Imperial Tours

20/11/2023

Guests afloat a gondola on Hangzhou’s West Lake…enjoying a private guzhen performance.

18/09/2023

Thank you to the Hangzhou Four Seasons for some amazing experiences…

15/09/2023

Guy decided he was going to try everything on the J Hotel’s breakfast menu….in one day!

12/09/2023

Hard to know where to begin when describing the J Hotel Shanghai…check-in is on the 101st floor and every aspect is stunning. Even for someone who prefers a stream lined style, the attention to detail was impressive beyond anything I’ve seen in a long time.

08/09/2023

Arriving at the Shanghai Peninsula is always a great treat. The views along the Bund are as lovely as ever, though the evening stroll was VERY crowded. Breakfast the next morning was delicious and they even sent me away for the day with some local sweets.

05/09/2023

How much Xi’an has changed….lots of green spaces, high rises and the wealth! That’s a locally made electric vehicle, quite the upscale food court and look closely at the designer shops….they’re for kids!

04/09/2023

So many new hotels in Xi’an! New areas in both the northern part of the city (Intercontinental North) and the financial district in the south (Ritz Carlton and the Grand Hyatt). And the Sofitel Legend is still great for those who want the history.

02/09/2023

As we say goodbye to Beijing, we leave with some great memories at VR rooms, foot massage at Bodhi Spa and shopping that spans from international brand names to unique design items at ShangXia.

28/08/2023

A lovely stay at the Bvlgari Hotel Beijing. The best surprise was the Liangma River in front of the hotel which is now so clean that people are swimming in. And in the evening, it’s one of the liveliest areas in the city.

24/08/2023

Found this photo of Lev taken during his last stay at the Rosewood Beijing. Six years later and the boys have changed, but the service and food at the hotel are as great as ever (especially Adan’s favorite Peking duck). We were also treated to their gorgeous moon cakes and Lev said that the Wagyu beef burger is the best he’s ever tasted!

22/08/2023

Eating our way through Beijing. There are now 36 Michelin starred restaurants in Beijing and dozens more in the guide. But more surprising is the quality of food and decor at all the new restaurants that have opened.

18/08/2023

Thank you again to the Beijing Peninsula for a wonderful welcome back to China. We were greeted by their amazing chocolate work, stylish restaurants and impressive rooftop bar.

11/08/2023

With Jasmine Wang and Miranda Chen at the all-suite Peninsula Beijing Hotel.

09/08/2023

Site inspection and beautiful stay at the Rosewood in Beijing

21/06/2023

Check out our latest article for the luxury traveler on when and how they should use China's high speed rail network.

China invested about US$900bn from 2008 – 2023 in a national high speed rail network of over 26,000 miles (40,000km), about 13 times the length of Japan or

20/06/2023

Things to do south of Guilin

14/06/2023

A second article on some of the ways that China has changed over the Covid period:

Insider Travel Report

13/06/2023

First of a two part article on how a China has changed during Covid. I hope you find time to read it.

Insider Travel Report

07/06/2023

Vlad (on my left), new GM, at Sofitel Legend in Xi’an, together with Sam, Resident Manager, and Samantha, Sales Director. Great team- feels like a relaunch!

02/06/2023

So wonderful to connect with ex-Shangri-La hôtelier superwoman Barbara Pang for dim sum. Hoping that sharing what she eats gives me an equivalent level of energy!

31/05/2023

Really under-reported, Xi’an is Xi Jinping’s hometown and the investment pouring in has been phenomenal. Here is featured the spiffy, new archaeological museum, but just as jaw-dropping is the new Qujiang district, which already features a Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Westin and Gran Melia and soon to boast a Rosewood, amongst others. The elevated expressways & new skyscrapers are such that the moniker “Shanghai of the West” is only partly overstated; it leads you in the right direction.

30/05/2023

So when I showed up for an inspection of the beautifully renovated Regent Hong Kong, who should show up but Regina Lourenco, whom I first met when she was DOSM at the Beiijng Grand Hyatt under the watchful eyes of Foued El Mabrouk. Regina kindly walked me through the intricacies of the travel distribution model’s latest iteration, every bit as logical as the last. Lovely to reconnect with old friends!

25/05/2023

Fun things to do in China - caving!

24/05/2023

Lovely to catch up with the fabulous Irene Tan from MO Hong Kong, along with Kelly Wong from Four Seasons Seoul (and Terence Parker, our COO, of course!)

24/05/2023

Peninsula amenity and view is pretty cool

23/05/2023

Terence Parker, Imperial Tours' COO outside the K11 Artus Hotel, Hong Kong.

23/05/2023

M+, new gallery in West Kowloon art district, offers irreverent, world famous Chinese contemporary art as well as a Hong Kong retrospective

10/05/2023

To travel to China now, you need to self-declare that you have tested negative with a rapid anti-gen test 48 hours prior to arrival. You log on to the government website 24 hours before departure, enter your details and get a QR code. Piece of cake.

06/02/2023

We're awaiting an announcement any day regarding the timing for a return of tourist visas to mainland China. In the meantime, as there is a lot of understandable confusion about the changing rules, let me clarify that as of today overseas travelers to Hong Kong no longer need to prove they have been vaccinated against Covid. That means that they still need:

- A RAT Covid self-declaration test prior to flying to Hong Kong (which is useless given that no one checks this and that if you test positive there is no obligation to quarantine)
- Face masks are still required in Hong Kong

Also today:

- PCR testing is to be abolished between Hong Kong and Mainland China
- All Hong Kong borders (to Mainland) to open and resume pre-pandemic operations

As I write at the top, what we're waiting for is a timetable clarifying the return of tourist visas to mainland China. We're hoping for/expecting that information soon.