A World Far from Pollution and Noise

With the weather getting nicer and our thoughts turning to the outdoors, we're thinking a weekend getaway is just the thing to find a bit of relaxation, recharge our batteries, and take a break from the hectic, non-stop pace of city living.

The mountains and forests of Deqing, two and a half hours of Shanghai, have been a popular tourist destination for expats for over a century now, ever since Shanghai's well-heeled citizenry first built their European-style summer cabins at the foot of Moganshan at the end of the 19th cenutry. 

With Moganshan itself ever increasing in fame as a the ideal Shanghai weekend getaway, however, if you're looking for real solace and quiet away from the tourist hustle, you'll have to go deeper into the bamboo forest. 

Introducing Huttopia: The World Is a Dream Campground

Entering their first season after Covid measures delayed their launch, vacation camping (and glamping) resort company Huttopia have set up their unique camp in a quieter and more remote countryside area in Deqing, offering the promise of escape, relaxation, and adventure in the bamboo heart of the forest. 

With 23 years of experience from their first small campground in the Alps, to the first two Huttopia campgrounds in Versailles and the Touraine, the French resort company has spread out into the mountains and forests of the world with locations all over Europe, America, and Canada. 

Enjoy Life in True Simplicity

Now, Huttopia Deqing is open, offering a modest collection of wood and canvas cabin spaces that disappear into the serene bamboo forests of Deqing.

Call it camping, call it glamping -- for 23 years now, in the mountains, river banks, and woodlands of the world, Huttopia have emphasized a rustic, simplified, back-to-nature vacation approach, while at the same time recognizing the need for comfort -- good food, good drink, good friends, lightweight amenities.

Huttopia provides spaces wherein friends and family can really get back to the basics, comfortably, and with a French touch. 

Deqing: The Natural Mise-en-Scène

Deqing is a District in Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province, in the western part of the Hangjiahu Plain in the Yangtze River Delta. It's about a 45-minute drive from Hangzhou and 2.5 hours from Shanghai, accessible by car and train. 

The most famous part of Deqing is Moganshan (Mogan Mountain), well-known for its pristine bamboo forests, crisp and clean mountain air, and cooler summer temperatures. An accessible and ideal escape from the stifling summers of Shanghai, in the past 10 years or so, a new generation of boutique hotels and lodges have sprouted up across the hillside. 

If you're looking for the air and natural beauty of Deqing, along with the creature comforts to make for a relaxing weekend out of the city, Huttopia is a more remote section of this mountain paradise, away from even the somehat heightened activity of Moganshan proper. 

Wood or Canvas Cabins

Huttopia offers five fully equipped wood and canvas accommodation rental types: they have Family and Duo wood cabins; Family and Duo Trappeaur Tents (canvas roofed cabins); and the "Cahutte", a quaint wood cabin on the ground floor topped by a real tent upstairs so you can sleep among the trees — a unique Huttopia concept and famous at their locations around the world.

(More details and room interior shots below.)

Among their guests are couples looking for a romantic getaway; groups of friends coming out a weekend in the forest; families on their first camping trip; corporate team building events; and whomever else is looking to escape the city into the forests of Zhejiang. 

It's pet friendly as well so the whole family can come. 

In the Heart of the Woods: The Life Center

At the center of Huttopia's handful of cabins is The Life Center. This is where you check in. It also houses their restaurant and bar, grocery and gift shop, sofas, TVs, board games, foosball, and books to borrow. 

This is also your ground zero for organized activities, your starting point for hiking trips out into the forest, and your patio for glasses of wine at sunset. 

Food and Drink: The Cafe Restaurant

For dining, the Life Center also houses a French bistrot-style cafe and restaurant, serving classic salads, home-made soup, French favorites -- crepes and croque-monsieurs -- pizzas, wine, and more. 

Food and Drink: Eye to Quality

Pizzas -- au feu de bois! (Wood fired.) Food is fresh and created with high quality imported ingredients, from simple afternoon snacks with wine to heartier dinners and bottles. 

Food and Drink: A Private BBQ on Your Balcony

When the sun sets, dinner is a private barbeque on your own balcony, with a selection of high quality meats, salads, and fruits delivered to your cabin, along with the sauce, salt, and seasonings to put your own special touch on the meal. 

Master Chef and Glamper

Hand the tongs to whomever is the most talented in your group or prepare your BBQ yourself. High quality beef, chicken, and lamb, fresh fruit, and, of course, several glasses of French wine to wash it down as the day becomes night. 

Food and Drink: French Breakfast

With the morning mountain air filling your lungs, breakfeast is served with French classics, pasteries, cereals, meats and cheeses, coffee and juice. Best to get the calories up if you're going to go on a hiking nature trek. 

(Or just sit beside the pool all day, reading a book, even...)

Hiking Up the Mountains

Deqing and Moganshan is synonymous with hiking and Huttopia is right next to several hiking trails for guests looking to take part in the main leisure activity of the area. Hiking trails stretch up over hills and through bamboo forests, and are available at several levels of athletic commitment and zeal. 

Nothing but Blue Skies and Green...

The weather and scenery is really a contrast coming from a place like Shanghai, where if you look up like this all you see is steel and glass. The climate is brisk, cool, and perfect -- ideal for a relaxing stroll through the greenery, letting the stress of work and city life melt into the trees. 

Balance in All Things

On a weekend, maybe spend one day doing the physical exertion stuff and one day wherein you enjoy Huttopia's amenities... 

La Piscine...

Next to the Life Center, the resort boasts a beautiful outdoor pool, raised on the hill and set against the mountain and treeline... 

Le Spa et Sauna...

Huttopia has an outdoor jaccuzi, set high up on a hill in the back, literally amongst the bamboo stretching upwards and making a natural canopy overhead. They also have wooden sauna chambers for those looking to sweat their stresses away. 

La Pétanque...

Huttopia has a Pétanque pitch -- beloved French outdoor bowling game and one of the most efficient pastis delivery systems devised by humans. The point of the game is to get your boules closest to the target boule -- and your friends closer to the bottle of Ricard. 

Family Friendly Fun

For younger kids, Huttopia has a big (and safe) playground with all sorts of jungle gyms and rides, along with daily family friendly activities -- bracelet making and more -- run by their staff. 

The Accommodations: The Family Trappeur Tent

Huttopia has five types fully equipped wood and canvas cabins, ideal for singles and couples, families and groups of friends. The Family Trappeur is for two adults and two children. A comfortable and fun option for young families, the Family Trappeur Tent, has a large wooden terrace with furniture and sofa, a parasol, and outstanding mountain views. 

Family Camping Memories in the Family Trappeur

The interiors include a parents’ section with a comfortable double bed and kids’ section with two single beds. Dining table, air conditioning, and a fully equipped bathroom with French made amenities complete the look.

The Accommodations: The Duo Wood Cabin

Accommodating two, The Duo Wood Cabin is the romantic choice for couples looking to get away from it all. Comfortable bedding, amazing view, perhaps a glass of wine on the terrace...

It boasts a large, wooden terrace including stylish outdoor furniture with a comfortable sofa, and French-style bistro table and chairs, right in the bamboo forest. 

Romantic Getaways for Two

Inside, the Duo Wood Cabin is one large room with a bathroom and shower; a large, double bed; kitchenette; and fully equipped bathroom with French-made amenities.

The Accommodations: The Cahutte, Unique to Huttopia

Accommodating two adults and two kids and famous to the Huttopias around the world, The Cahutte -- meaning "hut" or "shed" in French -- is perched on stilts high into the back hills of the resort. A duplex split into two floors, the ground floor is a quaint little cabin sitting room and bathroom, with adjoining balcony. Beds are upstairs under a canvas roof so you can sleep among the trees. 

Special Offers and Deals

Here's a few deals that you might be eligible for, depending on when you book. Conduct yourself accordingly: 

The May Holiday Deal: Get one free pizza set (one pizza, one salad, and two beverages) for a two-night minimum booking between April 28 and May 2.

Seasonal Promotion: With promotion code "DQ51", get 10% off on weekday bookings (Sunday to Thursday) from May 3 to June 30, with the exception of the period between June 22 and June 24.

Contact and Getting There

Huttopia Deqing is 45 minutes from Hangzhou and 2.5 hours from Shanghai, accessible by car and train. Coming from Shanghai, you're taking a train to Hangzhou and then transfer trains to Deqing in Hangzhou.

(Or you can take a car when you arrive in Hangzhou as well.)

At every step of the way, Huttopia can help you with sorting booking and travel details in English, French, and Chinese. Contact them for more information at reservations-china@huttopia.com or book through the WeChat MiniProgram below.