Grace Beijing – a boutique retreat in 798 Art District

Grace Beijing is an iconic boutique hotel situated in the 798 Art District, which is originally a group of military factory buildings, and now turned into a thriving fashion and art center, as well as one of Beijing’s most popular tourist attractions. Grace Beijing itself is a sample of art works. It is a perfect combination of traditional and modern design.


(The service desk of the hotel, see the large painting behind)

Grace Beijing was run under the name of Yi house before acquired by Grace Group. Later a bistro was called Yi house to honor its origin. Grace Beijing has 30 rooms altogether, from Artist Studios to Grace Suites, all of which embody elegance and luxury.


(artist works can be found in every corner of the retreat, discover and enjoy them!)

The hotel team is devoted to helping all guests to have a unique and extraordinary experience here, by offering various options. You can even pick your own pillow! Just remember to book in advance. There is a great rang of breakfast served in Yi House as you wish, beverage there includes coffee, tea, Champagne, smoothies, juices and so on. The gym is a place to relax and have fun.


(One of the bedroom of the retreat, more than comfortable)

Won’t it be marvelous to stay in Grace Beijing? Here, you can experience a serene and comfortable atmosphere, escaping from the busy city life. Just linger in the amazing galleries or bookshops in the 798 Art District Beijing. You surely can not get more pleasure than savoring the fabulous works by artists.


(At the corner of the restaurant)

Amazing Fangweng Restaurant above Yangtze River

Wanna to enjoy a unforgettable dining experience in a “unusual” restaurant? Situated against the cliffside of Xiling Mountain along Yangtze River, there is a unique cave restaurant, called Fangweng Restaurant. So amazing, cave is a most interesting locations to place a restaurant. The memory of your dining here will linger long after you’ve returned home.

Fangweng Restaurant along the side of a cliff above Yangtze River

Fangweng Restaurant gets its name from Lu You, a great poet from Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279). It is said that he had brewed tea in a cave on the mountainside. In early 1980s, Fangweng Restaurant has been fastened to the cliff, and built into the cave.

A natural cave has been transformed into a lobby of the restaurant.

Now, walk into the restaurant and down the steps, one will come to a natural “cave lobby”. Rightward, a 30-meter-long plank road has been built along the cliffside. It leads to a another natural cave, which has been transformed into a dining hall. Seen from within, it looks larger. Warm lighting from the ceiling lends a golden yellow glow throughout. Dimly lit and Chinese-style furnishings blend in with its surroundings. Part of the dining hall hangs out of the cave, where some dining tables are placed. This is a place sitting high in the air, where the flowing waters can be watched from above.

A 30-meter-long plank road along the cliffside leads to the dining hall of the restaurant.

Seen from within,the cave restaurant looks wide and bright.

Part of the dining hall hangs out of the cave, sitting high in the air.

Dining in such a cave restaurant would be a unique experience. Customers can taste distinctive regional cuisine and enjoy sweeping views of the Yangtze River, all in one. It is more about the overall experience that the food itself, something truly different. Also, watching live bungee jumpers across the river add more excitement.

Starwood skis into China’s Changbaishan

Get ready to infuse the long winter months with excitement! Tourists from home and abroad have an exciting new option for a China winter trip. On July 29,2012, Starwood Hotels & Resorts opened the doors of its first dual-branded ski resort complex,the Westin Changbaishan and Sheraton Changbaishan,in China.

Starwood dual-branded ski resort

The Starwood resort complex are adjacent to the slopes of the Changbaishan International Resort in the northeast China’s Changbai mountain range. The ski area  features 43 ski lanes and cable cover of up to 7.1km, accommodating 8,000 skiers; and, skiers have access to both downhill and cross-country trails.

The Westin Changbaishan and Sheraton Changbaishan resorts offers more than 37,000 square feet of function, including a 13,362 square-foot ballroom.. There are six food and beverage outlets, heated indoor swimming pools and fitness centres. The two Starwood Resorts are joined by a bridge so guests can easily access either hotel. They will enjoy world-class amenities set against the backdrop of one of China’s most visually stunning mountain ranges.

Changbaishan is home to a UNESCO-listed nature reserve, alpine lakes and hot springs.Guests will enjoy downhill skiing on trails surrounded by unspoiled pine forests, as well as ice skating and ice fishing.

Chinese Lunar Year of the Snake 2013

Chinese Lunar New Year arrives on Feb. 10 this year, bringing with it a new animal – the snake. In Chinese calendar, each year is dedicated to a specific animal. The 12-year cycle of animals are, in order, the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. They appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. In 2013, the Snake is welcomed back after the 2012 year of the Dragon.

The Year of the Snake 2013

Chinese Zodiac

The snake is the sixth sign of the Chinese zodiacs. Six is a lucky number in Chinese culture, and “double six brings good luck” is a popular watchword in China. According to the Chinese zodiac, the Year of the Snake represents wealth, flexibility and wisdom. It means, the Year of the Snake will be a year of smooth sailing.

Swim in the sky-high hotel pool in Shanghai

Recently, the Holiday Inn Shanghai Pudong Kangqiao made waves with its swimming pool, perched atop the 24-story building.Impressively, part of the indoor pool hangs out past the building’s edge, and is constructed with a glass bottom.Hotel guests describe a delirious sense of swimming in the sky – like flying.

Sky-high swimming pool in shanghai

Exactly 30 meters long (about 98 feet), six meters wide (20 feet) and 1.5 meters deep (5 feet), the swimming pool is the first of its kind in China. Swimming in such a radical pool, with just a glass pane between you and a 24-story drop, is really an exciting experience.

glass-bottom swimming pool in shanghai

No doubt the swimming pool has exceptional views, from the inside and outside. The glass-bottom section allows swimmers to see the street below, and conversely, people on the street can look up and watch the swimmers. While not splashing in the water, guests can enjoy Pudong urban views stretching as far as the Lujiazui skyline at the poolside lounge.

Spring Festival travel rush 2013

he Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year, is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. For Chinese people, it is a time for family reunion, just like the Christmas in the West. Tens of millions of people travel to their family homes, after living away from hometown for a full year. In 2013, the festival falls on Feburary 10, which means the holiday travel period will probably span from Jan. 26 to March 6. The 40-day period is called "Chunyun" (春运), literally "transportation during Spring Festival", known as the world’s largest annual migration.

Spring Festival travel rush in China

A record 3.41 billion trips are expected to be made during the 40-day travel rush. It’s as if half of the entire population of the world have decided to hit the road. Obviously, the travel rush is set to strain the capacity of China’s transport system, especially the railway. This year, China’s railways are expecting 225 million passenger trips, ten million more than last year.

During this year’s travel season, high speed rail has proven to be a very popular option. The Beijing-Guangzhou high-speed railway, the world’s longest, opened on Dec. 26, cutting the travel time to about 8 hours from the current 20-odd hours by traditional lines. The new line gives passengers more choices for transportation, and relieves the pressure on the Spring Festival travel rush.

China’s high-speed railway network

The Beijing-Guangzhou high-speed railway is one of four north-south lines expected to serve as a backbone for the country’s high-speed railway network, which also features four east-west lines. The four north-east railways will connect Beijing with metropolises like Shanghai and Guangzhou as well as the northeastern cities of Shenyang, Harbin and Dalian. They will also link southeastern coastal cities such as Hangzhou, Fuzhou and Shenzhen. The east-west lines will bridge the Beijing-Guangzhou and Beijing-Shanghai high-speed routes and extend the network to western cities like Xi’an, Lanzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing and Kunming.