Hotels are part of the trip we run. For each city, these are the areas we put people in and why; tell us your dates and budget and we book the hotel direct, with no commission from the hotel and no booking fee.
| Area | Why we put travellers here |
|---|---|
| Dongcheng, around the Drum Tower hutongs | Courtyard hotels in the lanes; quiet at night, 20 minutes on foot to the Forbidden City. |
| Wangfujing / Dongdan | Big international hotels, metro on the doorstep, walk to the palace. |
| Sanlitun | Restaurants and bars, newer rooms, taxi to the sights. |
Eat: Peking duck, carved at the table (we book the restaurant) · Zhajiangmian noodles in a hutong courtyard
| Area | Why we put travellers here |
|---|---|
| The Bund / Nanjing East Road | Historic hotels on the river, the view from the room, crowds outside. |
| Former French Concession | Boutique hotels in villas and lane houses; the city's best walking and coffee. |
| Pudong (Lujiazui) | Tower hotels with the skyline; a ferry or metro to everything else. |
Eat: Xiaolongbao and sheng jian bao where office workers queue · Hairy crab in autumn
| Area | Why we put travellers here |
|---|---|
| Inside the city wall, near the Bell Tower | Walk to the Muslim Quarter and the wall; metro to the museum. |
| South Gate area | Quieter, good for the wall at sunset and the Shuyuanmen lanes. |
| Qujiang / Big Wild Goose Pagoda | Newer hotels, park and lakes, Tang-themed evenings. |
Eat: Roujiamo, biangbiang noodles and lamb paomo · Muslim Quarter skewers and persimmon cakes
| Area | Why we put travellers here |
|---|---|
| Jinjiang / Chunxi Road | Central, metro to the pandas, walk to the tea houses. |
| Kuanzhai Alleys / Qingyang | Boutique courtyard hotels near People's Park. |
| Near the panda base (Chenghua) | For an early panda start; taxi to the centre. |
Eat: Hotpot with a split pot and the sauce bar explained · Mapo tofu and kung pao chicken the real way
| Area | Why we put travellers here |
|---|---|
| Jiefangbei, Yuzhong peninsula | Everything on foot; noisy, central, right. |
| Nanbin Road, south bank | Skyline from the room, one cableway from the centre. |
| Guanyinqiao, Jiangbei | Street food and bars; direct metro from the airport. |
Eat: Nine-grid hotpot ordered properly · Xiaomian for breakfast
| Area | Why we put travellers here |
|---|---|
| Yangshuo West Street area | Lively, walkable, river and bike lanes out the door. |
| Yangshuo countryside (Yulong River) | Boutique guesthouses among the peaks; quiet, car or bike to town. |
| Xingping | Sleep by the Li River for the sunrise rafts. |
Eat: Guilin rice noodles for breakfast · Beer fish in Yangshuo
| Area | Why we put travellers here |
|---|---|
| West Lake, north shore | Walk to Broken Bridge and the causeways. |
| Longjing / tea hills | Boutique stays among the tea fields; taxi to the lake. |
| Hangzhou East station area | Only if you are passing through. |
Eat: West Lake fish, Dongpo pork, shrimp with Longjing tea · Tea-field lunches in Longjing
| Area | Why we put travellers here |
|---|---|
| Pingjiang Road / old town | Canal-side boutique hotels, gardens on foot. |
| Jinji Lake (SIP) | Modern towers and malls; metro to the old town. |
Eat: Suzhou-style noodles at a classic shop · Sweet Suzhou pastries
| Area | Why we put travellers here |
|---|---|
| On the summit (Beihai / Xihai hotels) | For sunrise; book early, pay for the view. |
| Tangkou | The base town; simple hotels, early starts. |
| Hongcun village | Guesthouses in old Hui houses; stay a night after the day visitors leave. |
Eat: Hui cuisine: stinky mandarin fish, hairy tofu · Village lunches in Hongcun
| Area | Why we put travellers here |
|---|---|
| Wulingyuan town | At the park gate for an early entry. |
| Zhangjiajie city | For Tianmen Mountain; 40 minutes from the park. |
| Inside the park (Yuanjiajie guesthouses) | Basic, but you wake up among the pillars. |
Eat: Tujia sour-and-spicy dishes · Summit lunches (simple; we bring snacks)
| Area | Why we put travellers here |
|---|---|
| Lijiang old town | Naxi courtyard inns; noisy near Sifang Square, quiet on the upper lanes. |
| Shuhe village | Quieter old town, 15 minutes by taxi. |
| Baisha | Village stays under the snow mountain. |
Eat: Naxi dishes in Baisha · Yunnan mushrooms in season
| Area | Why we put travellers here |
|---|---|
| Central Street (Daoli) | Walk to the cathedral and the river; warm rooms matter. |
| Songbei, near Ice and Snow World | For a second evening at the ice. |
Eat: Dumplings on Central Street · Harbin sausage and Modern Hotel ice cream, outdoors at minus twenty
| Area | Why we put travellers here |
|---|---|
| Shamian Island / Liwan | Colonial villas, dim sum on the doorstep. |
| Zhujiang New Town (Tianhe) | Towers, malls, Canton Tower views. |
Eat: Dim sum breakfast with the tea rules · Roast goose and double-skin milk pudding