In recent years, COVID-19 has altered the tourism industry drastically. More and more tourists are seeking short-distance and high-quality trips with a new motto – Stay near, go outdoors, be healthy. With this in mind, we give you some recommendations for how to spend your October holiday, safely and sustainably. 

MUJI HOTEL BEIJING 

If you simply wish to stay within the city for some R&R, the Muji Hotel Beijing, which just opened in 2018 is a wonderful, more sustainable staycation option. As of 2020, the hotel stopped providing single-use toiletries in their rooms, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, bathing caps, cotton pads. Instead, they strongly encourage customers to bring their own.

The hotel is nestled in the cultural heart of Beijing and has a wonderful view of Tiananmen Square. In addition to the World Heritage sites, this corner of central Beijing has parks where you can enjoy mixing with the locals who make the park a part of their ordinary everyday lives. Neighboring shops include shoe and tea shops that date back to the Qing dynasty, and there are traditional food vendors offering steamed buns and other local goodies. Today, they stand side-by-side with intimate, modern-day cafes specializing in pour-over coffee.

Great Wall Hiking – Stay at The Brickyard or Camp

Originally an old brick factory, the cosy Brickyard is close to the Mutianyu secant of the Great Wall and retains a rustic look outwardly while offering modern comfort within its 25 rooms and suites, all with lovely views of the Great Wall through a story and a half window walls. Sharing those views is also a spa with an outdoor jacuzzi open year round. The Brickyard provides a farm-to-table dining experience by selecting high-quality local produce from the neighboring villages. They also compost their organic waste, and has switched to LED lighting – which is more energy-efficient.

Alternatively, if you’re a camping aficionado and completely capable, you could take up with a camping tour and pitch a tent out in the wilderness around the Great Wall. This would probably be your last chance before the cold really sets in this year!

E-Bike Tours

Electric bicycles are everywhere in Beijing, for good reason. The batteries that power them are a comparatively cleaner source of energy than combustion engines in the traditional scooters. There are a few different companies that operate E-Bike tours, often of the local hutongs that give you a glimpse into the very different lives of the locals. Our Beijing is one such company, operated by expat Dominic De Couto.

Bamboo Bicycles Beijing

Speaking of bicycles, those of you that came to the bustling Burger Fest 2021 might have noticed a vendor that certainly stood out at the festival with their usual bicycles. Yes we’re talking about those super cool bamboo bicycles by Bamboo Bicycles Beijing, which aims to promote sustainable urban transport. You can join one of their DIY bamboo bicycle workshops on the weekend and create your very own bamboo bike using locally sourced bamboo! Find out more on www.bamboobicyclesbj.com or scan the QR code below.

KEEP READING: Sustainability Sunday: Talking About Sustainability Without Coming Off Preachy

Images: Courtesy of the hotels, Pexels, Dominic De Couto, Bamboo Bicycles Beijing

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

Imagine going to sleep in smoggy Beijing then waking up the next morning in a cute provincial French town with blue skies and a fresh dusting of snow on the ground. No, you’ve not taken an overnight international flight, you’re at Chateau Changyu AFIP Global on the outskirts of Beijing and this is what you’ll get. Sort of.

Built by everyone’s favorite Chinese winery, Changyu, the complex includes an exact replica of a French town square, complete with church and pavement cafes, a full-size chateau, and a small vineyard. You can pay a small fee (RMB 50 and up, depending on which package you choose) to tour the chateau and vineyard, and have a wine tasting. Entry to the town is free, and there is a wine shop and several restaurants on site. Bearing in mind you’re in Miyun, the accuracy of the architecture makes for a completely surreal experience.

Since you’re going to be driving over an hour to get out there, you may as well stay overnight in one of hundred or so rooms available on site. The cheapest twin rooms currently start from around RMB 400 on Ctrip, going up to over RMB 1,000 for a suite. The rooms are warm (bearing in mind it was -15 degrees outside when we visited), and the decor is actually kind of cozy, although if you look a little closer you’ll notice some cracks in the facade. Room rates include breakfast, which is basic Chinese hotel fare (think jiaozi and fried rice) and probably only worth it if you’re hungry. 

A couple of caveats. Firstly, the food here is not good. We (perhaps foolishly) ate in the western restaurant and several of us had flashbacks to meals in third-tier Chinese cities – think pasta with gloopy sauce or pizza topped with shrimps. The chips, on the other hand, were very good. Whether or not you like Changyu’s wines is up to you, there’s no accounting for taste. 

Secondly, once the chateau closes and the sun goes down there isn’t really much to do. For example, there are a couple of KTV rooms but there were trying to charge our party of 10 RMB 888 per hour for the pleasure of using one. We suggest stocking up on snacks and drinks (Changyu wine or otherwise …) before you leave downtown Beijing and having yourself a good old fashioned hotel room party. 

Nevertheless, for one of those "only in China moments" (and some bizarre Instagrams) Chateau Changyu is probably worth a one-off visit.

This post first appeared on thebeijinger.com on February 2, 2015. 

Photo: thebeijinger.com

This blog is sponsored by the Hilton Beijing Capital Airport. Call 6450 4827 to book a Family Staycation. 

Between booking flights, applying for leave from work and researching sights to see on a tight schedule, planning a family vacation can seem like more trouble than its worth. But perhaps the most headache-inducing task of all is finding the right kind of accommodation for you and your brood – poorly selected lodging can spell the difference between a dream vacation and a holiday from hell.

First and foremost there is the matter of cost. If money is a concern, you’re already fighting an uphill battle when it comes to planning your trip. But tempting as it may be to cut some corners by picking cheaper accommodations,

Hiddenchina.net founder and outdoor adventure guru Christoph Mueller says a little splurging can actually help make things go much smoother in the end. “Don’t be cheap. Get a nice room,” Mueller advises his fellow travelling dads. “When you’re tired after your trip, and you have a few kids that want to run around and play, it’s good to have a room that’s not too small.”

To save time and hassle when looking for a hotel, Mueller also recommends booking family holidays via CTrip’s English site (english.ctrip.com) for its wide selection and ease of use. He also appreciates Ctrip’s bilingual hotline and flexible cancellation policies.

Booking.com is another good platform for family holiday planning. Colin Friedman, CEO and founder of FCGroup, says he likes the fact that users of this US-based site can pay at checkout rather than shell out for booking fees in advance.

Poh Soon Guan, a Singaporean born, Beijing-based father of two, is also a fan of the site, and he adds that hotel.com is an equally valuable accommodations resource because it has a slick App that is very mobile friendly.

If you’re planning a family holiday to Europe, Patrick De Smet, owner of The Tree and founder of Monkey Business Tours, recommends www.lastminute.com. “It’s great to use when you [want to]travel through Europe by car. You can plan the next stop one to two days in advance,” says the Belgian national, adding how loves the fact that you can find last minute deals on the site. “In Andorra I had a four bedroom in a bit of an older four-star hotel for €60 a night. Parking was €18 a night. We slept cheaper per person than [cost of renting]the car!”

Airbnb is yet another popular option – there are indeed good deals to be found on the lodging sharing platform – but since the accommodations offered are all privately-owned and the landlord is usually offsite, you’re often on your own when it comes to food, dealing with shaky WiFi connections and day-to-day tidying up – things that you take for granted in a hotel. For families already dealing with looking after their tired and hungry kids, this kind of arrangement may not always be ideal.

Using apps and websites can certainly make things easier, but the hassles don’t just end there. For one, you have to be very careful to read the fine print when it comes to booking policies. “I prefer hotels with no cancelation fees if there is a change in plans, because when you travel with kids they can easily come down with the flu or a last minute illness,” says Poh, who adds that you should avoid hotels that demand guests book with a debit card in advance, especially here in China. “Fraud is quite common here … so releasing debit card information can make you prone to unnecessary risk … it’s far better to make a reservation with your credit card and then paying at check out.”

De Smet says an equally crucial consideration for family hotel booking is the amenities. “All my kids care about is whether or not the hotel has WiFi,” he says with a laugh, adding how finding a hotel within walking distance of a convenience store is also a must.

Friedman, meanwhile, says fathers should check with the hotel to see if it has features that are suitable for your kids’ age range (i.e. kid-friendly meals, entertainment options for rainy days, a kid’s swimming pool etc.). He also stresses that the hotel should have a few father-friendly features as well, especially “a good bar.”

It’s also important to consider your family’s sleeping arrangements ahead of time. Morgan O’Hara, Managing Partner at The Hutong, suggests parents call the hotel in advance and check if they charge for an extra cot for a child to sleep in – having ample bed space (and quality sleep) for parents and the kids can make all the difference in how your trip goes overall.

In addition to considering how they will sleep, the O’Haras also recommend staying at family-style resorts, which are common in Southeast Asia, because most of them have kid-friendly activities and plenty of other children for his daughter to play with. “It’s great to tour around when you’re in a new city, but your kid probably won’t want to be at a museum – they’d rather be at a pool splashing with other kids. So resorts can be a great way to help a family relax,” says O’Hara. Getting a good idea of where, what and how you and your family will eat is another must.

Crystal Wang, Marketing Manager at the Hilton Beijing Capital Airport, adds that when selecting a family friendly hotel, it’s also important to find out if there are baby sitting services, a play area, kid-sized bathrobes and beds, and also recommends asking if there is a kids menu in the hotel’s restaurants.

On this point Maiker Valdivia would most certainly agree. The Head Chef at Puerta 20 always checks the dining options in and around the hotel in advance to make sure his family eats well throughout the trip. “Sometimes we’ll get dinner in the hotel or nearby, so before booking I take time to check which kind of restaurant is in the hotel and how easy it is to find information about their chef, which I think is very important.”

Lastly, all of the fathers we spoke with warned about the hurdles involved in getting from the airport to the hotel. To avoid hassle, De Smet prefers hotels that offer airport pickup, while Friedman says a good alternative is renting a car. But no matter how you choose to get around, Poh says parents should be prepared for traffic jams and long commutes to the hotel, which can be tough after a long flight. He suggests keeping a coloring book on hand for kids, “so that they can doodle and even write they see on the trip, to keep them occupied … snacks help too.”

“Getting around with children is difficult, they never like having a long time in a bus, taxi or subway,” adds Validivia. “For us, 20 minutes is the perfect amount of time for such commutes, so if we need go a little far from the hotel we try to take a break from the commute every 20 minutes.”

A particularly harrowing ride from the airport to their hotel in Hanoi compelled the O’Hara family to always hire a private car going forward. “We got in a regular taxi to save some money, but the driver was shady and took this really long weird route,” Morgan recalls. “He didn’t seem to know the city that well, and then he tried to charge us extra when we arrived.”

Exhausted and exasperated, the O’Haras ended up not paying after a lot arguing back and forth with the driver. “When you have a kid with you this [kind of situation]is something you want to avoid – it’s better to bite the bullet and have the hotel hire you a private car going forward.”

Family vacations to far-flung places can be wonderful, but when you consider the money and energy you have to spend on transportation, food and sightseeing (and the hassle of finding the right hotel on top of that), it sometimes makes more sense to simply stay put in Beijing while enjoying all of the creature comforts of a five-star hotel stay. “The challenges of traveling with a little one make a staycation more appealing,” says Morgan O’Hara.

The next time you need a break and want a relaxing family getaway, save yourself the hassle of planning an elaborate and exhausting trip and book a Staycation at the Hilton Beijing Capital Airport, where you can enjoy the luxurious rooms, fantastic fitness center and pool, fine dining, kids’ play area and regular themed activities and events. Call 6450 4827 (weekdays) and 156 1197 9131 (weekends) for reservations and more information.

Photos courtesy of the families

This blog is sponsored by the Hilton Beijing Capital Airport. Call 6450 4827 to book a Family Staycation. 

Even the most well travelled, adventurous family can see the appeal of a relaxed, low key staycation. These seasoned vacationers may love to share tales about the exotic sights, far off sunsets and strange new vistas that they have witnessed with their little ones. But it doesn’t take much prodding for them to ruefully describe the challenges of having their children tag along on those journeys. Below, we’ve compiled a few amusing highlights from wanderlusting families who have also developed a taste for the occasional, far more restful staycation at a local hotel. 

 

Check out more Family Travel Horror Stories here.

Need a break but don’t want to travel far from home? The Hilton Beijing Capital Airport offers Family Staycation packages where families can enjoy the hotel’s luxurious rooms, fitness center and pool, play area, restaurants, weekend brunches and fun group events. Call 6450 4827 (weekdays) and 156 1197 9131 (weekends) for reservations and more information. 

Photos: Jerry Chan and courtesy of the families and Hilton Beijing Capital Airport

This blog is sponsored by the Hilton Beijing Capital Airport. Call 6450 4827 to book a Family Staycation. 

Family vacations can be wonderful and we here at BeijingKids love to cover (and fantasize) about travels to far-flung destinations as much as anybody. But when you consider the money, headaches and hassles that can happen when you’re on the road with your kids, they can be more trouble than it’s worth for beleaguered Beijing parents.

We spoke with a group of families and asked them to give us the dirt on some of the worst travel experiences they have had to endure to prove one simple point: The best and most relaxing getaway is sometimes closer to home than you think!

A Hotel of Horrors in Hua Hin

From the balmy weather to the lavish resorts, Thailand may seem like an idyllic destination for vacationing families. Anna Sophie Loewenberg was one such mother looking forward to a heavenly reprieve in the purported “land of smiles,” but unfortunately things didn’t quite go as planned. “When we got to the hotel it felt like The Shining. The air was just heavy,” she says when describing the room that she had booked in Hua Hin, just outside of Bangkok.

The LA-born mother-of-two had planned the holiday for herself, her Venezuelan husband Dennys Pena and their daughter Ella Pena-Loewenberg after finding out that they were expecting their second child, Jacob Pena-Loewenberg. Despite checking out some nice reviews of the Hua Hin resort hotel, Loewenberg says she “definitely didn’t read up about it enough.”

Upon their arrival the family found themselves surrounded by hordes of mosquitoes, and were spooked by the eerily quiet vibe that seemed to pervade the entire resort. Exhausted from their flight delay they thought little of it at first – at first glance, the room seemed decent enough and the window had a lovely view of the sun setting over the sea.

But they soon discovered that their wonderful view was obstructed by a passing tractor. Then another. Then a large dump drunk … followed by another tractor – each of them rattling and roaring as they passed by in a seemingly unending parade. “What we quickly figured out was that it was a nice beachfront, 20 years ago,” says Pena, “But by then, it was a very old property and no one told us that it was right next to a construction site. They were building this huge road right there — you could see the truck drivers looking at the ladies in the hotel’s pool as they drove past.”

Loewenberg tried not to panic, but it was unsurprisingly difficult to suppress her sinking feeling. This was to be their last big holiday before they’d have to focus on tending to a newborn and she because she was only a few months away from her due date, it was going to be extremely challenging for her to help her husband with little Ella during the trip and it would certainly hamper their ability to pick up and leave for a better hotel. To make matters worse, they were in the midst of the Christmas holiday, meaning most alternatives would surely be already booked.

Fortunately, Loewenberg quickly recalled a luxurious Bangkok hotel that she and her mother had stayed at a few years before. “I didn’t mess with the internet or anything, because by now we only had four days left for our trip,” she says, adding that instead she “called this fancy Bangkok hotel up and said: “Look up my name from the last time I was here, two years ago. I want the exact same room.’ And we lucked out, they had it. That’s what I learned in that situation: you have to act swiftly and use all the resources at your disposal.”

The Cave of Unpleasant Surprises and Olympic-style In-flight Diaper Changing

Jade Harrold can relate to Loewenberg’s frustration. She and her husband Adam (who are both teachers at the Canadian International School of Beijing) also recently took their four-year-old daughter Kinsley on a trip to Thailand only to be met with a jarringly unpleasant surprise. The Harrolds wanted a bit of adventure and exposure to the local culture to go with all the R&R by the beach and pool, and happened upon a brochure for what seemed to be the perfect spur-of-the-moment day trip: Boat rides to a nearby cave with a temple inside. “We hadn’t read the guidebooks. We just saw lovely pictures of the cave and signed up,” recalls Jade Harrold, adding that she would eventually regret that spontaneous decision.

When they arrived at the cave — the parents in flip flops and the children in water shoes — they began scaling the steps toward the cave. But, unfortunately, those “stairs” quickly became “random rocks that lay precariously.” And, of course, the cave and temple were not simply “around the corner,” as the guide had promised, but instead quite a distance away. “We climbed, we sweated and we held our children tightly,” Jade Harrold says, adding: “When we finally got to the temple inside the cave, it seemed worth it – that is, until we had to climb back down. So that was our lesson learned: Read the guidebook carefully.”

Jade adds that even the most routine of family trips can be tricky for parents, which they found to be especially true when they took Kinsley on a trip when she was a “not-so-little” baby. “Nowadays our 4-year-old daughter is average height, but when she was an infant she was in the 100 percentile for length,” Jade explains, adding how they constantly marveled at her then-baby’s body length, especially since she and her husband are not particularly tall. “We were pleased to see her grow and thrive. But on flights home to see our families in Canada it became a challenge.”

Along with being fussy with the unfamiliar surroundings most babies typically have difficulties dealing with the changing cabin pressure during takeoff and landing, but the biggest challenge for Kinsley was getting her diapers changed because her exceptional height made it difficult for her to fit on the tiny changing boards in the airplane bathrooms. “It was a lesson in multi-tasking,” explains Jade. “We had to keep her head from hitting the wall and her feet from ending up in the sink, not to mention her flailing arms from pushing the emergency assistance button – all of which had to be done while making sure the mess was solely confined to the diaper. On a long flight this can feel like an Olympic event.”

Double Trouble

Ja Wuttithamrong can also relate to the Harrolds in-flight woes. The Marketing Manager at Daystar Academy frequently flies with her two daughters, Jessalyn Chang (aged 5) and Jamie-Leigh Chang (who is three and a half years old) for biannual visits home to her native Thailand, or back to the US with her husband to visit his relatives.

Despite being very well travelled, Ja’s little ones have had their share of terrible trips. The worst such instance occurred on a flight from Beijing to Bangkok where not one but both daughters got sick and vomited in the aisle … and then again on their mother. “When my youngest was sick the first time it was okay, because I had extra clothes for her,” Wuttithamrong says. “But when Jessalyn became nauseous I was caught off guard and even more dismayed when I realized that I had not thought to bring a change of clothes for her.”

The poor girl had to spend the remainder of the flight in her soiled clothes and Wuttithamrong had to break open her luggage to get her daughter changed as soon as they arrived.

Potty Time

Michelle Hemsin, another local mother of two and co-owner of Counting Sheep Boutique, says one of her biggest difficulties when traveling is simply keeping her young ones occupied during the journey. “My impatient six-year-old daughter constantly bombards me with phrases like: “Mum, I’m bored! Mum, are we there yet?’ I need to constantly entertain her while all I want to do is read my book.”

But Michelle’s most frequent in-flight challenge are her kids’ constant trips to the toilet. “My kids will always ask: “Mum, I need to go to the toilet now!” while the seat belt sign is on as we are taking off, or when we are encountering turbulence,” she says, adding that the single worst such instance occurred one time even before they had boarded their flight.

“We were waiting in line for the security check at the Beijing Capital Airport and suddenly my [then two-and-a-half-year-old]son tells me that he needs to pee.” Unfortunately Michelle and her son were “stuck in line between the two check points,” so they asked the security personnel if there was a toilet nearby, only to be told that the nearest toilet was in the departure hall behind the security checks.

“The guard sensed our desperation and suggested that our little one relieve himself in the big silver trash bins that were there to dispose of water bottles and lighters!” Somewhat shocked they were obliged to take him up on his suggestion and Michelle’s son proceeded to discreetly do his thing in the furthest bin.” “We went back in line and did our best to hide our faces among the crowd.”

Michelle goes on to say that travelling with her children is most certainly fun and rewarding at the best of times, but staycations can also be highly appealing if you want to save yourself some undue time and hassle, thus she frequently books such mini-retreats for herself and family at Beijing hotels.

“It’s very leisurely and normally the hotels are just within 30-minute drives from home,” she explains. “And if we happen to forget something important like a blanky, we can always go back and get it.” Michelle says she and her husband enjoy the nice rooms and the children always love the swimming pool. Best of all meals are served without mommy having to lift a finger, and after a sound night’s sleep the whole family can enjoy a beautiful, bountiful breakfast. “It’s always a treat!”

Check out more Family Travel Horror Stories in the next installment at the same time next week.

Need a break but don’t want to travel far from home? The Hilton Beijing Capital Airport offers Family Staycation packages where families can enjoy the hotel’s luxurious rooms, fitness center and pool, play area, restaurants, weekend brunches and fun group events. Call 6450 4827 (weekdays) and 156 1197 9131 (weekends) for reservations and more information. 

Photos: Joey Guo and courtesy of the families

Enjoy a getaway weekend from the home by taking the family to the following hotels and retreats around Beijing. 

Shan Li Retreats

Located about 100km away from Beijing, Shan Li Retreats offers serene countryside stays in beautifully-renovated traditional houses. There are five properties in total, all located near each other in Huangyankou Village: Poshang, Banpo, Qianjia, Shanjiaoxi, and Stone House.

The houses range in size from one to three bedrooms and feature courtyards, modern amenities, lots of natural light, and spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. The flagship house, Po Shang, has not one, but two gardens from which to admire nature.  Except for the Stone House, all of the properties have a living room, fireplace, coffee press or espresso maker, oven, stove, microwave, and barbecue.

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: It’s all about exploring nature at Shan Li; a 20-minute hike from the Stone House will take you to a set of Great Wall watchtowers, while Qianjia is located right next to a reservoir. There are several hiking trails around the properties, which are marked on Shan Li’s website.

EAST Beijing
Located in Dashanzi, EAST Beijing is one of the newer hotels in town. This Swire property is home to contemporary restaurant FEAST, Japanese restaurant Hagaki, cafe Domain, bar Xian, and health club BEAST. Though EAST Beijing is ideal for business travelers, its proximity to 798 Art District and Indigo Mall make it a family-friendly spot as well. The hotel doesn’t have any staycation packages per se, but is running a number of promotions throughout the summer. Good for: Art lovers

Valid period: All promotions valid until December 31 (except for the Upstairs Special, which is valid until August 31)

Promotions: The 3 Days Advance Purchase gets you a 15 percent discount on all rooms if you book at least three days in advance. The 14 Days Advance Purchase gets you a 25 percent discount on all rooms if you book at least 14 days in advance. The Stay and Save promotion offers a 25 discount percent to guests who stay at least two nights. An extra bed can be added for a child, but only for Corner Rooms and Park Studios at an extra charge of RMB 300 plus 15 percent surcharge.
The Upstairs Special allows you to upgrade to an executive floor room for RMB 200 per night. Benefits include free breakfast (including room service), all-day complimentary snacks and soft drinks in the lounge, happy hour (free snacks and drinks from 6pm to 8pm), a free mini-bar (excluding wine), use of a Nespresso coffee machine, daily turndown service, and Elemis toiletries.

Local attractions: EAST Beijing is located right next to Indigo Mall; the latter can be accessed through a door on the ground floor of the hotel. The mall tends to be quiet during the week and offers free weekend shuttle buses to various parts of Beijing. Dining options include Element Fresh, Blue Frog, Flamme, and Muse. There’s also a cinema on the top floor showing English-language movies. Further north, there’s 798 Art District and Caochangdi. Sign up for one of UCCA’s weekend children’s art workshops or drop by The Familier if you have younger kids. Teens and older kids might like exploring Caochangdi, 798’s grittier and less commercialized cousin. You can also head south to Lido for a stroll through Si’de Park.

Click here to get more staycation suggestions.

Photo courtesy of Shan Li and East Beijing.

This article originally appeared on p44-47 of the beijingkids August 2013 issue.

Check out the PDF version online at Issuu.com

Every summer, without fail, I have abandoned Beijing for greener pastures. When Reina was at the tender age of two, I began taking her abroad solo so that the two of us could have a longer holiday, since Savvy could not get as much leave from work to match our more flexible schedules. These trips have become a part of our family DNA, so when it became clear to Reina and I that we would not be going anywhere this summer due to the pending arrival of her twin siblings (5 weeks to go), I started to scramble to put together some ideas for a decent “staycation.”

Let’s be clear: staying home for a summer break is not going to rival a two-month trip abroad, even if much of those two months is simply hanging out with other families at home. My child loves flights – long flights. She likes airports, luggage carts, security checks, passport stamps, folding trays, compartmentalized meals, and window seats. Our goal was to simply to make the summer enjoyable and relatively affordable by staying home this season. That, and we didn’t want to raise the ire of Mama by abandoning her in her third trimester.

Though saving money was a goal this summer, we did splurge on a few local holidays. The first was a weekend trip with friends to The Commune by the Great Wall. It was great to get out of the city, into the mountains, and to go someplace with good friends (see my previous post on The Commune here).

The second was an overnight stay at our local Holiday Inn. Two days of swimming and a decent buffet breakfast were the order of the day and we saved money by booking on Savvy’s corporate rate. We’ve also done this before with hotels downtown, but we wanted to be within walking distance of home for this one. The overnight was fine, but Reina did complain about the hotel stay being too short.

The other area we splurged this summer was signing Reina up for a two-week summer camp that introduces swimming to the kids and includes a lot of other activities. This will be Reina’s first summer camp and several of her friends will be there too, so we are all hoping it will be a great experience.

For me, the real vacation feeling will start after the summer camp, when Reina and I will take a couple of weeks to do all of her favorite things in Beijing. We will be hitting the aquarium (and maybe the zoo if it’s not too hot), going to Family Box (another splurge), playing at Fundazzle, visiting friends, riding scooters in the park, and eating plenty of ice cream.

These are the kinds of things we do when we go home each summer, a few weeks ahead of Mama. It won’t be quite the same as flying to Oregon and trying to have fun while overcoming the jetlag, but we will make the best of it. Who knows? Maybe one afternoon, we will go hang out at Terminal 3 just for old times’ sake.

Photo by Seattle Municipal Archives via Flickr