SKYCLUB TRAVEL BLOG

Beijing is a diverse city that combines the traditional, modern, historic culture and growing development, into a city that is overflowing with interesting attractions and serving as a leading business destination. It knows how to charm and win the hearts of visitors with breath-taking photographic opportunities on one hand and innovative business prospects on the other.

Here are our top tips to ensure your business trip to the Forbidden City is as unique as the environment…

Transport

There are three major airlines who fly non-stop from the UK to Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK): British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Air China. All offer fully flat beds in Business Class, which you’ll need in order to arrive rested after a ten-hour flight. Your dedicated SkyClub consultant knows all the details to help determine which product would best suit you.

From the airport, it’s about 16 miles to central Beijing, and probably the best and easiest way to get there is by hotel shuttle. Most major hotels will have this service and we highly recommend it as English is not readily spoken. Or, if time is of the essence, opt for the airport transfer service which will provide you with a private English-speaking guide and driver. The guide will meet you at the exit of the airport and help you all the way to your hotel.

For getting around in the city, taxis are an easy, cost-efficient way to get you where you need to be. Beijing taxi drivers are honest and always use their meters so you don’t have to be concerned about getting ripped off. If you don’t speak Chinese, get your hotel to write down your destination and always carry the hotel’s card so you can get back home.

It is highly advisable not to travel around in Beijing during big national holidays where you will encounter masses of people. The three major public holidays are Chinese Spring Festival (later January or February), International Labour Day (May 1-7) and National Day (October 1-7).

Accommodation

It’s easy to find a hotel with all the comforts of home (standing toilets included). Beijing is full of well-known hotel chains and upscale boutique hotels that offer business travellers the best of both worlds.

Starwood Hotels is a good option as it boasts several outposts around the city. If you plan on spending a lot of time in the financial district, consider the Westin on Financial Street or, if you’ll be doing most of your business on the east side of town, there’s also a Westin Chaoyang location.

Another attractive choice is the St. Regis located in the city centre. All of these hotels have private meeting rooms you can book and rooms start at roughly £150 per night.

Shangri-La hotels are another popular option and are also spread out around town, or if you want to combine a little sightseeing with your business trip, The Peninsula Beijing is as close as you like to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, and features a Cartier store in the lobby!

Eating

The Chinese culture depends a lot on the concept of ‘saving face’ – a complex idea that depends on giving someone ‘face’ or losing ‘face’. This is why choosing the right eating establishment to take business associates is very important – it is a way to show respect. One way of doing this is to book a restaurant with a private room, which are in abundance in Beijing, though an extra charge may apply. It’s a good idea to check that a restaurant has an English menu or photos of the menu as it is the norm for the host to order for everyone, which will certainly ensure you ‘save face’.

When in Beijing, you have to try Peking Duck at least once, and Da Dong Roast Duck is famous for theirs, offering both English and Chinese menus as well as private rooms. But once you have duck on the palette you’ll want to try more, so Made In China At The Hyatt may want to be your next port of call. Widely considered Da Dong’s rival and with an open kitchen included in the restaurant, you’ll certainly be entertained by the cooking that takes place.

Din Tai Fung has a good mix of Chinese and Western food, offering a variety of dumplings and noodle dishes as well as specialty soups if you prefer to play it safe. If you’re after a meal with a view, Capital M offers terrace views of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City with food angled more towards European cuisine including crab tortellini and Catalan seafood stew.

Beijing is a city with great economic strength offering a wide range of products and industries to explore. So if you’re planning a business trip to Beijing in 2016, bring ample supply of business cards, revel in the fact that tipping is not expected (unlike in many other Asian countries), and remember that the real business is often conducted over a steaming bowl of dumplings and karaoke at the end of a trading day.