Are the kids clamoring that you never take them anywhere but the mall? Or that you stopped taking them on trips out of China anymore? Or are they looking for a change of scenery?
Well, take a trip to these five places that will transport the entire family out of China, if only for a couple of hours.
Be transported to...
Paris' Château de Maisons-LaffitteChâteau Laffitte Hotel
Set in Beijing's northern Changping district is Château Laffitte Hotel, an excruciatingly faithful reproduction of architect François Mansart’s 17th century Baroque marvel that cost 50 million USD. Using original blueprints and over 10,000 photographs, his army of minions painstakingly replicated the château brick-for-brick, decking it out with identical installations of crystal chandeliers, intricate wall murals and pristine marble floors. If you’re looking to make a night out of it, you can also baroque your socks off and luxuriate in the spa or enjoy the palatial grandeur of the Presidential Suite for a cool 12,800RMB a night. Vive la Replica!
Laffitte Castle Park, Qijia Zhengbei, Changping district (8975 8866).
Be transported to...
Moscow, to one of its many bustling eateriesMoscow Restaurant
An evening’s dining at Beijing's first foreign eatery is your express ticket to the other end of the Trans-Siberian railway. Set in a cavernous Xicheng ballroom, the Moscow Restaurant has prided itself on its ostentatious Soviet aura ever since opening in 1954, with elegantly embellished high ceilings, robust emerald pillars and grandiose lighting fixtures creating an atmosphere that harks back to a time when the winters were cold and the wars even colder. While its hearty spread of comfort food might not be the kreme de la Kremlin, the accompanying, balalaika-shreddin' folk performances make for an enjoyable and authentic Russian experience for the entire family.
35 Xizhimenwai Dajie, Xicheng district (6835 4454). Open 11am-2pm, 5-9pm daily.
Be transported to...
Manhattan, New York
where your job’s a joke, you’re broke, your love life’s DOAFriends' Cafe
Beijing's very own replica of Friends' beloved dive cafe isn't the place for you. Tucked away on the sixth floor of the modern Chaowai SOHO, it's got the famous sofa, the dingy lighting and even and a half-decent mockup of Chandler and Joey's man-cave apartment next door, though it’s all just a little bit stuck in second gear. The place has become a sort of shrine for megafans who gather around the TV set, which plays – you guessed it – Friends, all day, every day.
0616, Bldg A, Chaowai SOHO, 6, Chaoyangmenwai Dajie, Chaoyang district. Open midday-10pm daily.
Be transported to...
Mongolia’s grassy plains99 Yurts
Bought from Mongolian and Kazakh families and transported to Haidian district, the 68 yurts that make up the cosy dining rooms of the 99 Yurts restaurant offer an adventurous escape on a frosty winter's eve. While they might not be so good at counting yurts, the authentically Mongolian staff, their authentically Mongolian dances and throat singing create what feels like just the right ambience in which to carnivorously devour a whole roasted lamb. Be sure to sample some Mongolian dairy delicacies too, with various cheese and yoghurt-based dishes available, as well as free-flowing milk tea.
9 Yongtaizhuang Bei Lu, Haidian district (6299 1888). Open 10.30am-3pm, 5.30-10pm daily.
Be transported to...
Rome’s gardens of Tivoli's Villa d'EsteRendinghu Park
When it had a little makeover back in '95, Xicheng's Rendinghu Park did take the Renaissance beauty of the Italian gardens as its inspiration, though it does lack the obvious grandeur, protruding mountains 'n' fountains and the odd UNESCO World Heritage rating here and there. Nonetheless, the sculptures, statues and archways that line the lawn near its south gate are a welcome change from your average pagoda and amusement-laden concreterie. And what’s that you say? Actual grass, that you can actually sit your actual bum on? Yes, rejoice in the majesty of being able to sit on grass at many spots surrounding the lake on the park's northern side.
Liupukang Jie, Deshengmenwai Ande Lu, Xicheng district (6202 3200). Open 6am-9pm daily.
For more fabulous autumn things to do with kids in Beijing,
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