Motherhood isn’t an easy task no matter what age your child is. Beijing’s new mom Camilla Kongshavn’s Instagram stories are posts of her new baby girl Iva who’s napping, eating, and showing off her cute dimples. Iva is an absolute dream, but it begs the question. If Iva is only sleeping a few hours a night, when is mommy getting her rest?

My friends with older kids are scrambling their brains trying to find the perfect Christmas gift and plan the perfect Christmas holiday for the whole family. Desperate searches for unique hotel suites that can fit the whole family, and restaurants for a Christmas dinner that’s both lavish yet still family-friendly, can be a serious drain on a woman’s psyche. But this kind of stress isn’t just around the holidays. While the rest of the family relaxes, she’s stressing out about how to make the most of their family time together, what to do after the holidays, where to go for Chinese New Year holiday or the next birthday. In short, her brain is making plans and lists and going a million miles an hour.

According to Dr. Art Markman, professor of Psychology and Marketing at the University of Texas and Founding Director of the Program in the Human Dimensions of Organization, mental health days should be a regular part of life. According to Markman, “If you are feeling high levels of stress and anxiety on a regular basis, then you should consider working with a therapist or psychiatrist to determine whether your feelings reflect depression or an anxiety disorder. Each year, about 18% of the population is likely to suffer from depression and anxiety disorders. If you find that anxiety is really getting in the way of your ability to live our life fully, you should get checked out—sooner rather than later.”

Although Markman’s advice is for taking a mental health day from work, it applies to motherhood since this is a 24/7 full-time job. Taking a spontaneous mental health day doesn’t mean spend the day doing the chores and catching up emails without your child around. It’s a day that should be dedicated to focusing on yourself where you can ask yourself the most basic questions – are you happy? If you’re not, what can be done to improve your situation? It’s a time to breathe, and relax, pull yourself together before heading back headfirst into the trenches.
Finding a mental health day in Beijing needn’t cause you any stress. There are plenty of places that are perfectly suited for a day (or even a few hours) of uninterrupted zen.

Just a Few Hours to Spare


For those with just a few hours of “me-time” to spare, a nice long lunch at TRB Forbidden City by yourself is just thing to remind you that you’re a queen. They’ve got a way of providing unfussy yet attentive service that calms you down inside and reminds you of the more beautiful side of life.

While a spa day might sound cliche, there’s a reason why it’s so popular. Luckily for us, Beijing is full of spas at every price range. Whether it’s a fancy hotel spa day or a low budget local place, having a few hours to zone out and just be pampered will do wonders for your mental health.

A Whole Day Just for You

Hotel staycations are one of the best things to do for a mental health day. Physically putting yourself in a different environment where you’re the one getting taken care of for a chance lets you relax both physically and mentally. You needn’t go far for a staycation. There are plenty of hotels in the city with winter deals.

Grand Hyatt Beijing is a hotel that’s located in the center of the city but lets you feel like you’re on off on an island vacation. Their signature resort-style tropical Club Oasis indoor pool features mini-islands and palm trees. From now until March 31, 2020, they’re offering guests up to 20 percent off their standard rate with their special winter offer if you stay two consecutive nights.

East Beijing Hotel is known for being family-friendly, but they’ve also got an early bird special room rate. Confirm your me-day 21 days in advance and get 30 percent off of their Best Available Rate (BAR). Confirm it 7 days in advance and get 25 percent off BAR and spend the weekend in their indoor infinity pool and enjoying all the tasty items on the in-room dining menu.

Former beijingkids editor Pauline van Hasselt is planning another one of her fun-packed Beijing Women’s Retreats on May 23 -24 at East Beijing Hotel, where ladies enjoy a weekend of pampering, food, drinks, and a mental health retreat with a group of funtastically cool women.

Photos: unsplash, remotelands.com, booking.com

What better way to kick the dry Beijing winter than to give your skin, especially your face, a little bit of extra love? That’s exactly the aim of the game at Hummingbird Skincare Center’s newest Central Park location, part of The Wellness Spa by Hummingbird, and one of our favorite spas in town.

We went to check out their new location, which was clean, tidy, and is made up of several private rooms at the back where the treatments take place. The reception area has plenty of example products laid out, which the staff are happy to demonstrate and explain if you’re unsure as to which is most suitable for your skin type or needs.

I tried an aqua peel oxygenating purifying treatment, a 50-minute session (at an original price of RMB 880) involving cleaning and moisturization of your face. The treatment was performed delicately, and the refreshing effects more than noticeable for the days following, my skin now markedly more bouncy and less dry. There is also a short face massage included to increase your blood circulation and send you on your merry way.

I can hear you worrying about your wallet, but they do have a fairly good deal on right now: try it for only RMB 198 on your first visit to their new location – go on, treat yo’self!

Hummingbird Skin Care Center
Daily 10am-10pm. 102, Central Park, Bldg 17, 6 Chaowai Dajie, Chaoyang District (6597 0457)
朝阳区朝外大街6号新城国际17号楼102

More stories by this author here.

Email: margauxschreurs@truerun.com
Instagram: s.xuagram

Images courtesy of Hummingbird Skin Care Center

This post originally appeared on our sister-site, thebeijinger.

The short holidays make it slightly more complicated to plan far away trips and just before heading home for the major holidays such as summer and winter, the best option is for the family to have a mental check out while still in the city. We have seven places as options that we compiled that you and your family should try out.

Gubei Water Town
This area was specially designed to restore at the Gubei Water Town near the Simatai Great Wall to have an ancient water town feel to it with canals and quartzite paths and narrow streets. The area has two five star hotels, six boutique hotels and cultural areas. The area has tailor made tours such as a hike up the Great Wall at night that are exhilarating and a novelty. The entire areas is slowly being rolled out and only some sections are accessible to the public.
Good for: small to medium groups
Prices: varies on the type of accommodation
Local attraction: night walks up the Great Wall, hiking trails, boat rides, and smaller castle like bed.

The Brickyard Inn and Retreat Center
Located at the foothills of the Mutianyu Great Wall, The Brickyard Retreat Inn has been an expat favorite for their organic food and various activities such as Jazz performances and yoga. The retreat was established in 2005 by an expat couple, which they acquired that was run down and now has a restaurant and it’s own art glass studio. The Brickyard features 25 guest rooms at the main building and 9 luxury homes. The inn can organize activities like cycling around the Bohai Township, on a rented Trek bike along one of the 12 routes designed by a previous intern of the retreat.
Good for: families and groups
Prices: Starting at RMB 1,080 per night (does not include breakfast)
Local attraction: walking through the orchards, hiking the Great Wall, cycling around the Bohai Township, and taking a tour of the villages.

Mountainyoga
Looking for a relaxing way to spend an extended weekend within the heart of Beijing, then the Mountainyoga is one of the place that you can get that feeling. There are various activities available such as yoga practice, meditation, drumming circle, tea ceremony, and more. All the meals are vegetarian. Camping is allowed on the rooftop terrace during the warm weather. The retreat has three courtyards, one of which is dedicated to conducting yoga lessons. There’s a dining hall and a small gift shop.
Good for: groups and families with teens
Prices: RMB 150 for half day retreats/RMB 300 full day retreat
Local attraction: Sleeping Buddha temple, the Botanical Garden, and Fragrant Hills

3-in-1 Bedrooms
Located in the heart of the hutongs near the Wangfujing area, this chic boutique hotel is family owned that’s minimalist white decor. The place is ideal for couples looking to get some alone time and not wishing to spend a lot of money doing so. Each room, four in total, are all ensuite and one even has a rain shower, a day bed, and more. The location makes it ideal for those who don’t want to travel all the way out of town or the couples that live in Changing and Pinggu districts and want to have a feel for hutong life.
Good for: couples
Prices: from RMB 1,180 per night per two people
Locations: The St.Joseph’s Wangfujing Cathedral Church, Wangfujing Snack Street at night for those exotic treats such as spiders, Prince Gong Mansion, Former residence of Song Qingling.

Shan Li Retreats
Situated 90km from Beijing, Shan Li Retreats are breath taking renovated traditional houses offering serene countryside. There are five properties in total: Poshang, Banpo, Qianjia, Shanjiaoxi, and Stone House all located close by each other in the Huangyankou Village. The houses have a living room, fireplace, gardens access, kitchen, and range from one to three bedrooms. The integration of the buildings in the
Good for: Multi-family groups
Prices: RMB 4,500 per night (Poshang); RMB 1,500 per night (Banpo); RMB 3,500 per night (Qianjia); RMB 2,800 per night (Shanjiaoxi); RMB 900 per night per room (Stone House)
Local attractions: Hiking around is the main thing to do with trails marked by the owners.

Commune by the Great Wall 
Commune by the Great Wall was designed by Asian architects and won numerous architecture accolades, this boutique hotel initially had 12 villas that has now expanded to over 40 villas with replicas of the original 12. There are standard rooms, superior rooms, deluxe room, deluxe suite, Great Wall view, and presidential suites. Three to six guest rooms are located in one villa and people share a common living room.
Good for: multi-group
Price: Only know made available by email
Local attraction: the location has private access to an non-restored section of the Great Wall. To cool off, there’s a pool that has a poolside cafe near. There’s a kid’s club in that’s two floors and has a child-sized kitchen used for the cooking classes, complete with tiny aprons and chef’s hats, Poplar Kids’ Republic Library and bookstore that holds regular storytelling in English and Chinese, recreation room with a closed, padded play area for babies, a dress-up corner with national costumes (including a flouncy “Russian” dress, American cowboy outfit, and a diminutive Scottish kilt), and separate TV rooms. Child-care is also offered.

Cuandixia Village
Looking for a bit of history rich places then this is the place for you. The 400-year-old village has over 700 preserved courtyards from the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644-1912) dynasties. It’s a two and a half hour drive to the site with a hike to the gate of the village at the foot of the mountain where the cars are left.
Good for: small groups
Prices: Varies on the guesthouses, courtyards, inns, and people’s homes agreed upon price
Local attraction: There’s a scenic area that requires a RMB 35 admission fee. A walk around the courtyards, temple, and hike are some of the activities to take part in. Only local cuisines are available and the restaurants use traditional cooking styles which can be a good chance to take photos and see how your meal is prepared.

Photo: China Daily

Head out of town in the upcoming weekends before school opens to one the places below for a holiday feel that features relaxing, beautiful landscapes, and unplugging from the norm. These kid friendly places are nice to explore as they are located in the mountain or Great Wall sections of Beijing that will have the whole family itching for a little hike and much deserved R&R!

Shan Li Retreats
Situated 90km from Beijing, Shan Li Retreats are breath taking renovated traditional houses offering serene countryside. There are five properties in total: Poshang, Banpo, Qianjia, Shanjiaoxi, and Stone House all located close by each other in the Huangyankou Village.

There houses have a living room, fireplace, gardens access, kitchen, and range from one to three bedrooms. The integration of the buildings in the
Good for: Multi-family groups
Prices: RMB 4,500 per night (Poshang); RMB 1,500 per night (Banpo); RMB 3,500 per night (Qianjia); RMB 2,800 per night (Shanjiaoxi); RMB 900 per night per room (Stone House)
Local attractions: Hiking around is the main thing to do with trails marked by the owners.

Commune by the Great Wall 
Commune by the Great Wall was designed by Asian architects and won numerous architecture accolades, this boutique hotel initially had 12 villas that has now expanded to over 40 villas with replicas of the original 12. There are standard rooms, superior rooms, deluxe room, deluxe suite, Great Wall view, and presidential suites. Three to six guest rooms are located in one villa and people share a common living room.
Good for: multi-group
Price: Only know made available by email
Local attraction: the location has private access to an non-restored section of the Great Wall. To cool off, there’s a pool that has a poolside cafe near. There’s a kid’s club in that’s two floors and has a child-sized kitchen used for the cooking classes, complete with tiny aprons and chef’s hats, Poplar Kids’ Republic Library and bookstore that holds regular storytelling in English and Chinese, recreation room with a closed, padded play area for babies, a dress-up corner with national costumes (including a flouncy “Russian” dress, American cowboy outfit, and a diminutive Scottish kilt), and separate TV rooms. Child-care is also offered.

Cuandixia Village
Looking for a bit of history rich places then this is the place for you. The 400-year-old village has over 700 preserved courtyards from the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644-1912) dynasties. It’s a two and a half hour drive to the site with a hike to the gate of the village at the foot of the mountain where the cars are left.
Good for: small groups
Prices: Varies on the guesthouses, courtyards, inns, and people’s homes agreed upon price
Local attraction: There’s a scenic area that requires a RMB 35 admission fee. A walk around the courtyards, temple, and hike are some of the activities to take part in. Only local cuisines are available and the restaurants use traditional cooking styles which can be a good chance to take photos and see how your meal is prepared.

Photos: courtesy of Commune by the Great Wall, Shan Li  Retreats & the Beijinger.

What can be better than being a modern imperial? This week we are giving away an "Imperial Treat" Massage from Hummingbird Spa valued at RMB 468.

To win, simply comment below with the answer to the question: if you could become an imperial today, what would be the first thing you do after you wake up tomorrow morning?

Contest ends on Monday, May 21 at 11am.

Photo courtesy of Hummingbird Spa

Hooray! Here comes the midweek giveaway prize. This week we are giving away an Essential Therapy Leisure Massage voucher valued at RMB 680 from Origin Spa.

To win, simply comment on the post with the answer to the question: What is the best way to keep warm this winter?

The most creative answer wins!

Contest ends Monday, Dec 26 at 11am.

Any true Beijinger knows that the best way to de-stress is to soothe the soles of our feet. And beijingkids has just the ticket: two Origin Spa vouchers (each worth RMB 198) – to be used for either a foot massage or full-body health care.