Because I have to tell courts about my non-availability 6 months in advance, I have to plan holidays well ahead so it's now time to consider next summers holiday, which with the two remaining teenagers who want to join us, decided will be China... staying in Shanghai and Beijing for a week each.
Now, I am proper excited at this one as I've been aching to go to China most of my life, and though this won't quite be the trip I've long dreamt of (my dream is a 3 month guided tour around the major cities and historical sites) this 2-week trip will hopefully give both me a my wife a taster to whet our appetite to invest in a bigger exploration in the future. My plan is to stay centrally both cities, I'm not hiring a car and as a family we are all happy to use the subways. We are planning to do 3 days out and about as family in each location with guides and then leave the teens to decide whether they want to join us in other days or just "hang out" as 'tis the millennial phraseology!
SHANGHAI... Most likely redeeming Marriott points, there are lots of options here. The only one we can't choose is the JW at Tomorrow Sq as my wife has a thing about heights and that hotel starting at the 32nd floor would make her ill. An exec lounge is a must, teenagers love being able to pop in and out of it to get stuff, or just get out of each others way. We are planning to visit Yu Garden, the Bund and Shanghai Disney (teens still love the mouse!), but there must be much more to see. We are also planning to have a guide for a couple of days, can anyone recommend one?
BEIJING... In terms of location, this ones easier, the Cat3 Renaissance Wangfujing appears to be far better located than either the JW or the City Wall Marriott, so I think we will be staying there, but I'm happy to consider any other suggestions. We intend to visit the Great Wall so can anyone recommend a good day-visit wall tour from Beijing? Whilst in Beijing we would intend to visit the Forbidden Palace and Tianamen Sq, but does anyone have other suggestions? Again we intend to use a local private guide for a couple of days, can anyone recommend one?
SO, Summer in China... tell me everything you know
I recommend the Marriott Shanghai City Centre. It is located right next to Peoples Square. Easy walking on the pedestrian street for shopping and restaurants, and just walk a little further and you are at the Bund. Just around the corner from the hotel is the #2 subway line entrance. You can get to so many places from there. Download MetroMan app for your phone and you can get all the China (and lots of other countries) subway guides with point to point routing in English. The hotel has a great Executive lounge upstairs with a commanding view. I have stayed there a few times recently and the staff is top notch.
I only stayed one time in Beijing and I cannot recall which property it was at but I had my family with me for that one. My recommendation is to have the hotel arrange a Great Wall tour a little further outside the Beijing tourist spot of the wall. We had kilometers of the Wall to ourselves and a much better experience than being pressed shoulder to shoulder with all the other tourists.
China in the summer is a lot like South Florida in the summer, very humid and very hot if you have ever been there, you will know what I mean. If you have any China questions, just message me, I have going there for 24 years and spend about 18 - 20 weeks a year there now on business.