Beijing 5-day, 4-night exquisite small group tour for 18 people (staying at Ji Hotel along the Third Ring Road throughout)

We have a wonderful time with a great tour guide. From transportation,hotels and tours,it's really great. I would recommend this tour guide and her company.

The hotel was acceptable, but this tour group was from mainland China, and the tour guide's professionalism needs improvement. They didn't consider the needs of the group members when getting on and off the bus (such as restroom breaks), and they weren't clear about the prices of optional activities, which led to misunderstandings among the group. When we got off the bus, the guide just kept walking ahead without ever looking back to check on us. Some of the elderly members couldn't keep up, and the guide walked very fast. It felt like we had to desperately chase after them every day. At the attractions, the guide just recited information without actually leading a tour. The meals were very poor, the quality was comparable to cheap two-dish rice meals, just not eaten on the street. Each day ended around 3:00 PM, and although it was advertised as a 5-day trip, it was effectively only 3 days. I paid $3280, and I estimate this tour would cost around $1000 in mainland China; the markup is significant. The only positive was the airport transfer, which was punctual and efficient. The tour guide's service was extremely poor.

Although it is said to be five days and four nights, in fact the trip is only three days. The itinerary is roughly arranged from 7 am every day (except for the day of watching the flag-raising ceremony, which starts at 4 am) until about 5 pm every day. If it is your first time in Beijing, it is still okay to join this tour, because it will really take you to the main attractions in Beijing. However, since you can only stay for a short time at each attraction, and there are many people at each attraction, you cannot see every place in detail. In terms of mentality, you just need to visit it. Because there are transportation arrangements, it is more convenient. Otherwise, you can find public transportation yourself. Most of the attractions in the itinerary can be reached by subway or train. This time the hotel is located in Fengtai District, west of the Third Ring Road. It is a bit inconvenient to go out at night because Sanlitun and other places are also in the east. It takes more than an hour to take the subway. The hotel arranged this time is the Four Seasons Hotel, a domestic hotel brand, and the rooms and the place are also clean. This tour was arranged by a mainland travel agency, and except for me, the rest of the group members were also from China. This is also a reminder for everyone.