Ruth Lor Malloy |
More Reasons to Buy China Guide |
Pages 210-211 "WHERE TO STAY IN BEIJING
"There are plenty of hotel rooms except in late September and October.There are now more rooms available than three years ago and some hotels have lowered their published rates and offer breakfast as well. Some travel agencies like Hualong and American Express have special deals with some but not all hotels, huge discounts. So try several agents, and your chosen hotel itself, compare prices and even haggle,
"Most hotels now have direct telephone lines and a booth at Beijing airport's international arrivals terminal. Check those prices too. Many have airport shuttle buses, not all free.
Beijing has a lot of good hotels now. Below are those I recommend because of quality and location with a wide price range. They include cheaper and not-so-good ones for budget travelers. There are other notable hotels not mentioned for lack of space.
"The most luxurious and classy hotel with top services is the Beijing International Club Hotel. You pay a premium for exclusivity. The China World and Shangri-La are not quite as lavish, but they are also tops for service and quality. These are followed by the Kempinski, the Great Wall and Palace. This order will probably change as these hotels are redecorated and services upgraded. The late 1990's is a good time to visit as many hotels are being refurbished and buildings spiffed up because of China's fiftieth anniversary.
"The best of the four-star hotels are the Holiday Inn Lido, the Jianguo, Traders, and the Capital. Up and coming is the Harbour Plaza. The Song He is the best three-star hotel because of its central location and tolerable standards. There are better three- stars in the suburbs. The most popular for backpackers is the Jing Hua.
"Prices listed here are in US dollars or Chinese yuan (roughly US$1=8.2 yuan). These prices are subject to change, negotiations, a 10% to 15% surcharge and Y6 tax per bed per day. Some hotels have recently discounted 10%-60% off these published prices even during high tourist season but you might have to ask for it. Local telephone calls range from free to two yuan. Some hotels have in-room safes only in suites or executive floors; listed are those that have them in every room. "Hotels here are all international class except for the cheapest ones, with money exchange, credit card service, business centers, beauty salons, western coffee shop, and international direct dial. The top hotels can organize theme parties for groups: an imperial banquet hosted by the "emperor," or traditional Chinese folk celebrations: lion dances, acrobats, and magicians. The best sports facilities are at the Holiday Inn Lido, Movenpick, China World, and Kempinski. Because traffic jams downtown are endemic, we suggest you consider a hotel closest to the places you need to visit. "The following are roughly in order of price based on single rooms..."
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Pages 541 and 542
"Where to eat in Luoyang "This is a small provincial city so don't expect much. The best restaurant was behind the Friendship Hotels. The YA XIANG LOU restaurant there is at Anhui Road, no. 4, Tel. 4911993. Second floor. Good were curried beef, chicken with fruit (#2515), stir fried bean curd (#2536) Y18, and flat noodles Y16, and fried rice. Noodles are made by hand in the dining room.
"The GODDESS HOTEL restaurant (Luo Shen Da Jiudian) has excellent food with interesting spices. Parrots are painted on the ceiling and a grand piano is in the lobby bar. We liked the egg plant with fish flavor Y38; chicken with mushrooms Y32; sweet and sour pork Y36; dried soy bean string and stringed potatoes at Y15 each as appetizers. It is a 25-minute drive east of the Peony Plaza, and 15 km from the White Horse Temple.
"Food is good at the PEONY HOTEL above, where they have banana fritters. It isn't too bad at the NEW FRIENDSHIP HOTEL, 6 Xiyuan Road, Tel. 4913770 which takes credit cards but the crockery was chipped. The BAOYUAN HOTEL is a three star, close to the dam, too far from town for tourists, Tel. 6910918, Fax 6911328."
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page 147 Toilets
"You are out shopping. Nature calls. What do you do? The best is to head for the closest tourist hotel, barge in as if you were staying there, and use its facilities. Don't expect western toilets except in tourist hotels or on the well-beaten foreign tourist path. The Chinese toilet is the squatting kind over a hole in the ground. These are difficult for people with poor knees. There is usually no place to hang up purses. Toilets are best in your own hotel room.
"Some public toilets, especially those in less developed areas, stink unbearably. Foreigners could dab perfume or Tiger Balm under their noses. Sometimes it is better for people traveling by road to stop behind a bush to fertilize the fields. This is certainly better than sharing toilets with writhing maggots. In smaller communities you may find a container of earth or a bucket of water for covering or flushing but such is well off the tourist track."* * *
Pages 132-133 Saving Money
"Those who want to save money need more time, and shouldn't care about the highest available standards of cleanliness and comfort. The more expensive the hotel, the higher the cost of other services like laundry and food. Chinese-managed hotels with the same star ratings as joint ventures are usually cheaper...Avoid services offered by hotels, especially tempting room mini-bars. But ask your hotel about reconfirming or booking flights. They just might do it for free.
"All Holiday Inns discount 20% off the published rate for persons 65 years and over. It also gives 10% off food and beverages. Sheraton gives seniors' discounts, and cheaper room prices if booked in advance. Look into special hotel packages, especially in winter.
"At each hotel ask to look at the cheaper rooms. They could be all right. Reception clerks tend to think all foreigners want the top quality rooms. Rooms on the uppermost floors and with the best views are usually more expensive. Tell the clerk you're a student (if you have your card), or a foreign expert (even if you've just given one lecture). Ask if the hotel has CAA, AAA or seniors' discounts. Anything! Ask for the Sales Manager who is in a position to give the biggest discounts. Many hotels have dorms with up to 30 or 40 beds in a room for about Y35 a bed and up. Try hostels. Share rooms with friends, as most rooms cost the same for one or two guests.
"Hotels in big cities are more expensive, so stay away from the center of the city. Find a room in small town hotels and commute. Or take anything you can get for the first night, and then look around.
"On telephone calls home, ask your family to call you in your hotel room. Rates are cheaper from North America. Avoid hotel e- mail services. They're usually over Y100 an hour. Look for cyber cafes, or China Telecom offices where e-mail is cheaper. I've mentioned only the cheaper ones...
"Express buses are getting better -- almost like home. Avoid travel agents. If you have to use them, use travel agents associated with hotels that cater to backpackers. Their services are usually cheaper.
"Do not assume that the Chinese are giving you anything free. Always ask, "What is the charge?"
"Eat in bun or noodle shops or at market stalls. These cost less than hotel restaurants and some are clean. One backpacker spent two and a half months eating cheaply at market stalls and never got sick. But others aren't so lucky, so stick to well-cooked food and avoid tap water and raw vegetables.
China has a lot of food stores now with cheap, decent looking cooked foods on sale. I've taken paper bowls to China to be filled at street markets. No worries.
"Travel with Chinese friends. Avoid tourist restaurants. Invite one of the young people trying to practice English on you to take you to a restaurant where ordinary people eat...
"Some New World Hotels offer a "Hungry Hour" where for the price of one drink, you can eat all the snacks you want. It's a good deal...
"Travel during low tourist season. The south is pleasant in the wintertime.
"Backpackers should be able to manage on $20-$25 a day for a bed in a dorm, food, and local transportation...
"Ask your hotel service desk or CITS if there is a tour you can join. Try to round up other individual travelers to go with you on the same tour.
This lowers the rate you have to pay. If you are one or two people, this may be cheaper than taking taxis. But four people sharing a taxi might be cheaper than taking a bus tour...
"If laundry is too expensive, buy underwear and tee shirts, and dress shirts at street markets instead..."
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