blooms with seasonal flowers – I could recognize cosmos, foxtail grass, and others swaying in the breeze.

What they call the “Monet Garden” lies on the side closest to the tea fields, where the owner changes the varieties of flowers with the seasons. In one room sits the reception desk, guarded by two Shiba Inus – one large, one small, both looking adorably goofy. It’s said that they used to have a Corgi here too. Every tabletop is tastefully arranged with artificial flowers and ornamental fruits; on one side there’s even a cutting board and rolling pin, lending a touch of lived-in homeliness.

At the heart of the manor, a winding spiral staircase climbs upward. The wall before the staircase is traced with delicate vines. The second floor feels a shade more refined – a touch more “Parisian.” The clawfoot bathtub, the cherry blossoms, and the sheer curtains you might have seen in photos are all found here. I heard that artificial mist and water vapor are sometimes added near the bath for effect. The space is framed with Roman-style columns and folding screens dividing the open area. Two large beds flank the east and west sides of the floor, each draped in translucent gauze that catches the light – impossible not to want to sink into them.

Address: No. 69, Geyazhuang Road, Xihu District – near Longwu and the Xiangshan campus of the China Academy of Art. If you have some extra time, it’s worth stopping by the nearby BAC Art Community – a spot visited by Chinese TV hosts Neghmet Abdulrakhman and Sa Beining. That’s where those cute little bunnies were taken, and the Christmas atmosphere there is particularly delightful.

Whether you’re planning a portrait shoot, a commercial project, or a wedding, Yunxi Manor, as a curated photography space, offers transparent pricing as follows:

Photography Packages
Portrait Sessions: For 1-3 people, ¥350 per hour. Full deposit required upon booking. Up to three outfits permitted per session.
Commercial Photography (Non‑exclusive): For 1–4 people, ¥450 per hour; an additional ¥50/hour for each extra person. Deposit: ¥1,000.
Commercial Photography (Exclusive Use): For 1–4 people, ¥3,600 per full day; an additional ¥400/day per extra person. Shooting hours: 08:00–18:00.
Events / Film Crews / Weddings / Advertising Shoots: For groups up to 30 people, ¥18,000 per day; ¥800/day for each additional person. Exclusive hours: 08:00–18:00.