China Question

[Squidnation]

I need some help from you worldly travelers. I am going to China Feb 22 to March 2. I know Ponytail has been their. Anyone else been their that can offer some hotel advice or what to do. I will be on business for 3 days but also have 3 or 4 days to hunts cats and rats Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Surfergirl]

I have never been there but I have seen on the Travel Channel that they eat some strange things... so be careful what you order

[Double D]

Bill

I have been to Bejing and probably Shanghai soon.

What kind of help do you need?

SG is right about the food, you can get as adventurous as you want

D

[Squidnation]

I got lucky and got a free ticket using sky miles on a direct flight from newark. My meeting are less then 2km from Tianamin square. Any suggestions on hotels. I have been told that the Hotel Peninsula is very nice but not sure I need that high class. is the star system similar to it is hear. In other words if I stay at a two star am I sleeping with tomorrows dinner? Their are 2 and 3 star rooms I can get for $40 a night. And is it worth it to stay a 5 star? the Peninsula is a 5 star and I got a deal for $150 a night through a club I belong to. I think it is usally $220 a night.

[Glenn W]

Bill, you are going half way around the world to a not familar country and culture, and you are concerned over a few bucks a night?
$150 per night is cheaper than you would pay for a hole in the wall in any major US city.
Furthermore, it pays to stay in a first class hotel when on business, for several reasons.

[SheLuvs2Fish]

I'd stay at the nice place (esp for that price) . Better to stay 'up' than it is to get there and not be happy with your accomodations I'd think.

I'm going to be heading that way in the next few years (God willing) to pick up a daughter. Haven't decided which exact place just yet... We'll have to stay for a week+ so I'll probably starve to death as opposed to eating some of that mess.


Be safe and take some pics while there!,

[Double D]

Yes the star system is similiar, and yes I would definitely recommend the better hotels. I stayed in 4 and 5 star places(sorry I don't remember the names, it was 4 years ago) and it was great. Some of the guys I worked with stayed in lesser hotels and they were far from happy (dirty, noisy, etc).

Things to do: Tianemmen Sq, Great Wall were very interesting. Great Wall is a workout with steep climbs. Theres a cable car as well at Badaling, the hotels can set you up with a guided tour. Didn't get a chance to see the forbidden city, next time I will. The Chinese Opera was very interesting for about 15 minutes, unfortunately it lasts 3 hours Theres also a large aquarium, I was there to look at the cooling systems

In Bejing you will have a wide variety of food options, from american fast food to snakes, bugs and puppies. Sorry, don't know any lobster roll joints Peking Duck House is famous and the duck was excellent, but they also serve everything else except the bill.

Shopping is excellent too. They have a street market where you can buy knockoffs of anything if you want. We went to a 4 story marketplace where there were bargains on pearls, chinese artwork and furniture. Bargain hard for everything, they take dollars

English is fairly prevalent in the city, if you venture far into the countryside you will likely need an intrepreter

I can try to get some specific names of hotels and markets if you like. If I think of anything else I'll let you know

[Squidnation]

thanks - guess I stay in the high class joint. You know glenn some times I have found it to more adventuresome in South America to stay in the lower class joints. But I guess it helps to know the language. Not gonna happen on this trip

[Capt-D]

I got a deal for $150 a night through a club I belong to. I think it is usally $220 a night.

AARP?

-D

[Squidnation]

AARP?

-D

Oh thats some cold shit fatman. But I did get some good life insurance and a free denture cleaning through them