Hotel Éclat is a 100-room luxury boutique hotel in Beijing’s Parkview Green in Fangcaodi, designed specially with the business traveler in mind. It features 26 luxurious rooms and suites featuring Jacuzzis in bathrooms; 20 indulgent suites boast their own private outdoor pool. Modern, wonderfully spacious and filled with light, this boutique hotel has a wonderful Japanese [...]
Beijing’s status as an It destination was confirmed recently when Lonely Planet named it one of the top cities to visit in 2013. But expats and savvy travelers have long known that the Chinese capital holds charm, luxury and excitement that go far beyond the tourist traps of the Forbidden City and Summer Palace. Of course [...]
In the previous post, we warned you about the foul air in China’s cities where levels of air pollution are so high that breathing is extremely hazardous to your health. People who have respiratory illnesses and chronic asthma are advised not to spend a lot of time in Beijing. What I did not know is [...]
If you thinking of visiting Beijing and you have respiratory problems (like asthma), bring an inhaler or stay indoors. Yesterday, more than 150 flights to Beijing were cancelled because of fog (official explanation), but in addition to the fog was an excessively high level of pollution, so high it was “off the charts”. The US [...]
A distinctive new addition to the hotel scene in Shanghai is The Waterhouse at South Bund, an intimate boutique hotel located in Shanghai’s historic Shiliupu dockyard district. This unique hotel with original designs has a philosophy based on an “inversion of internal and external spaces” and aims to create a “disorienting yet spatial experience for [...]
If you are longing for a slower, more relaxing pace of travel, one that does not involve zipping around in airplanes and navigating crowded airports, why not take a river cruise to see the most beautiful landscapes and cities of Europe and Asia? Viking River Cruises has taken river cruising to a higher level with [...]
Fairmont Yangcheng Lake is the first international five-star luxury hotel in Kunshan, an idyllic lake district just one hour from Shanghai and 30 minutes from Suzhou. Shaped like a Chinese fan on the banks of Yangcheng Lake, the hotel features 200 contemporary guestrooms and suites with expansive lake views. Restaurants and lounges include the signature [...]
The first Relais & Châteaux hotel has just opened in China. It is called the Homa Chateau and its bold architectural landscape, located in a preserved and mythical part of China, is creating quite a stir. Just a few kilometers from Guilin and Yangshuo and between the lush nature filled with lakes and picture perfect [...]
Suzhou, China is a beautiful historic city in the Yangtze River delta, just west of Shanghai, and is often called the Venice of China because of the canals that meander through the city. Unlike many other Chinese cities, Suzhou has preserved many of its old houses, temples, gardens and tea houses. If you are going [...]
If you are traveling to Beijing and want to stay in a contemporary luxury hotel, check out the Opposite House, designed by Japanese architect, Kengo Kuma. What impresses one most about the Opposite House is the astonishing amount of light and space not just in the lobby and other public areas, but also in the [...]
When the Beijing Olympics officially begin on August 8, thousands of visitors will descend upon the city to enjoy the games and to explore the country. Many will be visiting Shanghai and Hong Kong, too. That’s why I have put together a list of favorite hotels and restaurants in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. We [...]
For those of you who are visiting Shanghai around the time of the Beijing Olympics, you’ll be impressed by the number of excellent places to eat in the city. I have compiled a list of favorite restaurants based upon recommendations of friends living in Shanghai. Don’t miss my earlier post on Shanghai hotels. French restaurants [...]
