Over one hundred major hotel developments are taking place in China in preparation for the incoming tourist boom for the 2008 Olympic Games. In addition to this, there are some exciting new luxury travel enterprises on the horizon .
Olympics in Beijing 2008
The Olympics will take place in Beijing from 8-24 August. For information regarding tickets contact your local National Olympic Committee (NOC) or visit the official Beijing 2008 website. The Olympic equestrian events will be held 9-21 August 2008 in Hong Kong and include dressage, jumping and eventing. Find out more from the Hong Kong Tourism Board. Try directrooms.com for accommodation. This website is very user friendly and has interactive maps showing hotel locations which is a great help when planning a trip.
New Luxury Trains in China
From September 2008, two luxury train journeys will start running in China. Starting at Beijing, the southern route will run via Guilin to Lijiang whilst the northern route will run via xi'an to Lhasa (Tibet) crossing the Gobi Desert. Both trips will cross remote, stunning landscapes and last for 4 or 5 days. The luxury trains will be managed by Kempinski Hotels and will feature 24- hour butler service, spa treatments and gourmet cuisine. There will be daily off train excursions to sites of interest. These adventures may include, for example, drinking tea with grassland nomads, rafting on river gorges and photographing rare animals.
For more information, advance bookings and a chance to win a trip on one of these new trains visit the Tangula website.
Luxury ‘Urban Resort’ for Shanghai
According to asiatraveltips.com, The PuLi Hotel and Spa, a luxury “urban resort” in Shanghai is on schedule to open mid 2008. The hotel is centrally located at the very heart of Shanghai’s business, shopping, sightseeing and entertainment district. In addition to the usual five star facilities, rooms will offer flat screen LCD TVs, Hi-Fi systems, DVD players, MP3 docking ports, 4-in-1 printers, espresso machines and have bathtubs that offer uninterrupted and dramatic views across JingAn Park and the skyline of Shanghai. Wow.
New Luxury Resort at Sanya
Sanya is situated on the island of Hainan - China's only tropical island. Mandarin Oriental are opening a new resort in the first quarter of 2008 in a secluded cove by a stretch of coral reef. The overall design is an interpretation of northern Chinese architecture, reminiscent of the Imperial City and the rooms will have views across the South China Sea. With a focus on relaxation, there will be extensive spa and leisure facilities.
Thinking of travelling to China? Check out our travel health and safety tips.
