The first video was released!
Here is the start of my Elaisha Goes...to China video series. I hope you like it.
Elaisha Goes...To The Emperor Quianmen Beijing
The Emperor Hotel Quianmen hotel was quite the surprise. When my roommate proposed that I join her and her friend on a weekend trip to Beijing, I was ecstatic. However one of my first thoughts (after thinking about all the duck I’d eat) was where were we going to stay?
Keep reading for my review of The Emperor Hotel Quianmen (and find out whether I would stay there again!).
The Room
After we hopped out of a cab we trekked it in through the ‘walk only’ zone. Waiters called out their specials to us from their restaurants when we strolled on the grey stone sidewalk. The Emperor Hotel was tucked away in a quiet nook near the popular Quianmen market. We actually walked past it twice before we finally found it and were welcome with a luxe feel. The three-story hotel featured a very modern design and took advantage of the open space but didn’t seem uncomfortable or too edgy.
As soon as we walked into the room, it screamed Instagram goals. I received message after message about how beautiful the room was when I posted it on my Instagram story. While the bedroom was wistful with its bright pink curtains, the bathroom was my favourite. Floor to ceiling marble coated the shower and the separate toilet made things less awkward with our group. The view wasn’t spectacular (chefs from the nearby restaurant actually took their break within plain sight of our hotel room window, so I was weary of walking around undressed) however the natural light poured in looked incredible so I wasn't too fazed.
I stayed in room 2021 which was near the gym equipment (which wasn’t a problem). I was on the rollaway bed which was ok for the first two nights. However, by the third night, it had lost its charm and was a bit uncomfortable.
Location
The location was perfect for most of the activities we wanted to do. Due to the attraction’s layout, it was actually faster for us to walk to the Forbidden City than take a cab. We walked through Quianmen to get to and from our hotel. I had a great time when I tried my first Peking Duck dish and traditional Chinese dinner at a nearby restaurant.
There weren’t any convenience stores around, so if you needed to pick something up grab it before you arrive at the hotel or get it while out and about. However, there were 2 Mini So’s and tons of souvenir stores so I was pretty content. I was able to take a tuk-tuk to Quianmen Square for only 20RMB from the National Museum then I walked for 10 minutes to the hotel.
Customer Service
Wearing: Leggings: Forever 21, Sports Bra: Anita, Money Belt: Ali Express, Shirt: Similar
The staff accommodated us well and were quite sweet. We only waited 10 minutes for our room after we checked in and were escorted to the space. On our final night, someone in the room above us banged on a door for 7 minutes straight just before midnight. I grabbed the phone and quickly chatted with reception who assured me that they would get the problem resolved. Soon the knocking ceased and we rested up for the day ahead. Many of the staff members spoke alright English and helped when they could. However, when we asked questions that pertained to lesser known attractions, it took us a while to get it all translated to receive an answer.
Amenities
The pool was beautiful and wasn’t too shallow or deep for me (at 5’6 it was at my mid-chest). It was clear of debris and provided a great view of the hazy city. I stopped by the bar on the way up to the pool and grabbed a pina colada that left me refreshed. In the room, the TV swiveled on its wall mount so someone could soak in the tub in the living room while they watched a movie or TV show (we watched a few in English too!). Towel service wasn’t around, so we brought our own robes and towels up to the rooftop.
The air conditioning worked perfectly well and the security was very tight (there were several room key checkpoints). Plus the slippers and robes were extremely comfortable! The wifi wasn’t the best and phone service was shoddy in most spots. If you booked this hotel and needed wifi, consider another hotel or get portable wifi. I spent most of my time outside of the hotel room anyways so the lack of wifi wasn’t tragic, just inconvenient. However, if I planned on working while in Beijing I wouldn’t have been able to depend on the internet connection.
Food
The breakfast food was delicious and varied. I had fried rice and dumplings with a side of bacon and an omelet (guess who’s a fan of big breakfasts…). Even the picky eater of our group was satisfied with her omelet and coffee. Drinks on the patio were pretty good and served right to us at the pool. They had a long list of imported drinks available and the two Parisians I traveled with popped a small bottle of Moet for the night and smoked away. The market was right outside of the hotel room so when I felt a bit peckish I was able to walk right out and sample duck, lamb on a stick and some sweet drinks!
The price of the room was definitely worth it for two people. However, if a third person might be interested in joining your journey, tell them to get their own room. Just remember, if you want to get dropped right to the door of this hotel, that won’t happen. Just get your driver to bring you to the Xianyukou and Quianmen which was a short walk from the hotel.
What do you think of The Emperor Quianmen? Would you stay here?
Elaisha Goes...to LA!
I'm super excited to finally announce: I am attending VidCon with the Ryerson Communication and Design Society and FCAD with 3 other students. We will be capturing the essence of VidCon itself with a focus on media education.
I flew out a few days earlier than Kelly, Dustin and Sarah so I could explore this gorgeous city. Of course I'm here with my mum aka my official travel buddy. We took the journey up to Valencia to visit a family friend until I have to head to Anaheim for VidCon. So we've been doing some shopping and walking around here for now until heading into downtown LA on Monday. Woo! I finished designing my business cards and I'm headed out early tomorrow to pick 'em up too. See my LA photo diary day 1 below.
