By James Shillinglaw
It wasn’t quite the sight I would have expected. Heavy wet snow was falling on Beijing as we walked along Chang’An Avenue, the main boulevard that leads to the famed Tiananmen Square and the entrance gate to the Forbidden City. This ancient complex of palaces, courtyards, gates and gardens, perhaps Beijing’s greatest attraction, was turned into a winter wonderland that seemed to surprise even the city’s residents.
After nearly 20 years in travel,
By James Shillinglaw
It wasn’t quite the sight I would have expected. Heavy wet snow was falling on Beijing as we walked along Chang’An Avenue, the main boulevard that leads to the famed Tiananmen Square and the entrance gate to the Forbidden City. This ancient complex of palaces, courtyards, gates and gardens, perhaps Beijing’s greatest attraction, was turned into a winter wonderland that seemed to surprise even the city’s residents.
After nearly 20 years in travel, this is my first time to China. For me, the country has always been a fascinating place and one that I’ve wanted to visit for some time. My father was briefly stationed here just after the Second World War as a very young officer in the U.S. Navy. As a child in the 1960s, I grew up hearing about “Red” China and Mao’s “Little Red Book.”
I watched as Nixon visited China back in 1972, an event I remember as being almost as awe-inspiring as the moon landings. I saw television coverage of the demonstrations in Tiananmen Square in 1989. Over the past two decades I’ve absorbed all the news about the tremendous growth of China’s economy and the vast modernization in its major cities. And last year, like everyone else, I watched coverage of the Beijing Olympics, a showcase for China and its accomplishments.
That’s why I took advantage of an invitation to join an agent fam from Nancy Kim and Guy Rubin, owners of Imperial Tours (www.imperialtours.net), the high-end tour operator that offers private and small group programs to China. I’ve been in the country nearly 10 days now, so in a series of columns over the next couple of weeks I’m going to offer my impressions of this incredible country – which is so ancient and yet so very modern at the same time.
I arrived at the Beijing Capital International Airport after a 13-hour non-stop flight from Newark that seemed surprisingly short and comfortable considering the distance and the route (directly over the pole). I took off from Newark around noon and arrived in Beijing around 3:30 p.m. local time. As those who attended the Olympics can attest, Beijing’s airport is a complex of giant, very modern terminals. I was met at the gate by an airport greeter who took me on the tram to immigration and on to baggage claim. While it took some time for my bag to arrive, I was soon out in the arrivals area being greeted by my Imperial Tours China Host, Todd Pang, an American from Hawaii who is fluent in Mandarin and resides in Beijing.
For this particular trip, a travel agent fam with just six participants, we also had a China Host in training, Gwen Besrechel, a French woman who is also fluent in Mandarin and English. Todd and Gwen have served as our hosts throughout the trip, making all arrangements for transportation, luggage, dining shopping and accommodations, though experienced local guides have shown us the sights in each destination.
Imperial Tours had prepared me well for my journey, with a full packet of information on my destinations – Beijing, Xian, Guilin and Shanghai – including information on history, art, cuisine and culture in China. The company even provides a full reading list of books (I tried to put as much as possible on my Kindle) as well as movies to watch before you arrive.
In less than an hour, Todd and Gwen took me by bus to our hotel, the Raffles Beijing (www.raffles.beijing.com), located on Chang’An Avenue just a short walk from Tiananmen Square (they’d already met other members of our party separately). The 171-room Raffles Beijing was originally known as the Beijing Hotel, the first official hotel in the city dating from 1900. It has a long and colorful history (Mao reportedly enjoyed taking tea and dancing in the ballroom at one time).
Under Raffles' management, the property has been transformed into a well-appointed luxury hotel with very traditional décor but modern conveniences. The old building flows into a newer addition which houses restaurants, spas and shops. But its proximity to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, as well as other popular attractions, makes it a favorite for upscale guests. We got a quick tour of the rooms and suites, including a duplex Presidential Suite, and then had dinner. With the jet lag, that was about all I was able to do that evening.
We began our first full day in Beijing by taking an 18-seat mini-bus to visit the Temple of Heaven (first built circa 1420 during the Qing Dynasty), the most famous of the four main temples in the city. We drove on large boulevards past mostly modern buildings housing either companies or government departments. Our local guide Carl (many Chinese adopt Western first names) explained that the Temple of Heaven, a complex of courtyards and buildings for worship, all surrounded by trees and gardens, is a popular gather place for local residents seeking to socialize, exercise (Tai Chi), dance, and play music and games. Even on a snowy day in Beijing, there were crowds gathered in the covered passageways engaging in all sorts of activities. More than the impressive temple buildings, I found this to be the most interesting aspect of our brief visit to the complex.
From the Temple of Heaven we drove to Beijing’s antique market, a large outdoor emporium of statutes, furniture, china, old phonographs and Chinese military uniforms. Fortunately, most of the stalls were covered, but if your clients are into Chinese antiques, this is the place to send them. We moved on for a visit to the Park Hyatt Beijing (http://beijing.park.hyatt.com), which opened in 2008 as the tallest hotel in Beijing with 63 floors (the hotel’s 237 room take up only floors 27-49 while the lobby, spa, pool and restaurant are located on other floors). During lunch at the China Grill restaurant at the top of the structure, we had great views of the city, even in the bad winter weather. The Park Hyatt was a very modern hotel, which contrasted with the Raffles Beijing’s more classic accommodations.
We then drove to near Tiananmen Square and walked along the wide Chang’An Avenue past massive government buildings, including the Great Hall of the People, where the annual National Party Congress meeting had just finished up. Our guide told us stories about how he looked on from a distance during the protests at Tiananmen Square back in 1989. The snow was heavier but we pressed on through the massive gate, adorned with a large portrait of Mao Zedong, in front of the Forbidden City, where some 24 Chinese emperors resided over the centuries, and where Mao himself stood during the massive rallies of the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s.
We walked through courtyards and through more gates to Chong Jing Dian (Hall of Adoration), the throne reception room of the emperors. We also walked past areas where the movie the “The Last Emperor” was filmed, as pointed out by our local guide. But the highlight of our visit, especially arranged by Imperial Tours, was a private viewing of one of the many small, intimate palaces where emperors actually resided. The Chong Hua Gong (the Palace of Double Brilliance) featured exquisite sitting rooms and sleeping chambers that we luckily had all to ourselves. We then walked through the entire complex, exiting in the rear, past an inner Chinese garden filled with ancient trees and teahouses. The Forbidden City remains one of those essential world attractions that actually meets and exceeds expectations. For me, it was awe-inspiring and I struggled to take it all in during our short visit.
After a couple of hours rest at the Raffles Beijing, we boarded the bus once again for a quick trip to another, very modern side of Beijing – a trendy restaurant called the LAN Club Beijing. Located on the fourth floor of the LG Twin Towers on Jianguomenwai Avenue, the LAN Club is playfully designed by Philip Starck. Framed paintings hang upside down from the ceiling and different kinds of chandeliers light the large dining area. Diners sit on an incredibly diverse collection of chairs, couches and tables. There are also many private rooms for two, four, six and eight concealed by long curtains in the deep recesses of the restaurant. Fortunately the food – a sort of new wave Chinese cuisine – is pretty good, too!
For me, our visit to the LAN Club just illustrated the stark contrasts that Beijing offers visitors today. In just a short drive, you move from such iconic attractions as the Temple of Heaven and the Forbidden City to take in hotels housed in skyscrapers and restaurants that amaze even a cynical New Yorker like me. Tomorrow I’ll write about the remainder of our visit to Beijing (including the Great Wall). Next week I’ll detail our stops in Xian, Guilin and Shanghai.
James Shillinglaw is editor in chief and editorial director of Performance Media Group, LLC, parent of TravelPulse.com, Agent @ Home magazine, Vacation Agent magazine and Virtual Travel Events.
http://www.travelpulse.com/Resources/Editorial.aspx?n=69077
© 2010 Performance Media Group, LLC.
CONTACT:
Hilari Graff at Strategic Vision
Tel: 914-881-9056/9020
Imperial Tours Expands Product Offerings With New Experiences, Destinations In China
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (June 24, 2010) – Imperial Tours (www.imperialtours.net) is expanding its portfolio with the launch of ‘China Escapades,’ a new FIT product targeted to more independent and adventurous travelers seeking greater autonomy and a lower price to explore China’s intriguing sights, sounds and culture.
“With demand for travel to China growing, our research in the luxury travel advisor community has shown that there is a need for an alternative to our current ‘hosted’ FIT product at a more accessible price point so we developed China Escapades,” said Guy Rubin, Founder and Managing Partner of Imperial Tours. “China Escapades affords greater flexibility to appeal to these distinct consumers who are more experienced, adventurous and often repeat travelers to China,” he added.
With the launch of China Escapades, Imperial Tours is re-branding its existing FIT product – now to be called “Ultimate China,” ideal for consumers who want a ‘hosted luxury’ experience. Central to an Ultimate China itinerary is a China Host, a Westerner fluent in Chinese and living in China who ensures superior quality and immediate service for a flawless vacation from start to finish.
Imperial’s two private programs are customized to the needs of the individual traveler but the scope of services varies between the Ultimate China and China Escapades products as follows:
FIT Tour Elements Ultimate China China Escapades
1. Accommodations Best 5-Star Hotels Best 5-Star Hotels
2. Room Type Best Available Best Available
3. Private Cars Unlimited Availability Available until 10:30pm
4. Tour Support Local guides and Local guides and virtual concierge
China Host via mobile phone/24-hour access
5. Guide Gratuities Included Not included
6. Meals All meals included Breakfast & Lunch only
Dinner options & menus provided
7. Destinations All possible Lhasa, Dunhuang & Huangshan
not available
8. Special Activities All are available Most Offered
China Escapades clients seek more independence in their travels and not the extra service a China Host provides. These customers opt for direct rather than mediated contact with local Chinese suppliers to add to their overall understanding of China. For optimum service levels and the security of never being completely alone, China Escapades guests have access to a western Virtual Concierge through a pre-programmed mobile phone 24/7.
For enhanced flexibility, dinners are not included in China Escapades itineraries but Imperial provides guests with restaurant recommendations and designs suggested menus for them to enjoy in Chinese restaurants. The freedom to choose their own dinner options appeals to the whimsical spirit of this traveler.
The Ultimate China client, on the other hand, prefers that a China Host take care of all the details (such as wake-up calls, restaurant menus, shopping recommendations to non-commissionable venues, fine-tuning an itinerary in real-time, and more).
The China Escapades tours do not offer Lhasa, Dunhuang or Huangshan because Imperial feels a China Host is essential to implementing the company’s unique experiences on the ground in these areas.
“Expanding our portfolio to include both FIT products facilitates a wider and more flexible range of services enabling Imperial Tours to become a closer and more relevant partner to travel agencies in supplying luxury travel to China – namely small-group departures and FIT programs of different price points, inclusive activities and tour support,” Rubin noted.
To create China Escapades and clearly define what distinguishes the two products, Imperial Tours ran test programs and captured guest feedback on the key elements of the itinerary. Regardless of the type of FIT tour, Imperial Tours has access to exclusive activities and venues as a result of the company’s extensive ‘black book’ of connections throughout China.
In terms of price, Ultimate China programs cost approximately $1,300 per person, per day, and China Escapades are priced around $800 per person, per day (prices are based on two people traveling together on an FIT vacation).
Imperial Tours – Traveling China…in Style
The leading luxury tour operator based in China, Imperial Tours offers customized private tours and scheduled escorted group departures that combine local expertise with the high levels of service and quality expected by sophisticated Western travelers. Through its portfolio of programs and themed excursions, Imperial Tours provides the ‘best of the best’ in China encompassing accommodations, dining, sightseeing, experiences and much more at unrivaled value. Founded by Westerners in 1999, Imperial Tours has offices in Beijing, San Francisco, Offenbach (Germany) and Poole (UK).
A testament to its unparalleled knowledge and experience in planning luxury customized programs to China, Imperial Tours has been awarded the distinction of a ‘top travel specialist’ by Condé Nast Traveler in 2008 and 2009 and has been named to Travel + Leisure’s ‘A’ List of Super Agents every year between 2002 and 2009. In addition to top accolades, Imperial has been privileged to bring celebrities and royalty to China including Anthony Edwards, Natalie Portman, Michael Phelps, Sara Lee, Baroness Katherine de Rothschild, Katie Couric and the late Eunice Kennedy Shriver.
Contact Information
For more information, please call (888) 888-1970, send an e-mail to margot@imperialtours.net or visit www.imperialtours.net. Become a fan of Imperial Tours on Facebook at http://tinyurl.com/imperialtours.
Note to Editors
High-resolution digital images of Imperial Tours/China are available upon request.
CONTACT:
Hilari Graff at Strategic Vision
Tel: 914-881-9056/9020
hgraff@strategicvision.org
IMPERIAL TOURS SETS 2010 DATES & PRICING FOR
LUXURY ESCORTED GROUP DEPARTURES THROUGH CHINA
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (November 2, 2009) – The leading luxury tour operator based in China, Imperial Tours has set 2010 dates and pricing for its portfolio of scheduled escorted group departures.
“In addition to our customized individual journeys to China, we feature four regularly scheduled group tours that reflect the hallmarks of an Imperial Tours’ trip – exceptional accommodations, superior sightseeing, enriching travel experiences, and unparalleled service,” said Guy Rubin, Managing Partner of Imperial Tours.
Below is a list of 2010 tour dates and pricing for Imperial Tours’ scheduled group departures:
Dates: April 13 – 25, May 4 – 16, June 8 – 20, July 6 – 18, August 10 – 22, September 14 – 26 and October 12 – 24 (there is a six-person minimum for each trip except the April, May, September and October departures, which are guaranteed)
Price: $9,580 per person, double, + $1,065 per person for domestic economy air
Dates: August 6 – 17 (an eight-person minimum is required for departure)
Price: $7,270 per adult and $6,580 per child (under 12) based on two adults and two children $1,065 per adult and $535 per child for domestic economy air)
Dates: May 13 – 23, September 11 – 21 (offered in Spanish) and October 21 – 31 (the May and October departures are guaranteed; the September departures requires a minimum of six people)
Price: $7,920 per person, double + $1,065 per person for domestic economy air
Dates: October 20 – 29 (a six-person minimum is required)
Price: $8,055 per person, double + $1,190 per person for domestic economy air
Departures of the scheduled tours are limited to 20 people. Upgrades to accommodations in suites and first-class domestic China air cost extra. For more information on Imperial’s group departures, please visit the tour page. Imperial Tours also has a Spanish-language website at www.imperialtours.es.
Imperial Tours – Traveling China…in Style
The leading luxury tour operator based in China, Imperial Tours offers customized private tours and scheduled escorted group departures that combine local expertise with the high levels of service and quality expected by sophisticated Western travelers. For the ultimate journey in style, bilingual, China-based Western hosts accompany each group and private tour. Through its portfolio of programs and themed excursions, Imperial Tours provides the ‘best of the best’ in China encompassing accommodations, dining, sightseeing, experiences and much more at unrivaled value. Founded by Westerners in 1999, Imperial Tours has offices in Beijing, San Francisco, Offenbach (Germany) and Poole (UK).
A testament to its unparalleled knowledge and experience in planning luxury customized programs to China, Imperial Tours has been awarded the distinction of a ‘top travel specialist’ by Condé Nast Traveler in 2008 and 2009 and has been named to Travel + Leisure’s ‘A’ List of Super Agents every year between 2002 and 2009. In addition to top accolades, Imperial has been privileged to bring celebrities and royalty to China including Anthony Edwards, Natalie Portman, Michael Phelps, Sara Lee, Baroness Katherine de Rothschild, Katie Couric and the late Eunice Kennedy Shriver.
Contact Information
For more information, please call (888) 888-1970, send an e-mail to margot@imperialtours.net. Become a fan of Imperial Tours on Facebook at http://tinyurl.com/imperialtours.
Note to Editors
High-resolution digital images of Imperial Tours/China are available upon request.
By James Shillinglaw
Imperial Tours offers an upscale way to understand this giant country.
When Guy met Nancy, it was love at first sight. Indeed, it was a common love of China that brought them together in Beijing 12 years ago—and eventually led them to create Imperial Tours, a boutique tour operator that specializes in high-end China experiences.
Guy Rubin is British, with a background in financial services, but he recognized early on that China was a boom market, so he moved to Beijing to study Mandarin. Nancy Kim is Korean-American—with a background in art history—who also was in Beijing studying art and Mandarin when she met Guy.
Rubin and Kim still live in Beijing, but are now husband and wife with two children. They also happen to be managing partners of their specialty tour operation, which caters to a very upscale client base. In fact, it’s so high-end that their company has been a partner of Virtuoso, the luxury travel agency marketing group, for the past seven years, even though Imperial Tours is just 10 years old. The company is a preferred supplier of Signature Travel Network, another high-end agency group, and it has been recognized by both Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler as the top specialist in China.
Imperial Tours focuses on creating unique itineraries for an up-market crowd, with a client roster that has included such luminaries as Michael Phelps, Natalie Portman, Katie Couric and Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, among others. Beyond independent travel, the company also caters to groups, particularly incentives for such companies as Ferragamo, British Telecom and Raymond James, the investment bank. The Beijing-based company now has a staff of 25, including local guides, as well as two dedicated reservations staffers in a San Francisco office.
Of course, Imperial Tours’ success didn’t come overnight. Rubin and Kim began their business by arranging trips for friends in the U.K. and U.S. When they finally launched a website, it was discovered by a wealthy Silicon Valley executive who took a chance, loved the trip and recommended the company to his friends in the Bay Area. That’s when Imperial Tours’ business really started to take off.
As Rubin explains it, what’s different about his company is that it does not work through official Chinese tourism channels like China International Travel Service (CITS) or other government tourism bureaus. Many other China-bound operators contract with local ground handlers, many of which are controlled by government bureaucrats. Imperial, on the other, goes directly to the source—the local suppliers, attractions and restaurants—to create its programs. The mere fact that the company can do this shows just how far China has come in the past decade. Rubin and Kim have been able to use their friends and other personal contacts to source all of their unique programs, which are always accompanied by professional guides.
“We always knew exactly what we wanted to do,” Rubin says. “We just went out and found it. We source all our own tour products. We get the local village involved, the restaurants and the shops. Our connections are fundamental to our business. We’re going out into the market and saying we do this, we have these clients and we can produce these people for you.”
For example, Imperial Tours can create a special dining experience in Guilin that is privately catered by a local restaurant. It will stage re-creations of local festivals so customers can experience the traditions of different regions of China. It will offer customers not just a visit to the Great Wall, but also a chance to have dinner on the structure itself. Imperial also can set up unique experiences with local individuals, such as a dinner by Mao Zedong’s former chef, whose father and grandfather also cooked for the Chinese leader, at an unmarked restaurant in Beijing. Customers also can enjoy a game of table tennis with Chinese champions of that sport, or they can have a banquet dinner in a recently renovated, three-floor palace within the Forbidden City that’s not open to the public.
Imperial Tours offers luxury private and group tours to China to such destinations as Beijing, Chengdu, Dunhuang, Guilin, Hangzhou, Hong Kong, Huangshan, Lhasa, Lijiang, Sanya, Shanghai, Shangri-La, Suzhou, Xi’an, and the Yangtze River. The company uses only the best hotels, including Park Hyatt Shanghai, Grand Hyatt Hotel-Shanghai, Four Seasons Hotel-Shanghai, The Mansion Boutique Hotel (Shanghai), Raffles Beijing Hotel, Park Hyatt-Beijing, Aman-Summer Palace-Beijing, Grand Hyatt Hotel-Beijing, The Peninsula Hotel-Hong Kong, The InterContinental Hotel-Hong Kong, Xian Sofitel, Hotel of Modern Art-Guilin Area and Hyatt Regency Hotel-Hangzhou. Each tour is accompanied not only by a local Chinese guide, but also by an experienced western China host, who is fluent in Chinese, English and other languages.
While Imperial Tours custom-designs most of its programs for individuals, it also offers several scheduled group departures in 2010, including a 13-night “Imperial Tour” (a good introduction for people who’ve never been to China), priced at $9,670 per person, double; an 11-night “Family Tour” (ideal for families with children through teenage years), priced from $8,850 per adult and $5,770 per child (under 12) based on two adults and two children staying in a two-bedroom suite; a nine-night “Majestic Tour” (good for Spanish-speaking travelers), priced from $8,380 per person double; and a nine-night “Unique Destinations” (an in-depth look at Southwestern China and Tibet), priced from roughly $9,815. (Note: Prices quoted here are based on 2009 pricing, which was offered until Sept. 15). Departures of scheduled tours are limited to 20 people.
While the ability to deliver individualized experiences is a key difference in what Imperial offers, the company also focuses on providing luxury accommodations and services throughout. “We won’t go into any destination, especially with an American client, that does not have certain creature comforts,” says Kim. “We focus on those places that have high-end hotels and the facilities these customers require. If they don’t have those facilities, our key question is whether our clients are going to see something in that destination that they can’t see anywhere else in the world. So if you go to Lhasa, for example, there isn’t a five-star hotel there right now, but there is a Four Points Sheraton that’s clean and comfortable. And what you will see in Lhasa you won’t find anywhere else.”
Rubin says the most precious commodity of Imperial Tours’ clients is time, not money. And these customers want experiences that are specifically designed to meet their interests. “For every request that we get, we have a questionnaire that asks questions like, what was your last trip and what did you like about it,” says Kim. “Are you a nature person, a history person, etc. With the travel agent we try to learn as much about the client as possible. We will then put together an itinerary with lots of options in it.”
In the end, the success of Imperial Tours is linked to the entrepreneurial spirit of its founders, Rubin and Kim. “A lot of agents say to us that our success was because we were completely naïve about the business,” says Kim. “We just started it.”
http://www.vacationagentmagazine.com/Articles.aspx?id=55c1b042-870b-49a9-8619-72e0ae96d71e
© November 2009, Vacation Agent Magazine, Performance Media Group
By Elite Traveler Magazine
October 14, 2009 – Enjoying a savory meal at some of the most elite and historical venues in China is now a reality thanks to Imperial Tours!
Specializing exclusively in luxury programs to China, Imperial Tours has launched two new culinary inspired "Imperial Moments" that can be incorporated into travel itineraries visiting Beijing:
-A private meal in the Cheng Courtyard where menus from famous meals of Chinese modern history can be replicated
-A spectacular banquet in an exclusive section of the Forbidden City
"Our 'Imperial Moments' are distinguished as activities that allow travelers to discover China in exceptional ways and highlight the spirit of each destination," said Guy Rubin, Managing Partner of Imperial Tours. "They add a culturally enriching dimension to a China itinerary for an unequalled set of experiences – and indelible lifetime memories," he added.
Dinner at Cheng Courtyard
Guests of Imperial Tours now have the opportunity to dine at Cheng Courtyard, an aristocratic home bequeathed to Chairman Mao's personal chef (Chef Cheng), who prepared meals for the visiting Viscount Montgomery, the Dalai Lama and the last Emperor of China among other dignitaries. Presently, the chef's grandson, himself also a Master Chef, oversees meals during behind-the-scenes ministerial level meetings in this exclusive retreat. Now, Imperial's guests can be treated to the culinary wizardry of eleven chefs, who skillfully recreate menus shared in the past by important political figures at this small, exclusive venue. Cheng Courtyard is located across the street from Zhongnanhai, the headquarters of Chinese leadership and one of the most exclusive addresses in Beijing.
Forbidden City Banquet
Imperial Tours has been granted the privilege of arranging spectacular banquet dinners for its guests in a recently renovated, three-floor palace (not open to the general public) within the Forbidden City. Views from the palace's third floor are among the best available in the entire 178-acre complex! Commissioned by Emperor Qianlong in 1740, this private palace consists of nine ornate buildings within a maze of walkways, courtyards and gardens. Recently restored to full splendor (following a fire in the early 20th century), the palace provides a magnificent setting for a memorable banquet.
© Elite Traveler Oct. 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 5, 2009
Contact :
Hilari Graff at Strategic Vision
Tel: 914-881-9056/9020
hgraff@strategicvision.org
Two New Culinary Inspired “Imperial Moments” in China to Enhance a Travel Experience
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (October 5, 2009) – Enjoying a savory meal at some of the most elite and historical venues in China is now a reality thanks to Imperial Tours (www.imperialtours.net)! Specializing exclusively in luxury programs to China, Imperial Tours has launched two new culinary inspired “Imperial Moments” that can be incorporated into travel itineraries visiting Beijing:
“Our ‘Imperial Moments’ are distinguished as activities that allow travelers to discover China in exceptional ways and highlight the spirit of each destination,” said Guy Rubin, Managing Partner of Imperial Tours. “They add a culturally enriching dimension to a China itinerary for an unequalled set of experiences – and indelible lifetime memories,” he added.
Dinner at Cheng Mansion
Guests of Imperial Tours now have the opportunity to dine at Cheng Mansion, an aristocratic home bequeathed to Chairman Mao’s personal chef (Chef Cheng), who prepared meals for the visiting Viscount Montgomery, the Dalai Lama and the last Emperor of China among other dignitaries. Presently, the chef’s grandson, himself also a Master Chef, oversees meals during behind-the-scenes ministerial level meetings in this exclusive conclave. Now, Imperial’s guests can be treated to the culinary wizardry of the eleven chefs, who skillfully recreate menus shared in the past by important political figures at this small, exclusive venue. Cheng Mansion is located across the street from Zhongnanhai, the headquarters of Chinese leadership and one of the most exclusive addresses in Beijing.
Forbidden City Banquet
Imperial Tours has been granted the privilege of arranging spectacular banquet dinners for its guests in a recently renovated, three-floor palace (not open to the general public) within the Forbidden City. Views from the palace’s third floor are among the best available in the entire 178-acre complex! Commissioned by Emperor Qianlong in 1740, this private palace consists of nine ornate buildings within a maze of walkways, courtyards and gardens. Recently restored to full splendor (following a fire in the early 20th century), the palace provides a magnificent setting for a memorable banquet.
About Imperial Tours
The leading luxury tour operator based in China, Imperial Tours offers customized private tours and scheduled departures that combine local expertise with the high levels of service and quality expected by sophisticated Western travelers. For the ultimate escorted journey in style, bi-lingual, China-based Western hosts accompany each group and private tour. Through its portfolio of programs and themed excursions, Imperial Tours provides the ‘best of the best’ in China encompassing accommodations, dining, sightseeing, experiences and much more at unrivalled prices. Founded by Westerners in 1999, Imperial Tours has offices in Beijing, San Francisco, Frankfurt and the UK.
A testament to its unrivaled knowledge and experience in planning luxury customized programs to China, Imperial Tours has been awarded the distinction of a ‘top travel specialist’ by Condé Nast Traveler for the last two years and has been named to Travel + Leisure’s ‘A’ List of Super Agents from 2002 – 2008. In addition to top accolades, Imperial has been privileged to bring celebrities and royalty to China including Anthony Edwards, Natalie Portman, Michael Phelps, Sara Lee, Baroness Katherine de Rothschild, Katie Couric and the late Eunice Kennedy Shriver.
Contact Information
For more information on these two new “Imperial Moments” or to book one of the company’s monthly scheduled departures or a customized private journey through China, please call (888) 888-1970, send an e-mail to margot@imperialtours.net or visit www.imperialtours.net. Become a fan of Imperial Tours on Facebook at http://tinyurl.com/imperialtours.
Note to Editors
High-resolution digital images of Imperial Tours/China are available upon request.
©Imperial Tours, 2009
Imperial Tours has launched two new culinary inspired "Imperial Moments" that can be incorporated into travel itineraries visiting Beijing:
A private meal in the Cheng Courtyard where menus from famous meals of Chinese modern history can be replicated [and a] banquet in an exclusive section of the Forbidden City.
Dinner at Cheng Courtyard
Guests of Imperial Tours now have the opportunity to dine at Cheng Courtyard, an aristocratic home bequeathed to Chairman Mao's personal chef (Chef Cheng), who prepared meals for the visiting Viscount Montgomery, the Dalai Lama and the last Emperor of China among other dignitaries. Presently, the chef's grandson, himself also a Master Chef, oversees meals during behind-the-scenes ministerial level meetings in this exclusive retreat. Now, Imperial's guests can be treated to the culinary wizardry of 11 chefs, who recreate menus shared in the past by important political figures at this small, exclusive venue.
Cheng Courtyard is located across the street from Zhongnanhai, the headquarters of Chinese leadership and one of the most exclusive addresses in Beijing.
Forbidden City Banquet
Imperial Tours has been granted the privilege of arranging banquet dinners for its guests in a recently renovated, three-floor palace (not open to the general public) within the Forbidden City. Views from the palace's third floor are among the best available in the entire 178-acre complex. Commissioned by Emperor Qianlong in 1740, this private palace consists of nine ornate buildings within a maze of walkways, courtyards and gardens. Recently restored to full splendor (following a fire in the early 20th century), the palace provides a magnificent setting for a memorable banquet.
Imperial Tours offers customized private tours and scheduled escorted group departures with bi-lingual, China-based Western hosts who accompany each program. Founded in 1999, Imperial Tours has offices in Beijing, San Francisco, Frankfurt and the UK.
© October 2009, Luxury Travel Advisor
What’s New in China for 2010
Nancy Kim and Guy Rubin are two of our top tried-and-tested China outfitters. As the heads of Imperial Tours (888-888-1970; imperialtours.net), this Beijing power couple creates itineraries for first-time visitors and committed Sino-philes who seek to understand the country’s complex cultures. Their inside track includes a little black book of must-visit hotels, restaurants, spas, and everything in between, plus an impressive Rolodex of specialists. (New for 2010: Randall Peerenboom, an American with a Ph.D. in comparative philosophy and an easygoing manner that belies a vast knowledge of China’s political spectrum; and Zhang Lijia, a commentator and author of the memoir Socialism Is Great!) We asked Kim and Rubin to update us on the best of the People’s Republic right now.
Serving contemporary Chinese cuisine that emphasizes tea—specialties include Autumn Sky, roasted lamb on a bed of oolong leaves—Green T. House has been one of Beijing’s most important restaurants since it opened in 1997. Now it has launched Green T. House Living Bath House Residence (from $880; 86-10/6434-2519; green-t-house.com), a four-bedroom vacation villa and day spa in the city’s Wenyu River district. Therapies focus on tea’s healing properties, with everything from a chakra-balancing treatment for $115 to a signature four-hour, ten-hand massage, with a scrub, a bath, and a facial, for $980.
During his tenure as Chairman Mao’s chef, Cheng Ruming cooked for dignitaries from the Dalai Lama to Puyi, China’s last emperor; in a show of gratitude, Mao bequeathed Cheng an aristocratic courtyard house near the Beijing headquarters of the Chinese leadership. Today, Cheng’s grandson, a chef himself, serves private dinners in the Qing dynasty residence’s four small, antique-packed dining rooms. The food ranges from the spicy Hunan fare Mao favored to a subtle chrysanthemum soup made with tofu shredded to resemble flower petals. Imperial Tours can coordinate the eight-course dinners, which start at $250 a person.
When it opened in 2007 in the southern Chinese city of Guilin, the Hotel of Modern Art injected a jolt of energy into the country’s budding design-hotel movement. An eye-poppingly original 46-room hotel and 1,500-acre sculpture park, the property recently added the Dinner Cave (86-77/3386-9066; guilinhoma.com) to its roster of eccentric but tasteful contemporary follies. There, guests dine in a limestone cave typical of the region’s weirdly magical rock formations. The venue is lit primarily by candles, with a dramatic chandelier in its inner chamber (left), which seats up to 30. And the menu features modern Chinese creations like a bird’s-nest soup served with lily buds in a papaya boat. To reserve the cave, parties must spend a minimum of $740, with dinner starting at $120 per person.
Australian-born Michelle Garnaut made her name combining European, Mediterranean, and North African cuisines at the Hong Kong restaurant M at the Fringe. Then, with Shanghai’s M on the Bund—which arrived in 1999 and is still among the city’s buzziest spots—she became one of the first restaurateurs to bring up-to-the-minute gastronomy to the mainland. Now she’s come to Beijing, debuting Capital M (dinner, $60; 86-10/6702-2727; m-restaurantgroup.com), overlooking Tiananmen Square. The kitchen sends out piled-high open-face sandwiches, as well as more formal
options that showcase signature dishes like crispy suckling pig and slowly baked, salt-encased leg of lamb.
With properties already up and running in Hong Kong and Beijing, the Peninsula completed its China hat trick with the October debut of its 235-room Shanghai hotel. The Peninsula Shanghai’s (86-21/ 2327-2888; peninsula.com) location on the grounds of the former British Consulate, near the northern end of the Bund, puts it on the right side of the Huangpu River for the best skyline views as well as top shopping and restaurants. (The hotel has five restaurants of its own, plus an Espa outpost.) Opening rates of $300 for Superior Rooms will remain in effect until March, when they’ll go up to $470.
In 1923, when Emperor Puyi suspected his eunuchs of stealing from the Forbidden City, he ordered an audit of its holdings; the eunuchs had to cover their tracks, and the Garden of the Palace of Established Happiness (right), a complex built in 1740, was damaged in a fire, nine ornate pavilions and maze of walkways, courtyards, and gardens remaining closed to the public ever since. Now, however, one of the pavilions, with unbeatable views of the 178-acre complex, has been restored and opened for private banquets of up to 75 people. Imperial Tours can arrange a rental, but such privilege comes at a price: $40,000, sans catering.
© 2009, DEPARTURES
Imperial Tours is offering an eight night luxury Culinary Tour of China, covering Beijing, Hangzhou and Shanghai. Highlights include a white linen banquet atop a little known section of the Great Wall, an exclusive meal in the home of Chairman Mao's personal chef, a private cooking lesson given by the Executive Chef of the prestigious Whampoa Club, a traditional tea ceremony and tasting, a visit to one of China's largest seafood markets, amazing meals at world class restaurants, and accommodation in China's best hotels. This private tour is accompanied not only by a local tour guide in each city, but guests will also be escorted through the country by an Imperial Tours China Host – essentially a traveling concierge who makes sure that every request is met and every expectation exceeded.
Price: $11,350 per person (based on two person private tour)
Offer Expires: 11/30/2010.
Restrictions: Prices based on two person private tour and excludes international airfare & gratuities.
Subject to availability and blackout dates. Restrictions apply.
© Saveur, 2009
reported by Scott Goetz
There are far more than seven potential wonders of the world for elite travelers. Ancient as well
as modern sites, natural as well as man-made creations—they all hold appeal. But how do you
decide which seven are must-visits? Our list of top wonders not only takes into account the spot’s
beauty and rarity, but also the level of opulence and exclusivity. Here is elite traveler’s black
book to the wonders of the world.
The Great Wall of China and the Forbidden Palace
Sections of The Great Wall of China were built, maintained and rebuilt throughout areas of
Northern China since the 5th century B.C. But it was the 16th and 17th centuries that saw the
wall at its prime when its 4,000 miles of serpentine glory crowned the Ming dynasty, offering
protection and a speedy causeway to move armies and long distance communication posts
where messages were relayed by fire and smoke. The Forbidden City, in what is now Beijing,
was the Imperial Palace for nearly 500 years until 1912. It is called “forbidden” because those
inside rarely left and those who entered weren’t allowed to come or go without the emperor’s
permission. But even within such seclusion, the over 6,000 people who lived within its reported
9,999 rooms (a lucky number) were all involved in legendary courtly intrigues.
Top Guide
Imperial Tours was hired by Katie Couric, Baroness Katherine de Rothschild and Sara Lee for
their visits to China. They excel at white-glove services like private dinners on the wall, helicopter
tours, expert art historian guides and more.
Contact: Margot Kong, (888) 888-1970
Top Accommodations
The Aman at Summer Palace in Beijing pays homage to the traditional architecture of the Summer Palace itself, with courtyard architectural style. Suites surround an internal courtyard that features an intricate latticework of pathways, separating formal gardens and trees. The Imperial Suite ($3,800 a night) comprises three separate dwellings: the private dwelling, the living/study dwelling and the formal dwelling.
Contact: General Manager Mark Swinton, 86-10-5987-9999, www.amanresorts.com
After Sightseeing
Imperial Tours can offer a private kung fu performance on the Great Wall by the famous Shaolin Monks, secure behind-the-scenes access at the Beijing Opera or organize a white-linen banquet atop a seldom-visited section of the Great Wall. They can also arrange a helicopter tour over the famous fortification or enjoy an art tour of Beijing’s best galleries led by a local contemporary art expert.
Contact: Margot Kong, (888) 888-1970
Getting There
Cathay Pacific has new first class cabins with 81-inch-long seats and a private suite configuration to ensure your LAX-Beijing direct flight is an easy journey.
Contact: Cathay Pacific VIP Services,(800) 233-2742; www.cathaypacific.com
© Elite Traveler Sep 2009
