Raffles Beijing Hotel - Incredible 5 Star Value-Fantastic High Tea!

Any reader will know from the reviews before mine - and the many yet to come - of the comfort, perfect location and excellent reputation of Raffles Beijing. All of this is true, but there is something more. Something that is often referred to but rarely understood in the Trade - and even more rarely delivered.

Hospitality means making your guest feel comfortable and cared for without servility or intrusion. Staying at Raffles delivers this on all levels. John Spooner, the hotel ambassador is rightly a legend - both in the Press as well as here. He is backed up by Chris and Cindy, both young but showing the benefit of their guru's training. As a result, I have no doubt they will face a deservedly bright future in the industry and be a credit to John. The front of house manager, Chadi was debonair, charming and highly efficient and his team also showed the benefits of working with a master. A special mention to David at the concierge desk and front door for his always going the extra, extra mile.

I have spent three weeks in the hotel in the last three months while arranging - and attending a cross-cultural family wedding in a city outside Beijing. As always, such things are stressful and rarely go according to plan. But by basing myself at Raffles I developed an instant back-up team. Last minute requests for the impossible were always delivered and the entire staff appeared to care how I was doing with it. This ranged from friendly enquiries to the most wonderful local etiquette advice - and John was always there with a joke, a cup of tea - or a quiet glass of wine at the end of a long day.

Before the wedding, we entertained around 40 guests in Beijing for two days. Many of them also stayed at Raffles and the Writer's Bar was our natural gathering point. All of our guests - whether resident or not - were overwhelmed at their reception and the staff's awareness and excitement at what we were doing. By the day of the wedding it felt very strange not to have them all there with us - and indeed, we did invite John.

I have been trying to pin down the essence of the Raffles approach and I think I would sum it up as intelligent, caring and effective help rather than simply "service". And always delivered with - not only a smile - but a twinkle too.

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Diwali, That’s What

Take one of the most important Hindu festivals of the year.  Combine it with the beginning of the festive season (read weddings, weddings, weddings). Add in a dash of deliciously pleasant weather after a long hot summer, and what do you get ?

Diwali, that’s what.

The Hindu festival of lights is an occasion that brings out the best in each and every inhabitant of India - shopping for gifts, eating rich sweets, visiting family and friends, lighting up your home, playing cards and gambling, buying new clothes, and ushering in a new year.  Realistically, what more can one ask ?

It’s hard to resist the appeal of Diwali.

The religious and spiritual origins of the holiday commemorate the return from 14 years of exile of Lord Rama, his wife Sita, and his faithful, ever-loyal brother Lakshman.  The evil demon Ravana was destroyed, and just as in the festival of Dussehra, which precedes Diwali, the triumph of good over evil is thus celebrated. 

Lighting little oil lamps, or “diyas”, symbolizes this, and everywhere in India, on Diwali night, “diyas” are lit, casting a magical feel to neighbourhoods.  Houses are decked with scores of little lanterns, and, increasingly in a city like Delhi, with rows of fairy lights.

Houses are a blaze of lights.  Diyas and fairy lights and lanterns and tinsel – homes literally are an extravagance of colour and sensory overload.

The night skies on Diwali are a riot of fireworks, which get more and more extravagant each year.  What used to be a few packets of sparklers for children and a couple of Roman Candles in the garden, is now a mega-industry.  Neighbours compete with each other to set off the most impressive and the loudest fireworks. For days – weeks even – before Diwali, youngsters roam the streets, setting off patakas or firecrackers, the night soundscape interrupted by volleys of explosions.  The only down side to all this noisy happiness, is that pets, and all the stray dogs that live in India’s streets are absolutely terrorized.

Days before Diwali, people begin shopping with a vengeance.  Traditionally, you offer sweets and dry fruit to family, friends and colleagues at Diwali, and then you criss-cross the city to deliver them, leading to mega festival-induced traffic jams.  But as this season is also one for huge festive discounts, people traditionally shop for major household purchases, too, so between the boxes of sweets, and the new fridge, and the new clothes for all those Diwali parties, this is a great time of the year for business.  Shops -  all decorated with lights and tinsel – stay open even later than usual, and shopping centres are jam-packed.

Some money has, of course, to be saved from all this shopping, for the traditional - and considered to be auspicious – Diwali card games.  Tradition has it that Lord Shiva and his wife Parvati were playing cards, and she decreed that anyone who gambled on Diwali night would prosper.

So playing cards in the days leading up to Diwali has become a social adjunct to this religious tradition.  Card parties are as much a part of 21^stcentury Diwali as lighting up your home.

So, you’ve shopped.  You’ve played cards and had excessively late nights for the preceeding few weeks.  You’ve endured the traffic to drop off your Diwali gifts to your colleagues.  You have lit your little clay diyas (oil lamps) and switched on your rows of fairy lights draped around your windows and doors and gate.

You are wearing your best party clothes.

You know you are eating too much, and will do for the next few days, but, what the heck, it is Diwali after all, the brightest and noisiest festival of the year.

And you know the best thing ?

India never does anything by halves, so why restrict a festival to just one day, when you can make it last for 5 ?  Diwali stretches for 4 more days afterwards, each one devoted to a different ritual and tradition.  So there are more days of fun and lights and presents and visits and food and family.

Diwali Mubarak. 

Happy Diwali.

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The Opposite House - Great Design, Great Food, Great Service

Located in Sanlitun, Beijing's most fashionable and stylish district, with spectacular architecture, great restaurants, best shopping (luxury and premium) - with street level stores (the latest interior design concepts of most luxury brands). The hotel is the centre hot spot of the Sanlitun district, a place to be seen and the most trendy crowds. The hotel's lobby and atrium are spectacular - with stunning contemporary art installations by famous local artists.

The same WOW factor is achieved by the rooms and suites, which are among the largest in Beijing. Despite the minimalist style, the dominance of wood (including bathroom fittings) makes the room very warm, cozy and comfortable.

Technology is state of the art from the automatic controls of lighting, AC, blinds and DND to the Ipad in each room, which features an interactive APP that provides access to all the services of the hotel - one can order room service, request turn down etc. There is a direct communication with guest relations and without the need of making any phone calls, everything works perfectly. The APP is so detailed that, one can opt for turndown and the system is asking whether it is a daily preference so it can store the time for the following day.

Bathroom amenities are entirely organic, by a local Chinese company - top quaity and ingredients (including bath salts) ! Truly impressive ! - very few international luxury hotels nowadays have amenities of such quality).

The Sureno restaurant serving Mediterranean cuisine is my favourite - excellent food and exceptional service. The Mesh bar is yet another hot spot within the hotel.

All staff are young and wear sporty uniforms - very friendly and intuitive. Their English proficiency is above the level I found in other luxury hotels in China.

The only downturn - there is no SPA, just a swimming pool and healthclub.

The Opposite House is ideal for both corporate and leisure travellers.

Room Tip: Studio 70 are the best

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China’s Pyramids

Forget Giza’s famous pyramids for a second. The Nile-side Egyptian city is just one platform for the slanting structures. Pyramids also occur in China. Yes, you read that right. The nation better known for a winding wall than any fancy trapezoids has more than a smattering of pyramids.

Eternal tombs

Just like Egypt’s, China’s pyramids are giant crypts, built to house the remains of early Chinese emperors and their royal relatives. Many of China’s pyramids punctuate a 25-kilometer area northwest of the capital of Shaanxi Province, Xi'an.

Shaanxi’s best-known area pyramid is the Tomb of the First Qin Emperor. UNESCO-listed, [http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/441], the Qin tomb is bigger than the Great Pyramid of Giza.

Green giant

From afar, the giant imperial pyramid resembles an ordinary tree-clad hill. But its interior is studded with terracotta soldiers forming a cohort acclaimed as the 'eighth wonder of the world'. The tomb also boasts an inner imperial burial chamber said to feature crossbow-firing booby traps and 100 rivers made with mercury.

Missing the point

The Qin Mausoleum is a showstopper, but besides, the Xi'an area hosts dozens more pyramids erected during other dynasties. The pyramids differ from Egyptian ones dramatically – like rockabilly musicians, they have flat tops. From that angle, they more closely resemble Mexico’s Teotihuacan pyramids.

Glimmerings

The first hint that China might host its own pyramids came during the Second World War. The source: American airman James Gaussman. During a flight between India and China, Gaussman saw a shimmering, jewel-topped pyramid straight out of a fairytale, he said. His bizarre 'great white pyramid' claim must have made his superiors wonder if he had seen a mirage or been smitten by vertigo.

NYT ID

But then in the March 28, 1947 New York Times edition, the Far Eastern director of Trans World Airlines, Colonel Maurice Sheahan, recounted seeing a Shaanxi  pyramid. Two days later, a photo of the marvel, later attributed to Gaussman, surfaced in the newspaper’s Sunday edition.

Pyramania

Chinese pyramids’ credibility grew. Quite why, as sources claim [www.world-mysteries.com/mpl_pyramidsofchina.htm], Beijing set out to hush up and hide the pyramids by planting trees on them is part of their mystery. Perhaps the government was worried about tomb raiders.

Lost world

Either way, even now, obscurity surrounds the firmly mapped earthen oddities. Mention China’s pyramids to your friends and they may think you mad. China’s pyramids hover on the fringes of geography like apparitions from the X-Files or the Twilight Zone.

See the pyramids 

The pyramids are in the same general area as the famous Terracotta Warriors, in Shaanxi Province on the Qin Chuan Plains – around 35 kilometers outside the ancient city of Xi'an.

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The Orchid Hotel is Perfect Little Getaway In The Centre Of The City

My first review was too large and had too much in it so I have to do another! 

The Orchid is TERRIFIC and I can't see how a couple or small group would not simply adore this place. Has all the Chinese charm you would dream of for staying some nights in Beijing - and the added plus of it being run by a Canadian - makes it perfect. 

The Orchid is really, in our opinion, perfectly situated for a tourist in Beijing. So much to see in the ancient Hutong area that it is located in. Anything else is an easy metro ride away or a taxi ride if you prefer that. Joel the owner is very knowledgeable and you should not want for anything.

We stayed for 5 nights in September in the Yang Room. Can't imagine a better room than this at the hotel. This is the room that has a roof top terrace and that should explain why this room is so special. Your own private roof top terrace in the ancient Hutong area of Beijing. Simply - cool.

We were there in our plush bathrobes early in the morning or in the evening/night after a day in Beijing and after a cool shower. Spectacular. The room is simple and comfortable for two and had everything you could want. We brought cheap flip flips to wear in "all" the showers while in China and we think that is just good common sense for a warm foreign climate. It was recommended to us and we further that recommendation. The room has no one above and no one next to you and in our opinion is the best room at The Orchid. The breakfasts are fantastic and the service was impeccable. Truly well done. The Orchid itself is just lovely - a tucked away oasis and quiet and clean and interesting and unforgettable. Has all the Western necessities and the views from its rooftops are magical. We felt so lucky to be at The Orchid as compared to a typical high rise hotel in some other busy and loud part of Beijing. This is a gem and I say that in all honesty.

The area the hotel is in is an amazing area with ancient history at every turn. It is safe and full of families and babies playing and children and culture galore. We were never worried about anything - day or night. The Hutong has a vibrant feel and a legendary vibe. The Orchid is right in the middle with famous sights all around including the Drum and Bell Tower and also The Hutong Cooking school. Everything you might need is nearby. Our Hutong tour on the bikes was a blast and we must recommend Yo Yo who speaks English: http://www.synotrip.com/yoyo-wang or: namewangya@163.com. She knows where the Orchid is and takes you around all the area around the hotel and teaches you about its history. 

The hotel arranged for us a private mini van to come and get us at the airport and to return us to the airport. Worked perfectly. We also used the hotels connections to arrange a private mini van to The Great Wall and that was good too. On the way back we were dropped off at the Silk Market and took the subway back to The Orchid.

The subway is about a 10-15 min walk through the Hutong and is safe day or night and easily navigated. From there we went everywhere and saw everything. 

The Orchid was a refreshing oasis for us after a day of sights or a night of shopping. Perfectly quiet and well appointed and just what someone is looking for. The price cannot be beat and you are not a number - you are a guest. There is a lovely bar onsite and sitting areas and the breakfast is phenomenal really. 

We do not have one negative thing to say about this boutique one of a kind hotel and if you want to feel like you are in China, but you want to feel comfortable and be well located - pick The Orchid. That's why it is rated #2 on TripAdvisor. Because it delivers without breaking the bank.

We miss it and highly recommend it. It made our visit to Beijing fantastic and was a great spring board for the rest of our trip around China all on our own. You gotta eat at Mr. Shi's Dumplings across the street from The Orchid. 

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A Great Travel Place in London

So, you have only 48 hours in London and want to see everything?

Well, not everything, obviously, but as much as is humanly possible, whilst not neglecting to sleep, eat, shop, and have a pint in a pub.

The best way to get an initial (and literal) overview of this marvelous city is to take a tour on an open-top bus.  Get your bearings, see all the major sights in one go, and then, the next day of your all-too-brief two-day stay in London, you can go back and visit select places in more detail.

Many companies do these tours, most of which are hop on-hop off, so you can happily spend one whole day being driven around London, and deciding when and where you want to get off, sight-see, shop, eat, and then get back on another bus, for the next leg of discovery.

Sitting atop a bus – if the fickle English weather permits – allows you to see the city’s geography from a great vantage point.

Any list of great places to hop off and visit must include the residence of the Queen, Buckingham Palace – try and time it for the daily Changing of the Guard at 11.30am, though in summer you should aim to get there much before, because of the crowds.  It's all the pomp and circumstance of England at its best, when the guards change duty, with lots of the obligatory marching up and down the courtyard in front of the Palace.

Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament.  Monks first worshipped on the site in the 10^th century, and since 1066 Westminster Abbey has been the scene for royal coronations, so the Abbey’s history is an integral part of British history.

Be sure to see the place where the monarchs are crowned, the tombs of generations of the country’s finest royalty, politicians, heroes, writers and poets.  If you happen to be in London in early November, the sea of poppies outside the Abbey, commemorating those who died in battle over the generations is an overwhelming, moving sight.

From the Abbey, walk across the road to the Houses of Parliament with the distinctive clock tower, Big Ben.  You can arrange a visit of the Houses of Parliament and even attend a debate. Check online for timings.

And yes, Big Ben, when it chimes the hour, sounds exactly the way it does on the BBC World Service.

The Tower of London is one of those iconic places that you have read and heard so much about, and the reality is every bit as amazing.  The Beefeaters, the Tower’s guards, really do wear fabulous Tudor-style dress, complete with ruffles and a black bowler-style hat.  They are a source of stories and anecdotes, and will happily pose for any number of photos.

Be sure to see the Crown jewels, a dazzling collection of the British royal family’s collection jewelry and crowns and tiaras, some of which have delightful signs saying “In use.”

St Paul’s Cathedral

The current structure rose from the ashes of the Great Fire of London in 1666, and is the undisputed pinnacle of Sir Christopher Wren’s talent.

Climb the steps to the Whispering Gallery, and trade whispered secrets across the vast dome while talking to the walls.

British Museum

The British Museum is, without doubt one of the world’s great museums, an extraordinary treasure trove of history, artifacts, documents, sculpture. With over 7 million items in the collection, you can only hope to see a tiny fraction of what is stored here.  The Elgin Marbles, the Rosetta Stone, mummies from ancient Egypt – the scope of history on offer is breathtaking.  And the next thing?  Entrance is free.

Take time out to wander around Trafalgar Square, gaze up at Nelson’s Column, and if you are not museumed-out, then visit the National Gallery.  With over 2000 paintings, from the 13-20^th century, yet again, you can only skim the surface of all the gems on display.  Raphael, Rembrandt, Michelangelo, Rubens – all the major European masters are represented, as are the quintessentially English painters such as Hogarth, Stubbs, Gainsborough and, of course, Constable.

Yet again, entrance is free.

You might want to make a contribution to the many free galleries and museums you visit in London.  Upkeep is phenomenally expensive, but it’s entirely up to you whether you drop a fiver in the donations box or not.

And the Parks?  The Zoo?  Shopping on Oxford Street?  A trip down the River Thames?  A show in the West End?  Another pint in a local pub?

At this rate, you might just have to extend your stay.

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Fairmont Beijing is an Outstanding Hotel

I travel frequently to Beijing on Business assignments and stay at my second home the Fairmont Beijing. This hotel and the mangement have managed to consistently deliver an unsurpassed level of warm and friendly service as well as excellent accommodation.

I normally stay in a gold room which is equivalent to a club floor room with benefits inclusive of daily breakfast, afternoon tea, evening coktails, lounge access, etc. This level of accommodation offers a very personalised service that caters for my personal and business needs. The staff are always willing to assist with any request or service. I highly recommend this level of accommodation.

My favourite restaurant in the hotel is The Cut; a steakhouse that serves some of the best steaks in Beijing. And the new chef has really pushed the bar in terms of creativity and consistent quality experience.

The breakfast is great too, it caters for all palates with an ample selection of healthy choices.

The location of the hotel is not as central as other hotels but is very close to the silk market and other amenities. on the other hand, taxies are not expensive and you are only a very short ride to the city centre and major attractions.

I would like to congratulate the Fairmont management for doing such a formidable job in maintaining a high standard of excellence and consistent level of service. In particular, I would like to thank the general manager Michael, the front office director Joe and the director of marketing Karen for making my stay at Fairmont memorable. Well done guys!!!

Cool:
1. Heated bathroom floors
2. Amazing Gym (iced towels, earphones, fruits and cold lemon scented water etc)
3. Nespresso machine in the room. Nothing beats waking up and having a nicely brewed cup of coffee

Uncool:
1. Location is a bit downtown. Forbidden city 4 tube stops
2. Breakfast buffet is a bit thin for a hotel of this class, although the dim sum and the muesli was so tasty

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