AMAZING ARCHITECTURE
For a bird’s eye view of the Forbidden City, which is usually swarming with tourists, make your way to the imperial garden turned public park Jingshan for a more tranquil way to experience this Beijing landmark, Tze Tze suggests. The neighbourhoods around the Forbidden City are known for their hutongs, traditional alleyways lined with old-school courtyard residences. Many of these have become intensely gentrified, and now house cafes, indie boutiques and designer hotels; others retain many hallmarks of old Beijing street life, including neighbours shooting the breeze along the alleys. The hutongs are perfect for an afternoon of exploration; the trendiest hutong changes all the time, so best to ask your hotel concierge or a local hipster in the know. June is also a big fan of Aman Summer Palace, which lies just outside the East Gate of the Summer Palace, an erstwhile royal resort now used as a public park. Aman’s suites echo the architectural style of the palace, and guests are able to access after-hours tours of the grounds. “It’s really something to see the Summer Palace when it’s quieter,” she says. “I love the whole look of the resort, and Aman offers unique experiences such as calligraphy classes and tea sessions in the courtyard.” Tze Tze, who once attended an executive course at Beijing’s Tsinghua University, also recommends checking out its beautiful grounds. “There’s a bit of an American feel to it,” she says. Besides classical-style buildings and manicured gardens, the surrounding neighbourhoods are also full of good eats at reasonable prices, as is typical of university towns. And who knows, you might just rub shoulders with the future movers and shakers of China.