China Daily

Legendary hospitalit­y in the heart of Beijing

- By YIN RUOWEI yinruowei@chinadaily.com.cn Boonie Bears,

Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing opened in Beijing on Monday, a new member of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, which owns and operates internatio­nal luxury hotels.

“We are delighted to bring Mandarin Oriental’s legendary hospitalit­y to the heart of Beijing and the heart of China,” said Mark S. Bradford, general manager of the new hotel.

“Our proximity to the sights and sounds of historical Beijing, and our desire to provide personaliz­ed services that come from the heart, inspire all of us every day to deliver our very best,” he added.

Those in attendance at the opening ceremony included renowned photograph­er and visual artist Chen Man and Vivienne Tam, a prominent fashion designer.

After a traditiona­l lion dance, visitors toured around the hotel and had a celebrator­y meal at the hotel’s Mandarin Grill + Bar, which was created by internatio­nal interior designer Adam Tihany.

To celebrate its inaugurati­on, the hotel has launched an offer valid until June 18, including a credit line worth 888 yuan ($130) for daily expenses at the property, which can be deducted from the checkout.

In the heart of the ancient capital, the hotel is the last word in boutique-hotel luxury and comfort.

Occupying the upper two floors of WF Central, one of the city’s premium retail locations, it is a short stroll from the iconic Forbidden City beside Tian’anmen Square and close to the central business and financial districts.

The hotel boasts 73 rooms and suites, which are among the largest in the city. Its design combines a contempora­ry style with subtle traditiona­l Chinese elements, an array of luxury amenities and large, spa-like bathrooms. Many provide great views of the Forbidden City.

In keeping with the group’s reputation for dining excellence, the hotel has two restaurant­s and a rooftop bar — all with direct access to a garden terrace.

Cafe Zi has a relaxed environmen­t featuring pan-Asian cuisine, while Mandarin Grill + Bar focuses on classic dishes. Mo Bar is a sophistica­ted lounge, serving innovative cocktails with an internatio­nal DJ.

The spa at Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing offers a range of refined wellness and beauty treatments as well as a 25-meter indoor pool with natural lighting and a comprehens­ive gym. bill at

BEIJING — “Travel is never a matter of money but of courage,” wrote Svetoslav Dimitrov, a Bulgarian blogger and seasoned traveler who is keen to share his experience­s traveling around China in a handy travel guide that features a whopping 151 tips.

Introducin­g himself as a “travel writer with an incurable love for new discoverie­s and an insatiable hunger for scrumptiou­s delicacies” in his online English-language guide, Dimitrov is a true globe-trotter.

He has traveled from Belgium, where he pursued a master’s degree in European policies and politics, to Geneva, where he met a Chinese girl — an experience he described as “the wonderful acquaintan­ce that changed my life to an extent”.

What Dimitrov had not realized was that his lasting bond with China began when he visited the capital, Beijing, or probably earlier when he met the Chinese girl in Geneva.

“The Chinese girl’s descriptio­n about her hometown was intriguing, but most of all, it was her friendline­ss and hospitalit­y that motivated me to go,” he said. “This trip has changed quite a few of my convention­al beliefs about this country.”

Beijing stunned him. Soon after he returned to Sofia, Bulgaria’s capital, he started decoding Chinese characters. But it was a work trip to Guangzhou months later that gave him the idea to create his own travel blog.

He would use it to record his indepth exploratio­n of China, a vast country with diverse cultures, customs and people that coexist in harmony. Once he returned, he started to work on his blog.

Dimitrov carefully selected pieces from his travel blog that could be Inspired by the popular Chinese animation movie and TV series the park has launched a series of new programs, including shooting games, stage dramas, live talk shows, watertheme­d games and an entertainm­ent carnival, where animation characters together with performers from various countries interact with the audience and present a variety gala.

CULINARY DELIGHT

used for his “151 China travel tips to have the best trip of your life”, a guide that offers broad and insightful references. It includes how to make pre-travel to-do lists, adapt to culture shocks and travel safely so that one can fully enjoy oneself while in China.

Sorted into 15 aspects, he wrote from a random visitor’s perspectiv­e on what to prepare and what to expect in a lively and readerfrie­ndly tone. He promises to make “even the most ignorant person” China-savvy. spring to offer healthy delicacies. Crafted by its executive chef, who has nearly 20 years of industrial experience, the menu features innovative dishes revolving around the theme of health. It includes long-legged crabs in millet soup and poached Iceland Botan shrimp. About a 15-minute drive to theme park Shanghai Disney Resort and shopping complex Florentia Village, two major attraction­s in the city, the hotel has easy access to subway services.

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WANG ZICHUANG / FOR CHINA DAILY
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