<p>In the past I have found CC to have the best travel recommendations.
Looking for input on hotels in China.
Cities- Shanghai. Beijing, Hangzhou and Hong Kong. Looking for hotel or area suggestions with a preference for Intercontinental properties. D gets an employee discount at IHG group properties.
Also not an IHG property but has anyone been to the Linden Centre in Southwest China?</p>
<p>My knowledge of China is too old to be of use, though my S has had a great time using credit card points at some very nice Chinese hotels. They do elegance very nicely in Asia! </p>
<p>However, the Linden Center is something I read about with a great deal of interest in the Atlantic a few years back, as what they are doing is quite interesting. As they previously lived in my city, and had an impressive gallery of Asian art in Door County, WI, I do know that Brian Linden has extensive knowledge of the history and arts of Asia. Whatever they do would tend to be very well done. Go and report back to me! Though the location is not close to the big cities of northern China!</p>
<p>Shoot - its been several years - so the memory is foggy, but I think we stayed at the Penninsula and it was fabulous!</p>
<p>Well, yes, the Peninsula or Mandarin in HK should be fabulous! Old classics.</p>
<p>I guess it might depend on whether you’re traveling to China for business or tourism but I’d say many of the Intercontinental hotels in Beijing, Shanghai, and Hangzhou are not particularly well located for the casual visitor. I’ve only been to China a few times, but I’ve always stayed near the historic heart of the cities I’ve visited, where you can walk to major tourist attractions. In Beijing that would be somewhere near the Forbidden City, Beihai Park, and Tienanmin Square. The Crown Plaza, Peninsula, and Grand Hyatt are all easy walking distance to those places, and there are other major Chinese hotels in the vicinity. Intercontinentals are a bit farther out.</p>
<p>In Shanghai I stayed in the Bund, the historic Western concessions district. I stayed at the Peace Hotel on Nanjing Road, a historic hotel that is now a Fairmont property and perhaps now a bit pricy (I was there before its latest rehab), but there are many other hotels in the area. The Intercontinentals are farther out, one in Puxi to the west, and two in Pudong, a newly developed business area east of the river.</p>
<p>Hangzhou pretty much centers on the eastern shore of West Lake (Xihu Lake), and that’s where most of the hotels are. The Intercontinental is several miles away to the east, in a newly developed district, not walkable to the historic center. I don’t recall the name of the hotel where I stayed; it was a Chinese hotel, very good but not memorable (I was there as the guest of a government agency). But I suppose if I were going back to Hangzhou I’d try to book a room at the Xihu State Guest House, which is a refurbished version of Chairman Mao’s summer retreat palace on the western shore of the lake, and also where the (misnamed) “Shanghai Accords” were signed by Nixon and Zhou Enlai. It’s not only historic, but a gorgeous, tranquil setting. Never stayed there, but I had the opportunity to visit the place before it was opened to the public. Not so convenient to the center of the city, though.</p>
<p>Thank you. The trip is for pleasure so I will look into the location of some of the other IHG properties. It looks like there is a Hotel Indigo in the Bund area that might work. Also Crowne Plaza is IHG. Also will consider how big the discount is. If it isn’t that great it will make it the decision easier.</p>
<p>It might be cheaper to buy a land package locally or from China Town Travel agents in the US. There are lots of specialists in that area and you will enjoy better discounts. We stayed in Bund area for about $200/night and that is considered premium hotel(I believe it is the “International Hotel”, not sure what it is in English, but it is the oldest hotel on Bund.</p>
<p>Also, the land package will provide transportation and tour guide in every city you visit, it would certainly be cheaper than if you don’t know the language and try to DIY.</p>