Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE Itineraries P1 / LUXE BEIJING Citi Prestige SM Beijing BEIJING IS A CAPITAL OF EXTREMES, A CITY FILLED WITH BOTH MING DYNASTY MASTERPIECES AND MODERN ARCHITECTURAL MARVELS, WITH A PAST STEEPED IN RICH HISTORY AND A PRESENT THAT’S ALL ABOUT BIGGER AND BETTER. It’s a striking contrast reflected in the city’s plethora of sights, from the narrow and winding hutong alleyways, ancient Summer Palace and Forbidden City, to the modern day soaring skyscrapers. The juxtaposition of old and new is also evident in the food, art, shopping and nightlife, and though the Chinese have long seen the city as the centre of the universe, now the rest of the world has finally turned its eye Beijing-ward. The cult pocket city guides and mobile apps for the busy, sophisticated traveler www.luxecityguides.com CITI PRESENTS LUXE CITY GUIDES
15
Embed
Beijing - Citibank Singapore · P1 / LUXE BEIJING Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE Itineraries Citi PrestigeSM Beijing BEIJING IS A CAPITAL OF
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE ItinerariesP1 / LUXE BEIJING
Citi PrestigeSM
Beijing
BEIJING IS A CAPITAL OF EXTREMES, A CITY FILLED WITH BOTH MING DYNASTY MASTERPIECES AND MODERN ARCHITECTURAL MARVELS, WITH A PAST STEEPED IN RICH HISTORY AND A PRESENT THAT’S ALL ABOUT BIGGER AND BETTER.
It’s a striking contrast reflected in the
city’s plethora of sights, from the narrow
and winding hutong alleyways, ancient
Summer Palace and Forbidden City, to
the modern day soaring skyscrapers.
The juxtaposition of old and new is also
evident in the food, art, shopping and
nightlife, and though the Chinese have
long seen the city as the centre of the
universe, now the rest of the world has
finally turned its eye Beijing-ward.
The cult pocket city guides and mobile
apps for the busy, sophisticated traveler
www.luxecityguides.comCITI PRESENTS LUXE CITY GUIDES
Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE ItinerariesP2 / LUXE BEIJING
Citi PrestigeSM
• Weather: spring (Apr-May) is
dry but pleasant with occasional
sandstorms; summer (Jun-mid Sep)
is like a moist oven; autumn (mid
Sep-Nov) is delightful; your fridge
will be warmer in winter (Dec-Mar).
• Beijing Capital airport to town: 45
mins / ~RMB 100.
• Take only taxis with 京 B (Beijing)
plates, or better yet, hire a car
and driver, but don’t expect to get
anywhere fast, especially during
rush hour.
• Beijing street names can often seem
meaningless, however, jie means
street, lu and dao are road, dajie is
avenue, xiang is alley, and hutong is
an alley around traditional courtyard
houses, or a cluster of such houses.
Blah blah• Many kitchens close early, so don’t
arrive too late.
• Do expect plenty of spitting and
staring.
• Avoid the use of public toilets, but
do carry tissues in the unfortunate
event that you’re horribly caught
short.
• Expect variable service in hotels and
restaurants.
• Credit cards will often NOT do nicely,
except in hotels, larger restaurants
and stores; have back-up cash even
if it says they take credit.
• ATMs have low transaction limits,
cash up when you can.
• Intl country code is +86 then 10
for Beijing, which doesn’t have to
be dialed locally nor for mobiles
(nation-wide).
• Emergency numbers are: 119 for fire,
120 for ambulance and 110 for police.
Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE ItinerariesP3 / LUXE BEIJING
Citi PrestigeSM
Belgian jeweller and interior designer
Jehanne has spent the past 20 years
in Beijing, where she lives and works
with her husband, international actor
and designer Liu Linian. Together, the
duo launched Liu+deBiolley, applying
their classic-eclectic aesthetic to their
work, which in addition to furniture and
jewellery design has included restorations
of Qing and Ming dynasty buildings as
well as the award-winning Duge Courtyard
boutique hotel.
LUXE INSIDER
Jehanne De Biolley JEWELLER AND INTERIOR DESIGNER
Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE ItinerariesP4 / LUXE BEIJING
Citi PrestigeSM
1) WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE MUSEUM OR EXHIBIT IN BEIJING AND WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT IT?
The gigantic stone turtles in the yards
of the Confucius Temple situated
near Lama Temple are superb; I love
wandering around this less-visited site.
The grand pine trees inspire respect
and admiration – and one of them is
home to an owl!
2) WHERE DO YOU TAKE VISITORS WHEN THEY COME TO VISIT YOU AND WHY?
Climbing up the tiny narrow staircase of
the Drum Tower is worth the effort for
the view over the entire city to the 3rd
ring – on a good day you will see as far
as the CCTV Tower.
3) WHERE DO YOU GO FOR A PAMPER SESSION (MASSAGE OR SPA TREATMENT) IN BEIJING?
For a massage my favorite is Bodhi.
Located in the Sanlitun area in Eastern
Central Beijing, it is the right place to
go if you have anything from an hour
to an entire day! A foot massage is
where you should start, where you’ll
have your feet soaked in an herbal mix
before the massage. They also offer
traditional Chinese body massages
and other relaxing treatments.
www.bodhi.com.cn
4) WHERE WOULD YOU GO FOR A COCKTAIL AND WHAT WOULD YOU ORDER?
My all time favorite cocktail is the
“Passionate Rosemary”, a delicate
blend of Earl Grey infused gin and
passion fruit, at Temple Restaurant
in the heart of Old Beijing, a stone’s
throw from the Forbidden City. The
bartenders compose unique cocktails
and pay homage to the surroundings
with infusions of Chinese spices and
hand-cut ice. And the restaurant
itself, located in Ming Dynasty temple
compounds, has exquisite fusion
cuisine popular with the fashion and
business elite.
www.temple-restaurant.com
5) WHERE DO YOU RECOMMEND FRIENDS STAY WHEN THEY COME TO BEIJING?
If you’re in Beijing for a romantic stay,
your best choice will be the Duge
Courtyard boutique hotel, a tiny jewel
with only 6 designer-furnished rooms
located in the old part of town off
Nanluoguxiang. If you’re visiting for
business, the traditional Raffles off of
Tiananmen Square or the St. Regis in
the embassy area will not disappoint.
The Opposite House in Sanlitun is a
good option for those who prefer to
keep close to the city landmarks.
www.dugecourtyard.com
www.raffles.com/beijing
www.stregis.com/beijing
www.theoppositehouse.com
LUXE INSIDER
Jehanne De Biolley JEWELLER AND INTERIOR DESIGNER
Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE ItinerariesP5 / LUXE BEIJING
Citi PrestigeSM
LUXE Loves
THE OPPOSITE HOUSE Hotel
Zen, minimalist designer stunner
furnished in a natural palette of white
and beige, with natural wood floors
and floor-to-ceiling windows. Add
spa-like bathrooms, oak tubs, indoor
pool and modern Asian Bei restaurant,
Mediterranean Sureno, and cool
contemporary Mesh bar, and it’s easy
to see why the hotel is so popular with
the international style set.
TRB
Dining
Set on the grounds of a beautiful
six-century-old Ming temple complex,
with former Maison Boulud general
manager Ignace Lecleir at the helm,
and decadent, modern European
fare on the menu, this fine dining
restaurant is the perfect choice
for an old-meets-new,
East-meets-West experience.
HAIDILAO Dining
This wildly popular chain has 64
locations all over China, and for good
reason – the scrumptious, Sichuan hot
pot is a national treasure, with its fiery
chili flavors and hand-pulled noodles
available 24/7. Go at an off peak hour
to avoid queues.
The Village / 11 Sanlitun Bei Lu /
Sanlitun / Chaoyang /
+86 10 6417 6688
www.theoppositehouse.coml
Songzhusi Temple / 23 Shatan Bei
Jie / Dongcheng / +86 10 8400 2232
/ lunch Mon-Fri, dinner Mon-Sat and
weekend brunch
www.temple-restaurant.com
2A Baijiazhuang Lu / Chaoyang
/+65 6595 2982 / + branches
www.haidilao.com
Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE ItinerariesP6 / LUXE BEIJING
Citi PrestigeSM
LUXE Loves
THE PENINSULA SPA Spa
With signature holistic therapies
drawing from Ayurvedic, Oriental and
European philosophies, this serene
haven also has couples’ suites, gym
and pool access, and thermal suites
for steamy or cool hydro relaxation.
AMAN AT SUMMER PALACE
Hotel
Retreat like royalty to this historic
hotel, set in the cooking quarters
of Empress Cixi’s former summer
home on the city’s outskirts. The
lavish suites are housed in a series of
pavilions surrounding a courtyard, and
there’s a lush spa and pool too.
ULLENS CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY ART Activities
This non-profit, contemporary art
space in China is spread over 26,000
sq ft formerly occupied by a factory
compound, and is now home to some
of the best curated exhibitions in
China, showcasing both established
and emerging, international and
domestic talents.
8 Goldfish Lane / Wangfujing /
Dongcheng / +86 10 6510 6090
www.peninsula.com
1 Gongmenqian Jie / Summer Palace /
Haidian / +86 10 5987 9999
www.aman.com4 Jiuxianqiao Lu / Dashanzi /
Chaoyang / +86 10 5780 0200
www.ucca.org.cn
NANLUOGUXIANG
Shopping
Thanks to gentrification, this former
dusty, drab hutong has transformed into
an alley of junky to hip boutiques, cafés
and bars. It may be a tad touristy, but
it’s really all about the atmosphere and
well worth a trip for unique souvenirs.
Start at the gate at Nanluoguxiang
south entrance at Ping’an DaDao.
APOTHECARY Bar
This dimly lit woody saloon serves
up artisanal potions made using
homemade liquors, bitters and salts
alongside a comfort American snack
menu. The cocktail list is almost as
long as the Great Wall, but you can’t go
wrong with their signature Bell Pepper
Tequila Sour.
BRAND NEW CHINA (BNC) Shopping
Opened by the daughter of Mao’s
English teacher and translator, this hip,
fashion-forward store stocks emerging
labels and indie designers from greater
China, and is a great place to familiarize
yourself with local names like Hi Panda,
NLGX and Fan Ran, or stock up on
unique pieces.
3/F / Nali Patio / 81 Sanlitun
Bei Lu / Chaoyang /
+86 10 5208 6040
NLG-09A / B/1 Sanlitun Village
North / 11 Sanlitun Bei Lu /
Chaoyang / +86 10 6416 9045
Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE ItinerariesP7 / LUXE BEIJING
Citi PrestigeSM
LUXE LovesDUCK DE CHINE Dining
Nestled within the dining and
entertainment complex 1949 Hidden
City, Duck de Chine serves up the
city’s best Peking Duck in a high-
design, sleek and chic environment on
the grounds of a traditional siheyuan
courtyard. The mostly fowl-oriented
menu also features duck confit and
even duck tacos, or come between
11.30am and 2.30pm and you can try
the excellent dim sum.
LONG ISLAND SPA
Spa
Getting a foot reflexology treatment
is an experience true to Beijing, and
nowhere better than at this pristine,
low-lit Thai-inspired spa with its
simple and effective foot rubs. For the
ultimate foot pampering try the Thai
High Barrel Foot Spa incorporating
heat and herbal oils, or check out the
comprehensive Chinese Therapeutic
Treatment menu for full body and
facial rituals.
PAN JIA YUAN FLEA MARKET Shopping
Having a rummage in this giant weekend
flea market is great fun. You’ll find
everything here: pins, shoes, posters,
scrolls, snuff boxes, Mao-morabilia,
porcelain, stone, bronze, wood, antiques
and fauxtiques, but get there early, have
plenty of cash (no credit cards) and
remember to haggle hard!
1949 Hidden City / 98 Jinbao Jie /
Dongcheng / +86 10 6521 2221
B/F / Jiahui Center / 6 Jiqing Li /
Chaoyang / +86 10 6551 6112
www.longislandspa.com.cn
Panjiayuan Wiao / Chaoyang /
sunrise – 3pm Sat-Sun
HIAS GOURMET
Activities
Eat your way around town, whether
it’s breakfast at a Chinese farmers
market, a hutong tour, a night market
stroll or a tea tasting safari that suits
your fancy. There are also cooking
classes for regional and traditional
tastes, so you can take
the flavors home.
7 Xinsi Hutong / Dongcheng / +86
10 6400 9199 / bookings essential
www.hiasgourmet.com
Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE ItinerariesP8 / LUXE BEIJING
Citi PrestigeSM
LUXE LoathesPOLLUTION
We’ve forgotten what a blue sky
looks like.
CARS
Monstrous traffic, and over 1,000 new
cars on the roads every day.
THE MURSE
Beijing man is obsessed with
his manbag.
BEIJING BELLY
Beijing man is also obsessed with his
summer crop top.
Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE ItinerariesP9 / LUXE BEIJING