Lorenz Beijing Holiday

Hi Abbey-

First of all, I would like to say that our trip was absolutely amazing. We spent 7 days in the capital city with a private guide and driver. Over the course of the week we visited: zoo, Beihai Park, a local Hutong, Badaling Great Wall, Sacred Way and Ming's Tomb, Summer Palace, Lama Temple, Confucius Temple, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Jingshan Park, Temple of Heaven, and Chuandixia Village.

The service that was provided by you, Kevin, and Mr. Lin was exceptional and exceeded all expectations we had about our Beijing holiday. You were great at calming any anxieties we had and were very quick to respond to all of our inquiries. I feel that the locations we visited and the services offered were 5-star and we have already recommended the company to several of our friends and are already beginning to plan a return trip with the kids.

With regard to the booking process, I think that the detail that is provided in each and every email is worth noting. I was always left with more information to look at that helped me feel confident and comfortable with our trip. I think it is great that you send information on pre-planning such as what to pack, where to eat, etc. We were also very appreciative of the fact that you were able to book a special birthday dinner for us at our restaurant of choice. If others on private tours are made aware of this I think they will definitely provide a 5-star review as well. This is a very nice benefit to have and our guide, Kevin, wrote all of the reservation in Chinese as well as the location to ensure that we did not have any issues.

We were also very satisfied with the hotel accommodations. Yes, it is a 3-star hotel, however, the location is perfect! We were able to walk to Wangfujing St. to shop and go to the night market and we loved it. We were also able to walk to many great restaurants in the area. We were also right next to the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. On one evening we even walked back to the hotel from the Hutong we had visited near the Bell and Drum Towers. The hotel itself was very simple. The beds were very comfortable and the breakfast in the morning was very good. It is located in a very safe area and we felt very comfortable staying at the Days Inn Forbidden City. Upon our arrival, our guide helped check us in and staff seemed very friendly. The same applies to our departure.

The only meal included in our trip was breakfast at the hotel and as stated this was a very good meal. Kevin was able to recommend several restaurants that were located near our hotel. We had also done some research about restaurants in the area so we were rather knowledgeable. We had lunch with Kevin each day and sometimes Mr. Lin joined us (depending on the parking situation). We enjoyed sharing a meal together and trying new food and drinks.

Mr. Lin, our driver, was also great and made the trip memorable. Driving in Beijing is not for the weak, but Mr. Lin was able to navigate the city streets and get us from "Point A to “Point B" quickly and safely. He was even able to drop us off right at the entrance to all of the sites we visited and was there waiting for us as soon as we were done. The car was a good size, clean, and Mr. Lin always had water for us.

Kevin, our guide, made the trip very memorable. He was able to give a detailed history of all of the locations we visited and also had a great sense of humor. He kept us listening and often kept us laughing as well. We enjoyed talking to Kevin about the history of China as well as today's culture. He made us feel comfortable and it just felt like we were on vacation with a friend rather than on a private trip with a guide. Kevin made sure we were in control of the trip and if we wanted to stay at a site longer - we did. If we were tired and ready to go back to the hotel - we did. This was a nice option to have as opposed to a group travel. One of the most memorable experiences we had was our visit to the Summer Palace. Near the temple we could hear singing from atop the hill. At the top, there was a group of retirees signing classic Chinese songs and dancing in the park. When we made it to the top of the stairs they invited us to join them.

In general, we were very satisfied with our trip and do not have any recommendations or criticism to provide. We will also be contacting you soon to book a late summer trip.

Thank you again for arranging a great trip to Beijing!

Jillian Lorenz