Beijing Expert

With millions foreigners and Chinese rushing into Beijing for the Olympics, Beijing hospitality availability becomes a big problem.  From some news I read a few days ago, most of the hotels are already booked full.  Where are you going to stay in Beijing for the 2008 Olympics?

I found a squidoo page online that suggests some really interesting alternative options for where to stay in Beijing during the Olympics.

2008 Hotel Frenzy
Are you coming to Beijing for the Olympic games? You might have a harder time booking a hotel than getting a pair of opening ceremony tickets. Hotels rates are going up to 600% during the olympics. And a good size of hotel rooms will be reserved for Olympic officials, athletes and families, Chinese officials, and a lot more Chinese who has good Guanxi. So how can an average Joe get his ass in a hotel?

Act early and think about alternatives!

If you book now you will have a better deal and better chance to get a room. However, only large hotels are taking reservations for next year. You might need to use you negotiation skills with smaller hotels.

Alternative ways to stay for cheaper price.

1. Homestay: A variety of organizations and individuals are getting willing families open up their home for travelers during the olympics. You can choose from a traditional court yard home or a modern apartment. Make sure the location is close to subway stations and bus stops.

2. Renting your own apartment: With the money you are paying for 10-15 days of stay in a hotel, you can rent a fully furnished apartment for 3 months. You can also save money by cooking dinner instead of going out to restaurants to eat every day.

3. House swap: Just as you want to come to see the olympics, some Chinese family or expat family might as well want to get out of China to avoid millions of tourists. You can post your information on listing website such as craiglist to find the willing families.

4. When all fails: When all fails you can try nearby cities and remote Beijing district. Beijing city is surrounded by vast rural area. You can stay in Miyun, Huairou, Shunyi districts. A bit far out but you can enjoy the beautiful scenery. Tian Jin and Tang Shan are only 2-3 hours away from Beijing. Trains and coach buses are abundant.

Good luck getting your rooms in Beijing. If you need help, you can email me. i am thinking about renting my apartment out as well.

So now the question is how to get flight tickets and tickets for the games!

“Mid-Autumn Festival” which is also known as the “Zhong Qiu Jie” in Chinese, is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. This year it falls on September 25^th.  Mid-Autumn is a time for family members and loved ones to congregate and enjoy the full moon – an auspicious symbol of abundance, harmony and luck. Adults will usually indulge in fragrant mooncakes of many varieties with a good cup of piping hot Chinese tea, while the little ones run around with their brightly-lit lanterns.

“Zhong Qiu Jie” probably began as a harvest festival. The festival was later given a mythological flavour with legends of Chang-E, the beautiful lady in the moon.

According to Chinese legend, the earth once had 10 suns circling over it. One day, all 10 suns appeared together, scorching the earth with their heat. The earth was saved when a strong archer, Hou Yi, succeeded in shooting down 9 of the suns. Yi stole the elixir of life but to save the people from his tyrannical rule, his wife, Chang-E drank it. Thus started the legend of the lady in the moon to whom young Chinese girls would pray at the Mid-Autumn Festival.

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