China Hotel Reviews

If you want to go shopping and use a normal local taxi, walk about a block from the hotel before you get a taxi. Taxis charge a blanket 20 rmb for the ride to the shopping centre (no meter running). However if you catch one a little way away from the hotel, it will only cost you 15 (with the meter running this time) We needed a taxi to Shenzhen and the doorman went out of his way to get us a good deal. Excellent service.

Pudong is the business side of Shanghai, not ideal if you''re looking for the old charm of the city. The Paulaner Beergarden is right opposite the Shangri-La hotel, good for Germans feeling homesick.

You''d probably be frustrated if you try to catch a cab during dinner time - between 5:30pm and 7:00pm. Also, don''t be surprised if sometimes, cabs don''t stop by the road when you flag them - look around, there''s probably one of the many taxi stands nearby. Shanghai''s apparently quite strict about taxis stopping at non-designated stop-zone as one cabby helpfully explained.

We had an excellent guide, Clarence Guo, clarenceguo@yahoo.com. We visited the terracotta warriors, caves where people live, daoist temple, a mosque, the city wall and the fountain next to the Wild Goose pagoda. Also enjoyed the Tang chinese culture show.

It is better to get the locations where you need to visit to be written in Chinese to show it to Taxi drivers or for that matter anyone you would ask for directions. Also get China mobile sim card it is handy and cheap while travelling on business.

We had an excellent guide, Ian Wang, Ian.wang@163.net. We visited the Great Wall at Mutianyu, Hutong, Drum tower, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Tiananmen Square, Chinese Acrobatic show, Temple of Heaven, Lama Temple. Everything was excellent.

Taxis with "1.60" posted on the rear side windows indicate air conditioning. "1.20" means no aircon. Was easy to walk to Wanfujing (tourist walking street), Forbidden City and Tiananmen. Very good location.

Travelling to Shenzen was great fun, entered Shenzen by KCR via Lo-Wu railway station finished immigration and viola! into Shenzen. There were no charges to pay at the immigration. Once in Lo-Wu, there was a long line whereon I hired a local unlicenced cab (not recomended! ) cost me RMB 50.00 for a drop till Novotel Water Gate. Be aware you must have a chinese translation of the destination as the only reply or response you get for a english question would be a wide grin and nothing else!!<br> <br> Travelling from Shenzen to anywhere else nearby like Donguuan, Zhonshan, etc. requires absolute skills unless you are lucky to have the destination neatly written in Chinese. Finding a company or address if you have the details in chinese is further easy as every cab driver carries a mobile phone , they would be more than glad to call the office or location at a nearby place and take you there. Be prepared in full for a detailed geography study etc. if on a business trip, it is not a breeze as in Hong Kong. All time tables and destinations start getting more and more in Chinese as you get deeper and deeper! The best liner on the highway (between Donguan and Shenzen). WE WISH YOU A SAFE TRIP!!!

Take the Bund tunnel ride. It''s a hoot! The view from the Pearl TV tower are pretty spectacular and gives you a sense of perspective on the whole of the city, even though I was almost crushed to death in the stampede of mainly Chinese tourists eager to get in.<br> <br> I took a tip from a colleague who''d been to Shanghai last year ''get up and out early''. I was out and about at 6.am and Shanghai is also up and about then, from people in every park and open space doing Tai Chi or flying kites to busy food markets in the old town. Definitely worth while.

There will be a new international airport soon. The hotel has a shuttle that runs every half hour, but not during early morning or late evening hours...it''s 1/3 cheaper to take a cab than a hired car. This hotel is located in an island enclave, a pleasant 3-4 block isolated community. If you prefer proximity to pedestrial shopping streets and more restaurants, one may prefer a more centrally located hotel.<br> <br> There is a China Charity Gift store nearby, entrance inside office building, that may help fill your for-who shopping lists and benefit a good cause as well. For print film developing and photo finishing, the photo shop a block away is fast and cheaper than that at the hotel. This may be true for laundry as well; last time I was here, hotel laundry appeared more costly than the States.

Shanghai is a big city. However, very few outlets offer any travel info. In any case, do not miss the Shanghai Acrobatic show. The concierge in the hotel can book seats for this show - Recommend the VIP seats for a good view.

I arrived in Shanghai Pu Dong Airport, and took the following way to get to Zhao An Hotel: Maglev train to Long Yang Lu Station (RMB40); transfer Line 1 to Renmin Guangchang Station (RMB3, include transfer to Line 2); transfer Line 2 to Han Zhong Lu Station. The Maglev train is very fast, and a good riding experience.<br> <br> The Oriental Pearl Tower is worth a visit, and I find the Shanghai Municipal History Musuem, located in the Tower itself, to be very interesting. The sights and sounds gives you a very good idea of the city''s rich history and development. One place where I found a simple and good meal is Da Niang Shui Jiao, just outside He Nan Zhong Lu Station (there are several other outlets too). There is a good variety of dumplings to choose from, and together with a bowl of soup, makes a complete meal.<br> <br> If you''re walking alone (and if you''re male!!) along Nanjing Dong Lu, or around the Bund at night, be prepared to deal with many "friendly" approaches from pimps and girls! I found this quite irritating, you would too, I am sure, unless you have other ideas!

Shanghai is my usual departure city when returning to the US. It is a wonderful city to reaffirm the realization of the enormous change that''s taking place in China. It is also fun for shoppers and museum-goers alike. Don''t miss the Shanghai Museum on Renmin Da Dao or the museum in the Pearl Tower. You can use the tourist tunnel to cross under the river for a trip to the Pearl Tower and the Aquarium (adjacent). For other jaunts, taxis are reliable and reasonable. I enjoyed a meal at the French restaurant in the Sofitel Hotel overloking Nanjing shopping walkway.

Take the airport van in to Xi’an (25Y) and then a taxi to the Grand Hotel (5Y). Be careful when returning to the airport van pick up spot. Be sure the taxi drive takes you to where the van service tells you to go (have the hotel write it out in Chinese for you – as for anywhere else you may want to go and how to return as well). It is full of alleged taxi cab drives who will ask 80Y and settle (if you can bargain good) for 30Y to take you to the airport. What they don’t tell you is that they need 3 people at 30Y or more in a small taxi (car), each, before the will go to the airport, then they take the back roads (a real experience) to the airport. If you want to avoid this, contact the van service and find out exactly where to go to be picked up, and the pick up time. Allow plenty of time the trip (by van) takes about 25 minutes if no traffic.<br> <br> Hotel is less than a half mile inside the city''s ancient wall. It is les s than a mile (5Y or Kawi or RMB – about 75 cents USD, taxi cab ride) from the hotel to the Muslim district and Mosque, and a 5 minute walk through the Muslim food district and shop brings you to the Drum Tower, and one block to the left of the Drum Tower, is the Bell Tower and a modern shopping district. The Terracotta soldiers is a fair distance from the hotel, hire a van (should not cost more than 700Y and share with people you meet there, it really beats the per person rate of 400Y. (Exchange rate in June 2004 was 8.2Y for 1 US Dollar).<br> <br> Take extra water to the Terracotta Soldiers site. You have to walk about a quarter mile to the access entry point, then walk at least another half mile to get to the entrance (90Y to get in). You (in summer) are hot tired and thirsty and they charge 5Y for a 1 to 2Y bottle of water. The site is quite large and you will need lots of film to photograph most of it . If you buy a video, make sure it will run on your VCR (especially if you are American).<br> <br> The city ancient wall is to the left as you exit the hotel, and about a quarter mile, and there is an entry fee of 5Y? to access the steps taking you to the top. You can climb to the top and walk it, it is very nice. There is a very good tour guide provider, named Mr. Sunny Lu, he provides cars (400Y for 2 or less people or vans (700Y for up to 7 people, drive and an English speaking guide (ask for Connie, she great), I highly recommended you use him. Call him, 13609126011 for any needs in Xi’an. Tell him J T Adair told you to call him (I was there in mid June 2004.) Avoid going to the tomb of the emperor. It is a long climb to the top and not worth (in my opinion) the entry fee. The hot springs is like a park and there is not much there either (for the admission price) but it is nice.<br> <br> Enjoy Xi’an, I did and it (Xi’an) and the Terracotta Soldiers should not be missed on any trip to China, and you should allow at least 2 days if not 3 to see the main sites.

You should go to the Temple of Heaven, especially on a weekend, as most of the families and old people go there to visit the park there and the pavilions; its very large park with many things to do there. The people go there to listen to other people singing songs, playing in bands that play traditional music. People there recite poetry, as well as play cards, Chinese Checkers or Chess. It is a chance, for you, to see the people of Beijing (and China) as they are, in their everyday (and weekend) lives. There are 2 prices at the Temple of Heaven. One for the Park, and one for the Temple grounds.<br> <br> Inside the Temple of Heaven there is lots to see, including the Temple itself. There are free museums, various worship buildings, and the most important of all, the center of the universe. You have to climb up a 3 tiered ring of mound platforms, where there is a stone circle in the center of the top tier, that is believed (by the Chinese) as the center of the Universe. Little history about the Temple of Heaven. You will see a triple path leading to the temple. The center path was to be used by God only and one path (on either side of the center path) was for the Emperor and his entourage going to the temple, and then the other path (on the side of the center path), for returning from the temple. The Emperor always, when he walked with God, walked on the right hand of God.<br> <br> You must see the Summer Palace. I took a cab from the hotel at 8 AM, and there was very little traffic at that time of the morning. I arrived at 8:40 AM only to find about 20 or more tour groups of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean tourist everywhere. As I am a 6o year old bachelor, and I got in for half price. It takes at least 3 hours to really see the summer palace and that does not include taking boat tours on the large lake that is there. Again there are lots of steep steps and high hills, but the climbs are worth it. As I had plenty of time left, I decided to take the 808 bus back to the Railroad Station (block and a half from the Harmony Hotel). This I highly recommend, as the bus takes you to parts of Beijing most tourist never see. The bus goes down tree lined streets, with the real Beijing on both sides of the bus route, through rural Beijing community to the railroad station. If you are really adventuresome, you can get off the bus and walk the streets there, then get back on another 808 bus. The people are really friendly.<br> <br> The bus trip from the Summer place to the railroad station is only 6 Qui, and takes about 2 hours. Don''t worry if you miss the bus, there will be another within 8 to 10 minutes, and don’t be surprised when the bus you are on passes the one you missed at a bus stop, either/or letting off or taking on passengers. The buses leap frog each other, and there is no need for two buses, on the same route, to stop at the same bus stop unless a passenger on your bus wants off. There is a conductor, in addition to the bus driver, on each bus and they will let you know where you are (in Chinese). Remember it is the 808 bus and you can get it at the bus stop across from the railroad station (going to the temple), or about 30 meters pass the bus park outside the entrance to the summer place. The bus numbers are listed on a poles at each of 8 bus stops (in a row) at the Place beyond the bus park.<br> <br> There are many places to visit and sites to see, and it depends on how long you have, and/or will be in Beijing. The above was all done in 4 days. I wish I had at least 2 full weeks to really fully see all of Beijing, its smog and all. If you have questions on where and what to do in Beijing when there, email me (adairjt@earthlink.net), but put in the SUBJECT block "Questions on Beijing" or else my spam blocker will not let your email get through.

I’ve been to different asian cities. I’ve been to the most modern, the most exotic, the most chaotic, name it, I’ve been there. But the thing that would probably set Shanghai apart was my experience riding its ultra quick shanghai maglev train, the world''s fastest train. The Shanghai Maglev Train is a pilot commercial application of the maglev (or magnetic levitation ) train. It spans from the Pudong airport to Longyan Road Metro Subway Station which is around 30kms.<br> <br> Three days ago, I took the maglev train to the airport. From the moment I set foot on the train, I knew I was taking the ferrari of bullet trains--sleek, luxurious and ultra modern. And then the ride. It was so smooth that it didnt feel the train was going so fast. And when the train reached its top speed of 430kph, the view outside seemed to be on fast forward! It was really amazing.<br> <br> Hopefully, the readers here at asiahotels.com will also be able to experience the maglev. It was so great an experience that i will never forget my Shanghai trip because of that 7-minute ride.

Yangshuo is a wonderful place to explore on your own. After a packaged tour for the rest of our China trip, we enjoyed renting mountain bikes (for $1.20/day!) and exploring the surrounding countryside on our own. Biking through the Yulong He valley and then floating down the river in a bamboo raft was delightful. We recommend eating at Cafe Under the Moon on Xi Jie (West St.) because the food is very good and you can sit on the second floor balcony and overlook the bustling street scene below.

I went for almost all of the tourist spots, other than the usual Forbidden city, great wall of china etc, I would strongly recommend tourist to enjoy a night of Chinese Acrobat at ChaoYang Theatre (ticket sold at RMB80 per person).

The location of the hotel is very good if you like going shopping. It is walking distance from Dong Man Lu the shopping street. There are a lot of bargain clothes and bags if like to haggle, always ask for half the price when you haggle thats alway the real price. Great shopping at MOI department store.

A very nice, not expensive and friendly restaurant is the Tai Sheng Yuan Restaurant on 50 Huang He Road just 2 blocks from the Pacific Hotel. Highly recommended both for tourists and businessgroups.