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The ancient city of Beijing is a true example of a city that has stood the test of time through war, invasion by warlords and foreign powers, devastating fire and changing political ideologies, a thoroughly modern and confident city has emerged that bears testimony to it's illustrious past. To keep up with its growing importance in Asia, many fine five star Beijing hotels have recently been built. These offer both corporate and leisure visitors, luxurious accommodation, fine dining and modern high tech facilities, on a par with the best the world has to offer.
Established more than 3000 years ago Beijing is situated in northern China and is one of the best preserved and most famous of China's four ancient cities. It is also know as "The Cradle of Mankind" as archeologists have unearthed evidence proving that man's earliest ancestors inhabited the area more that 500 000 years ago.
For many centuries Beijing was ruled by Emperors from dynasties with romantic sounding names like Ming and Qing. It was the centre of politics and trade but it wasn't until 1949 that the People's Republic of China was founded, with Beijing as the capital city. Today, the modern city is the nation's political, cultural and economic hub and the most important city for international trade and communications, playing a pivotal role as one of the leading cities on the Asian continent.
The many centuries of Beijing's history are reflected in some of the most magnificent and poignant ancient temples and diverse architectural styles to be seen anywhere in the world. No visit to Beijing is complete without a visit to The Forbidden City, the ancient Chinese Imperial Palace from the Ming dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty. It now houses the Palace Museum with an extensive collection of artifacts and artwork and gives insight to the illustrious era of emperors long gone.
Tiananmen Square, the largest city square in the world, is a symbol to the whole of China as it reflects the changing political landscape of the country. Other icons of ancient Chinese heritage seeped in cultural significance are the Temple of Heaven and The White Pagoda Temple with its dozen jingling bells atop its gold covered roof.
The Great Wall of China, built to keep the marauding bandits out and the Chinese citizens in, is but a short drive away and easily accessed by public transport or by making use of the limousine and taxi services provided by five star hotels. The best time to visit Beijing is the autumn months of September and October when the skies are blue and the air cool, after the intense heat and humidity of summer and before the cold, icy weather drives in from the north. The thousands of maples with their dazzling red leaves against the golden rays of the sun are a sight not to be missed.
Shopping is another favorite pastime of the many visitors to Beijing. Many of five star hotels are conveniently situated for easy access to the historic shopping alleys where haute couture, accessories and jewelry along with Chinese handcrafts, antiques, calligraphy, carpets, silk fabrics and pearls are for sale.
With exotic sounding names like Silk Alley, Friendship store and Wangfujing shopping district, no shopping aficionado can resist indulging in their favorite pastime. Some five star hotels, for example, The Peninsular Hotel, have several floors dedicated to shopping with their own shopping arcades which offer the best selection of luxury brands.
Many different facets of Chinese culture are reflected in the diverse architecture of five star Beijing hotels from the French colonnade exterior of the Raffles Hotel to the modern aquamarine glass and chrome of the Ritz-Carlton.
Other hotels, though superbly modern, subtlety blend ancient Chinese heritage with 21st century functional and dynamic architecture. The lobbies and entrances are elegant and spacious and vary from the grand, opulent white marble lobby of the St Regis to a mix of warm earthy colours, sofas and artifacts which fuse together elements of both ancient and modern Chinese life.
Not only are luxury hotels perfectly situated to allow guests easy access to shopping precincts and cultural icons, some are also situated in the heart of the economic and business districts of the city making five star Beijing hotels the first choice for corporate guests.
These hotels provide exceptional 24 hour business services with conference and meeting rooms that elegantly combine luxury with state of the art high tech facilities. These include built in screens, broadband and wireless internet and video conference facilities, computers, scan, fax and copier machines. Exhibition space, banqueting halls and ballrooms are all available as and when required.
Guest rooms and suites are creatively and tastefully decorated. Some include antique styled Chinese furniture, gilded wall paper and modern artworks while others are decorated combining earthy tones with dark wooden furniture, soft sofas, and comfortable chairs. The king-sized beds are dressed in crisp white line with soft down pillows which epitomize the luxury for which these five star hotels are so well known.
Rooms are air conditioned with self-adjustable temperature settings and contain a mini-bar, tea and coffee maker, refrigerator, in-room safe, cable and satellite television and DVD/VCR. With the corporate guest in mind, many technical appliances including a cordless telephone, high-speed internet access and computer and fax connections have been included to ensure visitors remain connected at all times.
The white marble bathrooms are spacious and offer the ultimate in luxury encouraging quests to relax and unwind. Separate shower and toilet cubicles, deep baths with signature bath essentials, soft terry robes and slippers, hairdryer and scale are part of what make these bathrooms a special experience.
Five star hotels Beijing offer some of the finest dining to be had anywhere in China. Fabulous multi-award winning restaurants, some decorated in historic Chinese themes, others stylish and elegant, combine exceptional service and a fusion of east meets west cuisine that will satisfy the most sophisticated gastronome.
A variety of culinary styles including southern Chinese, Cantonese, French, Italian and Asian, as well as the finest steaks in Beijing will satisfy the most discerning palate. Guests in search of casual dining will not be disappointed with the new all day dining concept with alfresco seating and buffets and tea venues with elegant afternoon teas. After diner revelers can enjoy cocktail bars, cigar lounges and live entertainment throughout the evening.
There is no need for visitors to five star Beijing hotels to renege on their health and fitness regimes as all hotels offer Wellness and Lifestyle clubs with fully equipped modern gyms, Jacuzzis, steam and sauna rooms, indoor and outdoor swimming pools and yoga, aerobic and dance classes. The sport enthusiast, too, is well catered for with indoor and outdoor tennis courts, golf courses, driving range and a bowling alley.
One of the highlights for guests is to pamper oneself in one of the amazing hotel Spas which provide beauty and stress relieving treatments, massages, aromatherapy and nutrient wraps. Here guests can unwind and de-stress while enjoying the lavish spa treatments in private rooms and relaxation lounges.
The renowned natural hot spring water Spa at the St. Regis draws its water from a mile underground and is amongst the best of its type in the world. These mineral rich waters are rejuvenating and exhilarating and leave visitors ready to face the challenges of the frenetic modern world.
Beijing, with its stunning blend of ultra modern architecture with old world heritage, and five star hotels that reflect the dynamic facets of Chinese life, is a city just waiting to be explored. These fine hotels provide an interface for first class accommodation, immaculate service, fine dining and state of the art amenities and facilities for both the corporate and leisure traveler. This is a destination that will prove irresistible to a broad spectrum of visitors and have them returning again and again.
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