Monday, April 9, 2012

Our Final Day In China

As our trip comes to a close we all begin to reflect back on everything we have learned and experienced. This was truly the trip of a lifetime and many of the things we experienced will be those we all hold with us for the rest of our lives. Entering the Chinese culture from the American lifestyle was exciting and scary to all of us who have never been here before. As the trip reaches its last day we chose to take a look back at the differences in culture and lifestyle that we noticed in China, and all the cities we were so fortunate to be able to visit and explore.

China compared to the United States:

Many of the cultural differences we noticed were larger than the cities we were in and really encompassed the country as a whole. One of the very first things we noticed that was different from China and the USA was the traffic and use if cars. In the United States we see traffic laws and lanes that are obeyed strictly and intensely, however, in China that is not the case. This was apparent from the second we got off the plane, and throughout our whole trip. Every driver is very aggressive, and if you need to get somewhere you need to play the offensive side. Which, when you are in a big bus on a small road can be a scary thing to witness.


Beijing

Beijing was the first city we went to and many of the cultural norms in Asia hit us here. If you ask any of the students on what was the biggest shocker, you will most likely get an answer about the bathrooms. This was one huge difference to the United States. In the US we have many public bathrooms, that all contain flushing toilet. In Beijing and China in general, they don’t have as many public bathrooms, or flushing toilets in general. Many of us had to get use to the “squatting” lifestyle pretty quickly. Along with this we immersed ourselves in the local cuisine very early on. Traditional Chinese food was nothing we were use to from the states. We were treated amazing with extensive multi-course dinners, all of which sampled the local cuisine. Most of which was not the food we were use to and took some adventure to try. Along with this we learned quickly that the water was not the safest to drink and it was important to drink only bottled water, something we all were not use to from the states.

Shanghai

We took a bullet train to Shanghai which went to speeds up to 200 km/h yet felt like we were moving about 60. In Shanghai we noticed many of the things we saw in Beijing. One of the biggest things that stood out about their culture was how dispersed their social classes were. We would go from slums to high rises on the next block. It really made your realize the discrepancy among wealth and truly be thankful for what we had. In Shanghai we were fortunate enough to be able to visit some factories and be able to see where many of the clothes we wear every day was made. It was interesting to see worker come from all over to work in these factories to make enough money to bring back for their family. It was definitely not something we see in the states. This really made all of us think twice before we buy something, or get angry when something we want is a little too expensive.

Hong Kong

One of the biggest differences in Hong Kong was the landscape. Overall from the second we got off the plane the terrain was very mountainous and exotic looking. Another thing we noticed was how the cars were all driving on the left side of the road. This was something that took some getting use to. Hong Kong is an Island so naturally waters surrounded it, but that offset by the mountains made it a very resort like setting. Many people from all over the world vacation here and because of its location geographically it is situated in close proximity to India, therefore we saw many of the vacationers or visitors like ourselves be from India. Overall Hong Kong was one of the biggest well-lit cities we had scene. On the boat cruise we took, the sky line lit up to the point where we had to ask ourselves, our we in China or New York?


Overall this was an experience of a lifetime. We all want to thank Kohl’s and Li & Fung for providing this opportunity. All of the people we met and things we experience along the way are things we will never forget. From learning the culture of another country to seeing where many of the clothes and products we wear and use on a daily basis come from, our eyes our opened. This once and a lifetime experience and something that words cannot do justice. Thank you to everyone who took part in making this experience beyond amazing.




Lauren, Caroline, Chelsi

Friday, April 6, 2012

Day 8 Part 1 - Thursday, April 5th

Our third day began with a brisk walk to The Hong Kong Polytechnic University where we were greeted by Dr. Chris Lo and Ms. Paulene Hsia. The presentation began with a video showing “A Day in the Life” of a typical PolyU international student. The video showed many similarities between universities in Hong Kong and the United States. The presentation jumped along to an amazing 4D look book, which featured high fashion designs from current and past students. This look book is a tool that is used by the students each year to present their midterm and final collections. This 4D technology is also used by students to present projects for the World Retail Congress competition. In this competition, design schools from across the globe receive a case briefing six months prior to the actual competition where they present their final project.

Dr. Lo advised a group of four students from PolyU throughout the competition and led them to victory in 2011. In this year, the case briefing requested each team to choose a brand from their home country that could be placed in a department store. The PolyU chose to update a traditional Chinese brand with modern concepts from today’s fashion trends. One futuristic example in their marketing strategy was the use of a magic mirror which displayed potential customers in the brand’s clothing as they walked by the store front. Throughout the development of this presentation, the students made use of many different technologies such as state of the art graphic design, exemplifying the uniqueness of a polytechnic university.

Dr. Lo then shared his knowledge regarding the growing China market, especially the e-commerce business. Just like the United States, China has developed their own versions of Groupon and E-bay, as well as social networking sites. They even have a search engine more popular than Google known as Baidu, whose network of users is greater than the population of the United States!

Next, we were given a tour of the Institute of Textiles and Clothing or ITC as it is most commonly known. With access to high tech sewing, surging and weaving machines, the students are able to create extravagant pieces. Since the students have 24 hour access to studios with dress forms and large cutting tables, the collections produced demonstrate a high fashion aesthetic.


After the presentation and tour we ate lunch at a Dim Sum restaurant on campus where we shared traditional Chinese cuisine that rotated around the table on a Lazy Susan. This manner of eating meals is a prime of example of the Chinese collective culture, which differs greatly from our American individualistic tendencies. This is a common thread we noticed throughout all three cities that we have visited.

Afterward, we visited a factory where Timberland, Abercrombie & Fitch, and American Eagle denim is produced. We were given a tour highlighting the different steps of the process from taking the yarn and establishing a wash to the shipping of the denim to factories in China where jeans are assembled. The factory featured twelve different types of denim, which are created on 144 machines throughout the facility by 300 employees. One of the greatest insights into the denim creation is the use of different threading methods to create the fabric. It was an eye-opening experience to see where and how the denim that we wear every day is produced.



Today was a day that was full of cultural and educational experiences that helped us sew together the seams of presentations and tours we have seen on this trip.

Day 5- April 2

We started our day with a nice drive to Tongxiong city. The scenic drive allowed us to observe the different styles of living throughout the city, suburbs, and rural countryside.

At Artwell Cashmere Factory
 Our first destination was Artwell, a cashmere apparel factory. There we were given a little taste of home - McDonald's! It was extremely generous and accommodating. The full vertical factory began with the raw material (imported from cashmere goats in Mongolia) and ended with packaging the finished garments. Students were impressed with how clean, well lit, and well ventilated the factory was - what great working conditions! Kohl's makes up 12% of Artwell's capacity which equates to 400,000 units per year. This could be expanding since Artwell is doubling the size of its manufacturing capacity within the next month. One great surprise was seeing Burberry sweaters being produced!


After the Artwell factory, we boarded the bus and headed to another factory, Shinsun (Jiaxing Pengchao) Garment Co., LTD. We were greeted by the CEO of Operations, Benjamin, explaining that it was the company's job to make Kohl's look like heroes. Benjamin was part of the family that owned the factory, which we found was very common in China. Family ties are extremely important and Shinsun had relationships with fabric mills that were over 30 years old. We learned about the entire process from fabric and material selection to final quality inspection. The students were able to see first-hand how Kohl's and Li&Fung work with suppliers to produce high quality goods at a great value in a short time period. We are all very excited to see the products from the lines in Kohl's stores within the next few months.

Production of Kohl's garments
Finished LC button-down tops
 Today was a great way for all of our majors, from Design to Marketing, to see real world applications of what we have learned in the classroom. We saw the importance of quality control and we could see the respect the suppliers had for Kohl's throughout the various aspects of the day. Our factory tours gave us a new perspective and we could not have been able to see this without Kohl's great partnership with Li&Fung and its suppliers. The students were definitely looking forward to the tours today and our expectations were, once again, surpassed from an educational, social, and cultural point of view. Thank you so much Kohl's! It was a day we will not soon forget!
At the Shinsun Factory

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Day 8 Part 2 - Thursday, April 5

The second half of our third day in Hong Kong featured a visit to the L plus H Fashion Limited Company. The company COO Ada Ho greeted us at the door and shared the background of her unique company that stared in July 2009. She describes her company as a social enterprise to create job opportunities for middle aged workers who previously were out of work as a result of factories leaving Hong Kong. She sought out a long term solution that enabled these employees to build upon previuos work skills and further develop their craft.

The average worker is 45 to 60 years old. A total workforce of about 60 to 70 workers makes 200 pieces per day, with quality that rivals Italian factories but at a lower cost. They buy raw materials and knit the sweaters from there, using high technology such as seamless garment makers and an RFID system that enables management to track who touches each piece. L plus H is the first sweater factory to use this system, which is maintained by a young management team.

Ada believes that a company must 'invest in the future to sustain a competitive advantage.' They are currently investing in digital printing that will help the factory stand out from competitors. After a tour of the small yet clean and organized factory, Ada left us with some insightful advice on leadership that will benefit us all in our future endeavors. One lasting impression of this factory was the very comfortable atmosphere, excellent work conditions, and generally high morale. We all additionally have gained a tremendous amount of respect for the clothes we wear and the vast amount of preparation that goes into making each and every piece of clothing.

After L plus H we 'galloped' over to the Hong Kong Jockey Club on Hong Kong Island for dinner. We were seated in the Racing Club overlooking the entire racetrack. The dinner was graciously hosted by LF USA. Thank you! It was certainly one of the fanciest and most delicious dinners of the trip and of many of our lives. The buffet featured a wide variety of seafood such as escargot, oysters, tuna, salmon, scallops, and sushi, as well as foie gras, fruits, lamb, duck, pigeon, beef tenderloin, and sinfully delectable desserts. It was a wonderful final group dinner to cap off our trip. After the meal we explored the bustling nightlife that Hong Kong has to offer. Everyone explored Lan Kwai Fong, a famous bar and club district where we danced the night away. We are extremely grateful to Kohl's, Li and Fung, our advisors, and everyone who helped organize our journey through China.

Thanks for reading! - Emily, Lizzie, and Kevin.




Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Day 7- Wednesday, April 4th


We began our day at 10am, refreshed and ready to go after a good night’s sleep. Our first stop was Harbour City, a luxury goods shopping center. Many Chinese citizens take the ferry here to shop for luxury brands such as Burberry, Gucci, Fendi, and Prada. We had the great opportunity to stop into Kent & Curwen, a part of the Trinity group that is fully owned and operated by Li & Fung. The store manager has a lot of experience in the luxury goods market and was able to share the current retail climate in Asia, from a Kent & Curwen perspective. With over 20 million tourists visiting per year, Hong Kong is the epicenter of retail growth.

Serving as a complete lifestyle brand, Kent & Curwen currently runs 130 stores in 63 cities, primarily in Asia. The manager further explained the brand’s customer base as a 40-55 year old male shopper, though this is slightly shifting toward a younger demographic. In addition, the manager concluded that Kent & Curwen’s success stems from its authentic history and heritage, which is something no other company can copy. The brand also has a signature look on the inside coat pocket, seen in the picture below. This diagonal pattern further differentiates Kent & Curwen from its competition. 



Next, we took a quick look at another Li & Fung store in Harbour City, Toys R Us. We had the opportunity to explore the newly renovated 37,000 sq ft store. This location specifically was the first Toys R Us store in Hong Kong. After this short visit, we were given two hours to walk around and see the numerous luxury brand stores in the mall.

After our visit to Harbour City, we drove through the hilly island up to the iconic Big Buddha. This 250 ton bronze statue stands on Lantau Island, the biggest island in Hong Kong. We climbed the 268 stairs all the way up to enjoy breathtaking views of the mountain terrain and historical site.



On the way to our last stop, we drove past Jackie Chan’s hillside estate and stopped at Repulse Bay Beach, which means “longevity bay.” We were happily ahead of schedule at this stop because of less traffic on the roads due to Qingming Festival, a public holiday in Hong Kong. An interesting fact about this holiday is that Chinese citizens can now pay to have their ancestors’ graves swept for them, or for an additional $300, the service can include crying!

To end our day, we boarded a buffet-style dinner boat cruise. The cruise included a tour of the harbor and a light show put on by the city’s skyscrapers. This is a daily attraction for both Hong Kong visitors and residents. After our enjoying the endless dessert bar, we ended the night with the chance to show off our dance moves (even including a few of the trip’s advisors). 



Thank you so much to Kohl’s for a well-balanced day of sightseeing around the beautiful islands as well as hands-on learning about Asian retailing and trends!

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Day 6, April 3

Today began very early with an 8:00am flight from Shanghai to Hong Kong on Hong Kong airlines.We needed to be on the bus by 5:00am sharp because we have learned that traffic in Shanghai is very unpredictable. Although we were very tired from traveling, when we arrived in Hong Kong we were very excited. A few things we noticed right away being that it is a Special Administrative Region where, being a former British colony, they drive on the opposite side of the road. We were also astonished by the beauty of the city being on the harbor and the view from our hotel.

After arriving at the hotel, we had a half an hour to get ready and head to  Li & Fung headquarters.

At Li & Fung Headquarters we learned about the retailing portion of the company. The different sectors include Convenience Retail Asia Limited, Trinity Limited, Toys Holding Limited.

Trinity is a leading luxury menswear player in greater China. Some of brands they have include Gieves and Hawkes and Cerruti 1888. Menswear is becoming more popular in today’s fashion industry. The three main goals of Trinity are quality, authenticity, and service which are also key points to good retail. 

Circle K and Saint Honore are convenient stores in Asia that are part of Li & Fung limited. We got to visit both of these places that were nearby the headquarters. A popular baked good at Saint Honore Cake shop is the rocky bun. Yum!

After visiting Circle K and the cake shop, we got to hear from the Kohl’s Apparel Group about the production cycle, quality control, and testing.  We found that Li and Fung is extremely thorough in their quality control process.  For example, we got a chance to test our skills on finding defects in various clothing items.

The last part of our time at Li & Fung headquarters we got a tour of the showrooms. The showrooms include home décor, jewelry, apparel, toys, and many more. We even got to see actual buyers and consumers negotiating product supply in the showroom which was also set up as a conference room. This trip overall included aspects of business, retail, and design which was important to see how these three majors interacted with each other.  For example, today related directly to an operations and technology management class taken by many of the students as well as technical design.


We could not thank Kohl’s and Li&Fung enough for all of the opportunities for educational and personal development they have allowed for us through the retailing center.  This trip will truly never be forgotten.


Day 5, April 2

We started our day with a nice drive to Tongxiong city. The scenic drive allowed us to observe the different styles of living throughout the city, suburbs, and rural countryside.

Our first destination was Artwell, a cashmere apparel factory. There we were given a little taste of home - McDonald's! It was extremely generous and accommodating. The full vertical factory began with the raw material (imported from cashmere goats in Mongolia) and ended with packaging the finished garments. Students were impressed with how clean, well lit, and well ventilated the factory was - what great working conditions! Kohl's makes up 12% of Artwell's capacity which equates to 400,000 units per year. This could be expanding since Artwell is doubling the size of its manufacturing capacity within the next month. One great surprise was seeing Burberry sweaters being produced!



After the Artwell factory, we boarded the bus and headed to another factory, Shinsun (Jiaxing Pengchao) Garment Co., LTD. We were greeted by the CEO of Operations, Benjamin, explaining that it was the company's job to make Kohl's look like heroes. Benjamin was part of the family that owned the factory, which we found was very common in China. Family ties are extremely important and Shinsun had relationships with fabric mills that were over 30 years old. We learned about the entire process from fabric and material selection to final quality inspection. The students were able to see first-hand how Kohl's and Li & Fung work with suppliers to produce high quality goods at a great value in a short time period. We are all very excited to see the products from the lines in Kohl's stores within the next few months.

Today was a great way for all of our majors, from Design to Marketing, to see real world applications of what we have learned in the classroom. We saw the importance of quality control and we could see the respect the suppliers had for Kohl's throughout the various aspects of the day. Our factory tours gave us a new perspective and we could not have been able to see this without Kohl's great partnership with Li & Fung and its suppliers. The students were definitely looking forward to the tours today and our expectations were, once again, surpassed from an educational, social, and cultural point of view. Thank you so much Kohl's! It was a day we will not soon forget!

Monday, April 2, 2012

Day 4

April 1st 2012—

We started out the day at 9:00am. Our first destination was The Humble Administrator’s Garden located in the Jiangsu Province in the South of China. It was initially a private garden of a former government servant, Wang Xianchen. Built in 1509 during the Ming Dynasty, the garden was built to simply enjoy life. A pagoda was located in the center of the garden. Each one of its corner resembled one of the four seasons. As most of the other attractions we’ve seen on our trip, many of the tourists were from other parts of China.  There was even a large group of small school children that appeared to be visiting on a field trip.  We were surprised to see them there on a Sunday when typically there is no school.  However, many Shanghai families will be celebrating an important Chinese holiday tomorrow and many children attended school today to compensate for this time



Our next stop was the Suzhou No. 1 Silk Factory Co., LTD.  After a quick lunch, we were given a tour of the factory and were taught about the extensive process of silk production.  One of the first things we learned was how to distinguish between real silk and a blend of polyester and silk.  The three techniques we learned included burning and breathing on the fabric. When silk is burned, it produces a white smoke and smells like burning hair. Polyester, on the other hand, produces black smoke and causes the fabric to curl.   Silk is known for keeping you warm in the winter and cool in the summer and this can be demonstrated by breathing through the fabric onto the skin underneath.  If your breath feels cool in the summer and warm in the winter, you know you’re dealing with real silk.  The worker giving us the tour believed silk cured many ailments such as arthritis and asthma.



Our last visit of the day was to the Water Tower which consisted of six famous towers above six rivers. It became famous after a young artist did an oil painting of the location.  A famous individual in the U.S. purchased the painting at an art exhibition, and the location was later featured in several movies such as Mission Impossible 3. The Water Tower is known as the Venice of the East due to its similar appearance. Various shops selling jewelry, food, and souvenirs line the water on both sides. Many of these shops are owned by families who live in apartments above them.



We returned to the hotel early and were given the opportunity to explore around the Langham Hotel, a very young and social area where many known retailers, such as Louis Vuitton, Apple, and Cartier dominated the area. This was such an amazing experience. Thank you Kohl’s for providing us such a great opportunity.

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Day 3, March 31st

March 31st began at 5:15 AM for the students as we checked out from the Peninsula Hotel in Beijing. We grabbed our five star boxed breakfasts and headed to the train station with our fearless leader Julia Potter. It was interesting to note the beauty of the train station as it was built in 2008, and was yet another structure for the world to see for the Olympic Games in Beijing. As we traveled south on the bullet train at speeds over 300 km, we saw China’s “country side” accompanied with clusters of high rise buildings in the background. In the Li & Fung presentation later in the day, it was noted that one of their challenges within the company is a labor shortage in the big cities. The fresh construction we saw passing through the countryside on the bullet train further supports the growth that is occurring outside the metropolitan cities. On our way to the Li & Fung Shanghai Campus, our tour guide Mac shared that Shanghai is the “New York in China” and their Financial Center is coincidentally referred to as Manhattan.


Upon arrival at the Li & Fung Shanghai Campus, a Cantonese style lunch was served recognizing the Fung brothers’ Cantonese heritage. After lunch, we heard from Joseph Huo, the General Manager of Finance and Accounting for LF. Mr. Huo highlighted the challenges that LF is facing in the sourcing world. First, the concern of cost of labor and materials will continue. They are also concerned with labor shifts in Southern China and the coastal cities. This shift is from an increased demand for white collar workers. Factories are moving inland as supported from what we saw in the countryside of China on the bullet train. There is also a concern of power shortages in Chinese factories. The students witnessed this energy consciousness after dinner tonight when the light show of Shanghai skyline was shut off after 8:30 PM.

After Joseph Huo’s presentation, we were introduced to part of Kohl’s exclusive merchant team at the LF office. Their dedication to Kohl’s and their quality standards was clearly evident. They really strive to interpret each product to fit the quality and price standard that the Kohl’s customer expects. After the LF Kohl’s team presentation, the students toured the campus and product showrooms.



Due to Shanghai traffic, the students had the opportunity to see the vibrant, sensory overload city with countless photos of gleaming and unique skyscrapers. The young, fashion forward citizens were very easy to spot throughout the city.

The day ended with an absolutely lovely meal at the posh “M on the Bund” overlooking the Yangtze River and Shanghai skyline. Just when we thought the day could not get any better, we entered the Langham Hotel. This was all made possible through Kohl’s. Thank you for an incredible welcome to Shanghai.

Day 2, March 30th

Today we went to some very historic places in Beijing. Our first spot was Tiananmen Square. Our tour guide, Julia, pointed out many visitors from rural areas of the country who have been waiting their whole
lives to visit because it is considered a "place of celebration and happiness,” contrary to the beliefs of many Americans. We then proceeded to the entrance of the Forbidden City where we took a group picture with Chairman Mao’s portrait in the background.

The Forbidden City was incredible and much bigger than we could have ever imagined. Each courtyard, garden, and living corridor was more intricately designed and painstakingly restored than the next. It seemed to go on forever, as we learned about the dynastic emperors of China, and all the hard work that went into creating this amazing place. It was truly astounding.

After our traditional Chinese lunch, we took a rickshaw ride through the Hutong district, which is a historic residential area of the city. We were also lucky to see a courtyard home and the family that lives there. This ride truly immersed us in Chinese culture, as we were caught in traffic jams with entertaining drivers and street noise in the background.

Our next activity was the Temple of Heaven, where Emperors used to pray for good harvest. It was a beautiful sight and we all enjoyed the circular "Echo Wall,” where one could clap and we could hear the echo three times.

We then went to dinner and the Pearl Market, where we did some great bargaining and bought gifts for our friends and family. Each purchase was an experience, as we haggled prices down and rejoiced in our successes in obtaining “the best price possible.”

Our last stop of the day was an Acrobats Show, where the President of Kazakhstan was also in attendance. It was spectacular, especially the finale which featured six motorcycle riders looping around in a spherical metal cage. Each time one of them joined, they would yell "Hai!" and the audience would react in fright. Something all of us will never forget.

Overall, we are as exhausted as we've ever been in our lives, but we could not have asked for a better reason to be. Thank you so much to Kohl's and Li&Fung for allowing us to experience this incredible journey. We have formed great friendships and learned so much about this amazing country.

Day 1, March 29th

We excitedly arrived in Beijing!


Our first day started out great with climbing The Great Wall. However, it took us a while to actually
get there because the traffic was so heavy. Our guide, Julia Potter (named after Julia Roberts and Harry Potter) told us that many traffic laws changed after the Olympics. To allow for the flow of traffic from the 2008 Olympics, the government made rules regulating the times people could drive. The laws have stayed in tact even after the Olympics.

Once we arrived to the Great Wall we took the gondola up to our starting point. Then we started climbing and climbing and climbing. We were fortunate enough to be climbing a portion of the wall that had less tourists, and we almost had the place to ourselves. It was originally built in the Chin Dynasty to link all the already established walls from the surrounding towns. Over 1 million people were involved in the production, gathering trees and soil to construct the monstrosity.

After this deteriorated, the Han Dynasty ordered to rebuild it. This is when the wall reached its peak of 10000 km long. Then the Ming dynasty ordered another renovation and changed the wall to pure brick to protect from enemies. To this day, only five sections remain standing from the original wall, and we were lucky enough to be standing on one of them!

After the Great Wall, we visited the Summer Palace, home of the notorious Empress known as the "Dragon Lady". The enormous estate bragged multiple temples, a private man-made lake, and acre upon acre of trees and greenery. The pathway through the grounds were adorned with hand painted artwork, each original pieces.


In order to fund the building of the palace, the Dragon Lady ordered all of the military funding to be used on it, which inevitably caused China to lose the war against Japan. Her nickname was thus acquired from her blatant selfishness and disregard for the Chinese people.



 Since her reign, several improvements have been made, including bathrooms for tourists. It is here that we first witnessed the official star- rankings of bathrooms, this one being deemed a "four-star" restroom. We beg to differ.

After the Summer Palace, we were lucky enough to squeeze in time to shop at the Silk Market. This market was once outdoors and drew quite a crowd, but due to fire hazards, it has been relocated to an indoor facility. It is 5 stories high, with each floor selling a different department. Julia, our tour guide, taught us how to bargain with vendors to get a fair price. Many vendors will play mind games with customers, but we learned that we should start low and meet in the middle. It was a really eye opening experience, since it is so different from our shopping mall experience. Wish we could bargain for our clothes and accessories at home!

All in all, our first day in Beijing was action packed and very memorable. On top of learning so
much about the culture, we also got first hand experience shopping like a true native.

We cannot thank Kohl's and Li & Fung enough to allow us to be a part of all of these culturally enriching experiences, and we look forward to what is in store for us in the days to come.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Arrived in Beijing

We have arrived safely in Beijing!  Looking forward to a great experience in China!

Monday, March 12, 2012

Hotel Features & Amenities


The Peninsula Hotel
·         Fitness Center
·         Indoor Pool
·         Dual Voltage (110V/220V) and multiple format electrical adaptor power sockets
·         Coffee maker
·         In-room safe
·         Hairdryer

The Langham Xintiandi Shanghai
·         Fitness Center
·         Indoor Pool
·         Iron/ironing board
·         Espresso Machine
·         Electronic Safe
·         Heated Floors

Harbour Plaza Metropolis
·         Fitness Center
·         Outdoor Pool
·         220 Voltage
·         Coffee maker