People go to China to experience something very Chinese, not something they can get anywhere else or at home. Who doesn’t? That’s normally what I think when giving suggestions and choosing places to stay or visit.

Without exception, every one of my clients who have stayed there all love Bamboo Garden Hotel in Beijing. First it’s a very traditional courtyard complex with beautiful Chinese garden style. Second it’s located right in the heart of old town Beijing, the Hutong area> The Hutong area is the only place where you will find the old Beijing atmosphere to immerse in while you are enjoying all the fascinating history and culture of Beijing during your day tours.

Many of my clients love this peaceful and charming hotel so much that they called this their highlight of the tour! The Bamboo Garden Hotel is a classical Chinese courtyard-style structure in a quiet lane west of the Drum Tower in Beijing. The halls and pavilions in the building are linked by unique, long corridors, with a tranquil and elegant surrounding of bamboo groves, rockeries, and fountains.

There is a very interesting history behind this hotel. It was the private residence of Sheng Xuanhuai, the postal department minister during the late Qing Dynasty, and it was also said to be the garden of Andehai, the imperial eunuch. Since the late Qing Dynasty, a succession of celebrities such as Wang Yintai, Mahansan, Dong Biwu and Kangsheng (famous people from different political periods) have lived here.

Have a sip of tea while you are emailing your friends from your elegant Chinese room (free wireless in each room) and tell them how much you are enjoying the real Beijing!

You can check out their website and see some pictures of the interior: http://www.bbgh.com.cn/index.html

You can also check out what some of our clients had to say about the hotel on our Testimonials page: http://www.jiasdreamtours.com/testimonial.html

All the best!

Jia

The first step in planning your trip is deciding where to go in China.The answer to that is very simple… it depends! Sorry, had to say that.

Seriously though, it does depend on a couple of questions: the time your have to spend in China and your interests (historical, natural wonders, cultural, all of the above, etc.)

The main must-visit places in China are Beijing, Xi’an and Guilin. Why?

Beijing – the capital and heart of China. Home of the fabulous Ming Dynasty legacies such as the Forbidden City, Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven. And of course the fabled Great Wall. Not to mention some of the modern marvels such as Tian’anmen Square, and the ultra-new icons The Water Cube, Bird’s Nest and other Olympic venues. If you want to read more on Beijing click here.

Xi’an – Xi’an is the cradle of Chinese civilization. Located in the very center of the Middle Kingdom (the literal translation of China), Xi’an served as the ancient capital of China for 11 dynasties from the 11th century B.C. to the early 10th century A.D. and was the first capital of a unified China. Xi’an is over 2000 years old, with 73 emperors buried here. As the starting point of the famous ancient “Silk Road” that linked China with central Asia and the Roman Empire, Xi’an was the key place for China to open the door to the outside world! From as early as the Second Century B.C. Want to read more on Xi’an? Click here.

Guilin – the most beautiful city in China! The scenery of Guilin has inspired thousands of Chinese artists over the ages to draw such beautiful paintings! Guilin is the very essence of the classical Chinese landscape paintings; fantastically shaped peaks that are studded with pines and delicate pavilions, partly shrouded in the mist. You will get easily get lost at this peaceful land of Shangri-La! More on Guilin can be found here.

Of course I have not even mentioned Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou, or a dozen other wonderful places to see. It all depends of course on how much time you have.

If you want to know more just ask! That is the whole purpose of this Blog. Let me know how long you are thinking of spending in China and I will be happy to give you suggestions.

Happy Journeys!

Jia