Beijing Hotels – The Unsurpassed

Beijing is the state capital of China and prides itself on many important historical sites and government organization. A very friendly tourist destination, Beijing is full of attractions and surprises. From verdant parks, cozy restaurants to thumping discotheques you will find it all here.

The best point in time to visit Beijing is the autumn season. During this time of year the crowd is lesser and the city is at its best. Locally known as Tiangao Gishuang, the autumn season creates a lovely atmosphere. On the contrary, the spring season is not a very good time to visit the city. Summer season is the peak season and a decent accommodation is hard to find if you do not make prior reservations.

Beijing Hotels are a class apart and of international standards. Making sure that you have a great time here, Beijing China Hotel makes the best of your time

Places of Interest

Temple of Heaven

There is absolutely nothing grand about the structure but still the Temple of Heaven is truly very serene and tranquil. The air that surrounds the place is known to soothe the senses of its visitors. Just as the name suggests, this tourist attraction is beyond doubt heavenly. A day in the Temple of Haven will certainly make you feel refreshed and rejuvenated.

Forbidden City

Also known as the Palace Museum, the Forbidden City is absolutely stupendous and an awe- inspiring structure. A walk across its splendid grand patio would relatively make you feel very small in size. Built during the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Forbidden City attracts majority of tourists every year.

Tiananmen Square

Under the charge of Mao, the Tiananmen Square was built as a retort to the famous Forbidden City. Being the largest square in the world, the Tiananmen Square boasts of Mao’s burial chamber, important government buildings and Soviet-style structures. The place is forever chock- a- block with visitors and tourists. One of the best hang- outs of Beijing, Tiananmen can also be called its landmark.

Some of the finest Hotels in Beijing are as follows:

Beijing International Hotel

Located on the Chang’an Street, the Beijing International Hotel is a world class luxurious hotel. It first became operational in the year 1987 and in the past two decades it has won many accolades for its praiseworthy services and modern facilities. Another highlight of this grand hotel is that it is located at a very close proximity to the airport and many important tourist sights.

Crowne Plaza Hotel Beijing

Just at a spitting distance from the International commerce hub, shopping complex, historical sights and cultural districts, is positioned a posh hotel called the Crowne Plaza. Just 20 minutes drive from the Beijing Railway Station and around 40 minutes from the Beijing International Airport, the Crowne Plaza is a hotel sought after by most tourists and visitors.

Grand Hotel Beijing

Boasting of 217 rooms nicely done up with painting typical of Chinese culture, sculptures and furniture, the Grand Beijing hotel is located is located in the vicinity of the Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and Wang Fu Jing Shopping Street. Well equipped with A-one facilities and commendable staff services, the Grand makes sure that your vaction is fun- filled.

Have a great time during your stay at Beijing.

Where to Stay in Beijing – Dongcheng

Beijing, China is a wonderful city. If it’s your first time to China (or an Asian country) you might be a little disoriented. Beijing is a large city and there are many places to stay.

Today, I’m going to share with you a few places to stay in Dongcheng, which is in the eastern part of Beijing. In fact, if you’re interested in visiting the Forbidden City, this is the area to stay in, because it’s right by these accommodation locations. Dongcheng means “East City.”

Grand Hotel

The Grand Hotel is a contemporary hotel that’s right by the Forbidden City. You can venture up to the roof terrace, which overlooks the Forbidden City, for a fantastic view. This is a luxury hotel. While rates vary, plan on spending about 1,800 Yuan ($263 USD when this was written).

Red Capital Residence

For a more traditional hotel that’s priced a little less, try the Red Capital Residence. It’s located in Dongsi, which is a historic preservation district. This is a smaller boutique-type accommodation, so book well ahead of time. Don’t forget to take their Beijing at night tour by limo too.

Peninsula Palace Hotel

This luxury hotel is decorated with many Chinese artifacts in the lobby. You’ll enjoy Asian luxury here. If the Forbidden City is on your China travel itinerary, you’ll be please to know that the Peninsula Palace Hotel is about a 10-minute walk from it. This hotel is located smack dab in the business and commercial district.

There are many places to stay at in Beijing. These are but a couple great accommodations in Dongcheng (East City).

Stop! Going to China? I’d recommend you read this “Where to Visit China” article from ChinaTourist.org, which is a great site about China travel & vacations. It’s a good place to get China travel tips.

We talked a lot about the “Forbidden City” in this article. Click on that link to see a great picture of the Forbidden City and to read more about it. Do you know how much it costs to visit the Forbidden City? That article will tell you–and more.

Olympic Family Hotels Assure You a Comfortable Stay in Beijing

The 2008 Summer Olympics known in official jargon as the Olympics of the XXIX Olympiad will be worked off in the historic Chinese city of Beijing during the month of August. The city of Beijing expects about 500,000 foreign visitors to the city in lieu of the Olympics. However, the city is only geared to handle up to 350,000 foreign tourists at once, therefore an obvious issue of accommodation for tourists’ crops up. As a remedy for this situation the Chinese authorities have earmarked hotels and lodges that conform to the necessary standards of hospitality and service as “Official Olympic Family Hotels.”

According to this plan Beijing will be able to accommodate up to 600,000 tourists, hotels within close proximity of the main Olympic stadium -the Bird’s Nest will automatically be approved as Official Family Hotels while other modes of accommodation such as home stay and bed & breakfast will also be used to increase the number of rooms that are available. Though a relatively new concept in the Chinese travel and tourism sector, Chinese authorities are going ahead with their plan to approve suitable properties that can offer comfortable accommodation for visitors to the Beijing Olympics.

The Chinese themselves are extremely enthusiastic about this new home stay concept and have gone to great lengths to ensure that their homes are in tiptop shape, they say that it is an excellent opportunity to bond with other nationalities. While their guest can also experience home cooked Chinese cuisine, forge treasured friendships and get an in depth look at the lifestyle of an average Chinese family which has long remained an enigma to Westerners.

Apart from these unorthodox forms of accommodation many a Beijing hotel has also been approved as an “Official Olympic Family Hotel”. The daily rates at these hotels range from 50 to 80 US dollars a day. Among them is the historic Raffles Hotel, Beijing which is a Beijing luxury hotel that has been at the forefront of the city’s hospitality industry since the 1900’s.

Traveling in Beijing: What to Do and Where to Go on Your Beijing Vacation

Overview

Beijing is most well known for its role in China’s imperialism, so, when most people imagine a trip to Beijing, they picture a city full of temples and palaces fit for emperors. And, while these ancient buildings still stand, they are now situated among the skyscrapers and freeways that make Beijing one of China’s most modern cities. Northern Beijing is the home of the Badaling section of the Great Wall of China, the most visited and scenic section of the old barrier between dynasties. Mid-Beijing is home to the Forbidden City — the Chinese imperial palace during the mid-Ming and the Qing Dynasties — now a World Heritage site. North of the Forbidden City lies Tiananmen Square, home of the Great Hall of the People and the National Museum of China. In western Beijing lies the Summer Palace, another World Heritage site, and one of the top destinations in China known for its combination of breathtaking natural and manmade scenery.

Historical and Architectural Attractions

A trip to Beijing would be incomplete without taking the time to revel in the sheer beauty and immensity of the city’s historical landmarks. Beijing is home to many World Heritage sites, including the Summer Palace, the Great Wall of China, the Ming Dynasty Tombs, the Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian, and the Temple of Heaven. It’s the enrapturing combination of brilliant architecture combined with striking landscape that makes these destinations an absolute must-see (and photograph) for tourists.

Nightlife

If you can’t leave Beijing without a souvenir, you’ll want to experience Wangfujing Street. The road is closed to automobile traffic because of the high-congestion of shoppers, and, instead, shoppers travel on foot from one amazing shop to another. Wangfujing is home to around 280 brands of Beijing, such as Shengxifu hat store, Tongshenghe shoe shop, Wuyutai tea house. Most of Beijing’s nightclubs and bars are located in Sanlitun, Houhai, and Yuandadu. In these places, bars generally stay open until 4am. For those looking for the hottest dance club in Beijing, check out NASA nightclub, a disco that is packed to the max every night of the week.

Special Events

In 2008, Beijing will host the Summer Olympics. Travelers interested in the Olympic Games may choose to visit Beijing during this time; however, travelers looking to visit when the city will be less congested (keep in mind that it’s already the 2nd most populated city in China) may not want to consider planning a trip to the city during the months prior to and just after those summer months.

Beijing Sightseeing

Raffles Hotels and Resorts

Raffles Hotels & Resorts was formed in 1989 to restore, redevelop and manage the world renowned Raffles Hotel. The corporation also undertakes the restructuring and management of the I.M Pei-designed Raffles City Development, thus laying the foundation for Raffles Hotels and Resorts to become a first-rate international hotel management company.

The Raffles Hotel reopened after a complete restoration on 16th September 1991 to international commendation.[1] In 1997, the company opened the restored Grand Hotel d’Angkor in Siem Reap, Cambodia, marking the launch of its luxury resort brand. Thereafter, Raffles Hotels and Resorts further expanded its portfolio of properties with the acquirement of two European hotels; Brown’s Hotel in London and Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten in Hamburg. The Raffles’ lifestyle concepts were also extended to Europe through the opening of two signature restaurants – 1837 in Brown’s Hotel and Doc Cheng’s in Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten.

In the year 2000, Raffles opened a new concept of health spas, named Amrita Spa, in Raffles City, Singapore, Raffles Hotel Singapore, Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten, Grand Hotel d’Angkor and Hotel Le Royal in Cambodia and Merchant Court Sydney. The name ‘Amrita’ is an ancient Sanskrit word meaning the ‘elixir of youth’. October 2000 marked the arrival of the Raffles International brand to North America with the acquisition of L’Ermitage, Beverly Hills, located on Burton Way.

On 1st January 2002, the re-branded Raffles The Plaza in Singapore joined the Raffles Hotels & Resorts family of hotels. By March 2002, four hotels in the Raffles Hotels & Resorts portfolio shared the Raffles name; Raffles Brown’s Hotel, Raffles Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten, Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor and Raffles Hotel Le Royal.

On May 16, 2002, Raffles Hotels & Resorts Limited and Hotel Okura Co Ltd signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a strategic alliance. Under this strategic alliance, both parties will discuss and explore business opportunities and joint marketing and promotion activities. Hotel Okura Co. Ltd, with 23 hotels, has a strong domestic network in Japan and in select international destinations.

In August 2003, Raffles Hotels & Resorts signed its fourth management agreement with Canouan Resorts Development Ltd to operate a luxury resort on Canouan Island. Named Raffles Resort Canouan Island, Grenadines, the resort features 156 accommodations, an 18-hole golf course and a RafflesAmrita Spa. Later in 2003, the company signed a marketing alliance with Blue Tree Hotels & Resorts in Brazil in order to facilitate the connection of the two groups’ strengths in their respective stronghold markets.

On May 4th, 2004, the famous Le Montreux Palace was renamed Raffles Le Montreux Palace, adding to the portfolio of Raffles brand hotels around the world. In August 2004, the company tied up with Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palace in the signing of a strategic marketing alliance. To further expand the portfolio in to key destinations around the globe, Raffles Hotels and Resorts signed an agreement with Veritas Limited, a Hong Kong based company to manage a 65-villa luxury resort in French Polynesia under the name Raffles Taimana Resort Tahaa.

In December 2004, Raffles Hotels and Resorts unveiled its exclusive recognition programme, Raffles Capital which offers a collection of exceptional privileges to its most frequent residents. The word ‘Capital’ refers to an architectural term meaning the head of a column or pillar in colonial buildings. As ornate capitals adorn many of its heritage hotels, such as the legendary Raffles Hotel, Singapore, Raffles Hotels & Resorts has appropriately named its guest loyalty program Raffles Capital to recognize the top echelons of its customer base.

In April 2005, Raffles Hotels and Resorts Limited signed an agreement with the Beijing Tourism Group (BTG), to re-brand and manage two of the four blocks of the Beijing Hotel under the Raffles brand. After carrying out some renovations and refurbishment, it was re-launched as the Raffles Beijing in 2006.

Raffles Hotels & Resorts signed a management contract with Dubai-based diversified business conglomerate, Wafi Group, to manage a 240-room luxury hotel in Wafi City. Raffles Dubai marks the Wafi Group’s expansion into the growing Middle East market.

On 18th October 2007, Raffles Hotels and Resorts signed an agreement with Royal Monceau Pte Ltd to manage Le Royal Monceau in Paris. The hotel will join Raffles Hotels and Resorts’ collection of luxury properties in winter 2008.[2]

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