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Behind naked Stables, formerly Villa #1 of Moganshan, there were two owners from very different camps - one was the most famous Christian missionary doctor of his time, Duncan Main, the other a Buddhist founding father of the Republic of China, Zhang Jingjiang. The two men never met, yet their destinies were intertwined, and their conflict reflects the most dramatic chapter in Moganshan’s history. Fuelling the times was the power of history - China’s door being forced open by the West, the influx of the Western ways, and in turn, China’s reassertion of its pride.

naked Stables Origin

Following the popularity of naked Home, a small boutique retreat, naked Stables opened in October 2011, looking to meet the growing demand for city getaways. Ever since, the retreat has helped local businesses flourish and has received acclaim from international media, putting Moganshan on the map as a must-go destination in China. One of the country’s most popular retreats, naked Stables is synonymous with sustainable luxury and outstanding service.

naked Story

naked founder Grant Horsfield stumbled upon Moganshan after getting lost on his bike in a bamboo forest. It was love at first sight and ‘naked Home’ soon opened – born as a place to rediscover the pure, playful, and passionate side of your heart.

Four years later, Grant and Delphine built the much larger naked Stables in a nearby valley, giving more people the chance to escape from the city, retreat to nature and nurture friendship, love and the simple pleasures of life. In 2017, naked Castle opened atop a Moganshan mountaintop, and with it the next chapter in the naked story began.

Design Principles

African and Asian elements were fused to bring the magic of African hospitality and intimacy with nature to an Asian setting. All buildings were designed to minimise environmental impact and blend in with their natural surroundings. This was not only realised with regards to materials used, but also in the careful orientation of each building. The result is an eclectic and unique mix of structures in harmony with the natural environment.

Lay of the Land

It’s no surprise that the layout of naked Stables stems organically from the existing landscape. You’ll enter the retreat on the valley floor, a welcome complete with green fields and grazing horses; further up the hill the Tree Top Villas nestle amongst the branches; the amphitheatre sits comfortably in the slope; even the Infinity Pool blends in. In every aspect, thoughtful design ensures as little disturbance as possible to the existing environment.

Local Heritage

In addition to cutting-edge technology, traditional construction techniques and materials such as stonemasonry, bamboo and recycled timber framed structures were used. The Earth Huts and Main Lobby were built with modern rammed earth walls using compressed earth from the local area, resulting in an environmentally friendly structure and striking coloured striations and design.

Building by Numbers

Innovative construction technologies such as prefabricated SIP (structural insulated panels) were used in the construction of naked Stables’ Tree Top Villas. This time-saving, resource-saving and environment-preserving method meant that all main components – like walls, floors and ceilings – were made off-site, clearly labelled and then assembled on-site, eradicating the need for large cranes and heavy machinery and ensuring minimal forest disturbance. It was a case of building-by-numbers.

Green Initiatives

At naked Retreats, we design, build and operate our own retreats. From conception to execution to operation, we follow the same rigorous principles for sustainability and pay attention to the long-term environmental effects of maintaining the retreat. The result is that our properties meet the highest standards in design excellence, building quality, energy conservation and environmental friendliness.

Environmental design measures at naked Retreats include:

  • Heating and cooling: geothermal boreholes to naturally regulate room temperature
  • Ultra-capacitor batteries: eliminating battery waste using reusable technology
  • Water: water recycling for irrigation and toilets
  • GEMS: a smart system that monitors guests water and electricity usage and encourages ecofriendly behaviour
  • Solar Panels: harnessing energy from the sun, solar panels across the retreats help save hundreds of tons of CO2 every year

Awards and Recognitions

From the beginning, naked Retreats set out to enable guests to live a green lifestyle and offer them natural experiences that provoke and inspire. From our humble origins at naked Home to the opening of naked Castle, we’ve been recognised with countless awards and recognitions. Through travelling ‘naked’, we hope to subtly influence a simple, healthy and sustainable lifestyle for our guests to continue once they return home.

Booking Hotline

400 9200 518