My good client and (full disclosure) cousin Tracy Quan, Associate Vice President of Global Brand Communications at Royal Caribbean, recently returned from a quick jaunt through Beijing and I just had to share her feedback. Though she has been to Hong Kong and Shanghai many times for work, this time she had a few days to spend exploring China after her meetings ended. Knowing that China is one of my specialties, she dropped me a line and asked for advice on where to go. Given that she would likely be returning to China again in the near future, I suggested that she focus her brief 4 days of leisure time (a very rare instance for Tracy) in Beijing. I called upon my contacts at the Four Seasons and Bespoke Travel Company to help put together a fabulous itinerary for her.
With only 10 days planning time, we were able to book her a Deluxe Room at the Four Seasons — with the 4th night free — plus access to a host of wonderful complimentary amenities. As for sightseeing and experiences, we customized a fun, delicious and educational itinerary. Not only did she get to see the Temple of Heaven, Antique Market and Summer Palace, but we arranged for a Street Snacks Tour through the Hutongs (old alleyways), explored the Forbidden City with a Chinese historian, and scaled the Great Wall with an Expert Historian. Here are Tracy’s thoughts on her Beijing experience this summer:
“Thank you so much for setting me up. I had an amazing time in Beijing even though it was such a short time there.
The Four Seasons was amazing – wish I had more time to enjoy all the amenities other than just the room, which was so beautiful, and the lounge where I had a few meetings. It seemed like a pretty central location and was convenient to all the main areas I visited. I had two dinners in the Santilun area which seemed like a very popular place for tourists and expats and it was a breeze to get there [from the hotel] knowing how bad the traffic can be in Beijing. The hotel had nice little touches, like a light snack (sandwich wrap) on check-in which was perfect for my very late arrival, a cookie (with Asian influences) each night and the Nespresso and teapot both definitely came in handy. At turn-down service each evening, they also left cards with beautiful sayings on them.
Bespoke Travel did a great job arranging everything. The driver, Mr Lin, was always on time and pleasant (even though he did not speak much English) and ensured that the water in the car was replenished – much needed given the sweltering temperatures. All the experts and guides were very knowledgeable and insightful. I especially enjoyed my walk in the Hutongs with Kristen for the street snacks tour. Far more food than I could consume at one time but I so enjoyed hearing about the cultural traditions behind the food and and how life was in the Hutongs all those years ago. She also gave me some great suggestions for a local massage place and some good restaurants. I also enjoyed my time with the local guide Amanda who told wonderful stories about the Ming and Qing dynasties at the Summer Palace. It was also fascinating to hear all about the Great Wall from William. I love how passionate he is about this historical structure. I also received a surprise visit from Sarah Keenlyside [the head of Bespoke] on my return to Four Seasons that day. It was so great to meet her (even though I must have looked a little disheveled after my long hot walk on the Wall) and I would have loved to have spent more time with her but I had a meeting to rush to. But I was very impressed that she took the time to come to the hotel to meet me.
It was definitely the right way to get an immersive experience of Beijing and I hope that I will have another opportunity to go and see more of China that way. Thanks so much for connecting me to the right people and setting everything up for me. I really appreciate your help with everything.”
If you’d like help customizing your own special trip through China, drop us a line: info@journeysunparalleled.com.