Beijing Travel Forum

My husband and I will be traveling on business for 2 weeks to Beijing in the very near future. Can anyone help us with the following questions?

What five star hotels would you recommend?

Which hotel has the most westernized conveniences? i.e. king size bed for a very tall man, and showers in lieu of bathtub only?

Do we really need to be concerned about the water in the hotels and even just using tap water to brush your teeth?

What would be appropriate business attire for both of us to wear while visiting Beijing factories and businesses?

We were told that since being guests in the country, it would be a nice gesture to bring small gifts for those we meet. It was suggested that it be something made in our own country or hometown. I don't know if anyone remembers playing with "Slinky's" made from wire as kids. They are made near our home. They have probably never seem them, and might find them fascinating and funny. Would that be a good idea? Or, what about canisters of Play-Doh?

I discovered a link that helps you learn Chinese words and general greetings. You can even play the words to practice the tones. We will have an interpreter with us, but wouldn't it make a better impression if we did our homework and studied some basics?

My husband is far too busy to do the research on all this before we leave, so I have been commissioned to be his personal travel assistant and researcher!

I have found this site very helpful and just became a member today.

All answers and any suggestions will be appreciated.

Sincerely, Deb

Hi Deb,

cant give you any recommendations on nice 5 star hotels, but an insiders tip. We went to Beijing last Spring and stayed at a really nice downtown hotel. We were a group of about 15 Germans and none of us complained (quiet and clean). Of course it was not Western Standard but it was ok for 2 nights. If you are interested at all I could send you the name (would have to look it up in some documents hidden in my drawer) and could also send some photos of the hotel.
Regarding drinking water I would recommend to buy bottled water for drinking pruposes and also for brushing your teeth (water is really cheap there)
Regarding business attire I would say that a typical Suit and Tie is the right thing to do for men. For women I am not so sure.

Best regards,
Chris

Hi deb,
stay in a hotel close to wang fu jing road. i stayed in crowne plaza hotel and the location is very strategic. the chinese are very fashion conscious. they are one of the best dressed. If its business, you should wear business attires for you to command better respect. you can use water for almost anything except for drinking just to be safe. they have lots of bottled water there so you wont have any problems. giving them play-doh or a slinky has the same effect as us giving you a candy bar when we visit. i think it would be better if you give them a gift that is a representative of your culture like handicrafts.

ni hao = hello or hi
ni hao ma? = how are you?
hen hao = very good
xie xie = thank you or thanks
po ka chi = welcome (not the exact pinyin spelling but thats how it is pronounced)
tuy pu tsi = sorry
do siao tien? = how much is it?

Enjoy China. since you're going to Beijing, it would be great if you could drop by the great wall. good luck.

With so many questions, it's good to number them in future.

1. Most 5 stars hotels meet your standards....so it depends on the nature
of business you are going to be doing. If it is computer, you want to stay
near the computer district area...where Hilton etc.. is located. I've
always like the Shangri-la range of hotels in Beijing, from China World to Traders' (note : traders' is a 4 star, std rooms are quite small, but service at the hotel is very good). They are also located near the world trade centre.
Near the subway as well.

2. If you are planning for tour and shopping , any hotels @WanFuJing is good.

3. No drinking from any tap, well, drain, river or water fall directly in CHINA! Get mineral water/bottled water. I've no qualms about boiled tap water though....but a lot depends of you. I've friends who even brushed their teeth with bottled water...I think that's quite extreme. I only do that on train rides as the water on the train is highly contaminated. But hey..washing hands, our bodies and face with any kind of water shouldn't be a problem.

4. Suits for all business visits/meetings. Also buy your counterparts meals...many business deals are clinched over a banquet...It's also a good gesture to build what is known as 'relationships' in China.

5. Gifts - yes, if you want to. Gifts are also seen as 'asking for favours in return'. But yes...gifts at appropriate occassions are necessary.

6. Play Dohs for children you mean? Remember to tell them not to eat it.

7. Yes...speaking some local language is always a good thing in Asia!

8. No huggings and kissing when meeting people in Asia. Handshakes or a slight bow are best. (not those 45 degrees bows of the Japanese, just tilt your head humbly esp. for ladies, most men now shake hands with each other. Old men on the streets don't shake hand...I usu just bow and say 'hi, uncle, how are you?') - Da Shu (Big uncle), ni hao (you good?). Da Ma (Auntie, for older women) and Ye-Ye (Grandpa) Nai - Nai (for grandma). Of course for business counterparts, we don't use such addressing. (smile).


Have a good trip.

Here are the answers to your questions:

There are only 2 hotels in Beijing that you should consider; both are Shangri-La.
The Traders Hotel and the Kerry Centre Hotel. Traders Hotel has the most westernized conveniences including an American style breakfast buffet. Kerry Center Hotel hosted 2 NBA teams during last year's exhibition game in Beijing between Sacramento and Houston, so king size beds are no problem there as well.
Brush your teeth with the boiled water supplied by the hotel.
Appropriate business attire for visiting factories and business offices is the same as in western countries.
Slinky's and Play Doh are inappropriate small gifts unless your company's business involves their distribution. Picture books of Michigan for VIPS and chocolate covered cherries or Michigan postcard sets for everybody else.
Master basic Chinese greetings and some simple practical words, but don't try to go overboard. Thank you, excuse me, and "I like Beijing" should top your list of phrases to learn. If you and your company don't have Mandarin names already then consider getting advice on what sounds best to Chinese ears in Beijing.
Your simple greetings and Chinese name will be sufficient to make a good impression on your Chinese hosts.

I can only answer some of your questions, but I hope it helps.

Don't drink the tap water! Even in hotels.

Gifts are a good idea, but I think you need to think a bit classier! A slinky might be okay, but Play-Doh wouldn't be. Books with lots of pictures and little text are generaly reccommended. I'm from Western Michigan, so I brought a calendar of lighthouses from the Great Lakes (which, by the way, educated Chinese people will know if you describe them as "the five big lakes"), which was appreciated. I've been told that presentation is important, so gift sets or boxed items are good.

Learning the language definetly helps! I reccommend learning the numbers, because its a lot easier to shop (except in the department stores, bargain on EVERYTHING) and vendors seemed to be more willing to bargain with me using Chinese than English--even if you end up in English, if you start in Chinese it helps. In Beijing, there is a big foreigner mark-up, so try to bargain items down to somewhere around 1/2 the original price. My personal favorite shopping locations in Beijing in Qianmen for cheap stuff and Liulichang for more expensive items (find more specific information on these in a guide book).

Have fun!