What Not to Do in Beijing by xiaodi zhang at 07/30/2008

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With less than fourteen days to the Olympics, it seems like everyone is publishing guides on Beijing. While I love the interactive maps, great photos, and well-organized information, I am cringing at all the overrated places everyone is recommending over and over again.

So, here is my list of “un-recommended” places in Beijing. If you only have a few days in Beijing during the Olympics, do not waste your time, energy, meals or money on these destinations. There are more places that my local Beijing friends would add to this list, but here are the absolute all-time overrated places. Avoid them if you can.

Badaling Great Wall:  You absolutely need to go see the Great Wall, but just dont see it at Badaling! When I first went to Badaling ten years ago, it was already overrun by tourists and knick-knack stands selling everything from Mao pins to “I Climbed Badaling” tshirts. Imagine how crowded it is today. You don’t really climb the wall as much as your push your way through the crowds. If you sign up for a Great Wall tour, be sure to specify that you DO NOT want to go to Badaling. Otherwise, they will always take you there by default, since it is the closest and therefore the cheapest for the tour company.

Le Quai: The description of Le Quai could not sound more intriguing: a two-story traditional house transported from Anhui province and rebuilt inside a modern glass house in Beijing. The design did not disappoint at all. Le Quai is beautiful to look at, both inside and outside the restaurant. However, the food is a total after-thought in this restaurant. The “French-Asian-Fusion” thing just doesn’t work, and it is incredibly expensive. We ordered the one dish that every Beijing restaurant should get right (otherwise, don’t put it on the menu), Zha Jiang Mien, and it was impossible to imagine a worse version of this classic dish. Do not waste a meal at this restaurant. Go for drinks or tea, or just get a tour.

Li Qun Duck Restaurant: Yes, Al Gore has been here, but that doesn’t mean Al Gore knows good duck. We first heard about Li Qun in a Starwood Travel special (that should have tipped us off, but it was very well-made). The small hutong restaurant seemed like a hidden gem. When we got there and saw a long line of foreign tourists outside the restaurant, we began to worry about our decision. When we saw a tourist picking apart the duck skin and throwing it away, we knew we were really in trouble. This restaurant no longer caters to locals. It caters to people who don’t know that the best part of a Peking duck is the skin! Enough said. Have you duck at Made in China, or at the original Da Dong (only the original location though).

Grand Hyatt: It seems a little harsh to include such a landmark hotel on this list. But after a couple of recent visits, I feel the Grand Hyatt has lost its luster. The service has become shoddy, and the rooms feel too small compared to comparable hotels. In fact, a lot of high-end hotels have opened recently in Beijing. Rates are competitive, service has improved, and rooms are better and better. Grand Hyatt is no longer *the* luxury hotel in Beijing. Try the Westin instead.

Hou Hai: Hou Hai used to be the most peaceful and romantic area in Beijing. A favorite gathering place for local residents, you would find retirees playing Chinese Chess, poker or practicing qigong at sunset not more than six years ago. That was before the bars and clubs targeting expats took over and turned Hou Hai into a loud, obnoxious eye-sore at night. Walking around Hou Hai at sunset today, you will be accosted by countless bartenders trying to pull you into their bars to check out the “live music”. It’s a truly sad scene, especially if you have experienced Hou Hai in the past.

Silk Market/Pearl Market: While the two markets sell completely different types of products, one selling knockoffs and the other selling “pearls”, the experience is pretty similar. You will be confronted with endless rows of booths and stalls selling identical items at practically identical prices. The vendors will be yelling at you at every language imaginable, and they will try to pull you into their stalls. If that sounds like fun, then these markets are the places to go. But don’t think you are getting great deals. The products are that cheap for a reason. Speaking from personal experience, that LV purse is not made out of real leather, the Cartier watch will stop in a month, and those pretty coral necklaces will leave a nice red stain on your neck.

The Orchard: Touted as “rustic” and “charming”, the Orchard is known for its weekend brunch and use of organic herbs and vegetables. In theory, it should be wonderful. In reality, the Orchard is located nearly 1.5 hours outside of town, and taxi drivers have a hard time finding it. The food is nice, but its comparable to the brunch you can find back home in Texas (actually not as good as that). If you only have a few days in Beijing, don’t spend four hours on mediocre brunch.

China Club: Renovated prince’s palace: check, exclusive membership club: check, boutique hotel: check. China Club seems to have all the ingredients for an amazing hutong restaurant. Unfortunately, the management company neglected to hire a good chef. The club restaurant is overpriced and underwhelming. This is a place for business dinners on expense accounts.