The most outrageous guest requests at the world’s most luxury hotels

If you thought that hotel concierges at luxury hotels spend their days scoring tickets to the ballet or reservations at the hottest restaurant in town – think again. In fact, Forbes.com recently had an article detailing some of the world's most outrageous guest requests. Just how outrageous is too outrageous of a request from a super wealthy guest? Just check out some of these requests received by concierges over the years:

• The Setai, South Beach, Miami: A guest visiting from the UK asked the concierge to ship a tiger from Florida to London - on two days' notice no less. Apparently, the tiger belonged to a Florida woman the guest had fallen for and she wouldn’t go to London without it.  

• The Plaza, New York City: A guest asked the concierge to obtain a live batch of tarantulas for him to take home and enjoy – naturally roasted.

• The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun: A guest wanted to privately watch a film on the beach – after all of the sand had been covered up. Hence, a team was dispatched to Mexico City to obtain some extra rugs.

• The Sagamore Resort, Lake George, NY: A guest asked the concierge for an engineer to come to his room to change the fireplace from gas-burning to wood-burning.

• Hotel Adlon Kempiniski Berlin, Germany: A guest realized that the stuffed bunny his four year old needs to have in order to fall asleep was left at home and no substitute could be found. Instead, the concierge arranged for a bellhop to drive the five hours round trip to the home of the family to retrieve the bunny.

• Brown's Hotel, London: A guest from the Middle East asked the concierge to ship 21 live deer to Kuwait as a 21st birthday surprise for his daughter.

• Le Saint-Sulpice Hotel, Montreal: A movie star guest on a strict dietary regiment insisted on drinking raw milk straight from the cow no less, for breakfast every morning. Hence, the concierge made regular trips to a nearby farm every night and milked a cow – while wearing his concierge suit!

Somehow though, I don’t think a concierge will perform any of the above requests for ordinary guests like you or I!

Price comparison: Ferrari Rosso helmet

The Ferrari Rosso is an all-Italian helmet and an official Ferrari licensed product. And since its shell is produced in advanced thermoplastic polymers, the result is a low weight of just 950 grams – perfect for someone who regularly rides a motorcycle or moped.

Hence, the Asian Wall Street Journal’s weekly Arbitrage column has recently conducted a survey of prices for a Ferrari Rosso helmet in various cities in Asia and around the world. The survey found that prices were highest in three European cities and lowest in Hong Kong.

Price Comparison*

Paris	€332	US$452
Brussels	€320	US$436
Frankfurt	€299	US$407
Tokyo	37,030 Yen	US$404
New York City	US$360	US$360
Rome	€249	US$339
London	180 Pounds	US$278
Hong Kong	HK$1,960	US$252

* Prices are based on foreign exchange rates as of February 22, 2010.

Five great travel gift ideas for the executive traveler

Forbes.com has recently posted a video interview of Adam Rich, the co-founder of Thrillist (a newsletter and website that caters to male urban professionals in their twenties and thirties), who mentioned five great ideas about what to get an executive traveler who has everything. Adam’s gift ideas included:

• Grid-it by Cocoon Innovations is a lattice work of elastic straps to keep everything inside your laptop bag. The Grid-it retails for US$19.95.
• The Movie Wedge is a beanbag with a wedge on it that acts as a stand to hold up your iPhone plus the microfiber case can be used to clean its screen. The Movie Wedge retails for US9.95.
• The Southern Brand iPhone sleeve is a sleeve made out of cowhide and the sale proceeds will go to assist struggling musicians. The Southern Brand iPhone sleeve retails for US$29.00.
• The Balanzza Too is a 3 in 1 travel accessory that includes a timer, flashlight and a luggage scale to prevent you from being overcharged for overweight luggage. The Balanzza Too retails for US$31.00.
• The Eskuche Headphones has a great retro look and also comes with several interchangable cords – including one that allows you to use your phone handsfree. The Eskuche Headphones retails for US$58.00. 

So if you or someone you know is a regular business traveler who has just about everything, some of the above gift ideas might be worth considering.

 

The awards for the best wines served in business and first class

The Bangalore Aviation blog has recently noted that the results are now in for the annual Cellars in the Sky Awards which recognizes the best business and first class wines served by airlines worldwide. Some of the big winners in this region included:

• Qantas with four awards: The best first class red wine, the best first class fortified / sweet wine, the best first class cellar and best presented wine list.
• Cathay Pacific with two awards: The best business class red wine and best business class cellar.

Oddly though, Singapore Airlines which usually wins several top finisher awards in any contest, seems to have been knocked right out of this competition.

Either way, here are the complete contest winners:

Business Class

Sparkling wine

1. Delta
Piper-Heidsieck Brut, Champagne, France
Score: 18.25 out of 20

2. JOINT: Qantas, Singapore Airlines
Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve, Champagne, France
Score: 18

3. Mexicana
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut, Champagne, France
Score: 17.75

4. JOINT: Jet, LAN
Louis Roederer Brut Premier, Champagne, France
Score: 17.5

5. JOINT: Cathay, KLM
Billecart-Salmon Brut, Champagne, France
Score: 17

Red

1. Cathay Pacific
Spy Valley Pinot Noir Marlborough 2007, Marlborough, New Zealand
Score: 18.75

2. Korean Air
Tyrrell’s Rufus Stone Heathcote Shiraz 2005, Hunter Valley, Australia
Score: 18.5

3. KLM
Tempus Two Barossa Shiraz 2005, Barossa, Australia
Score: 18.25

4. LAN
Altair 2004, Alto Cachapoal Valley, Chile
Score: 18

5. Alitalia
Barone Ricasoli Castello di Brolio, Casalferro, 2005, Gaiole in Chianti, Tuscany, Italy
Score: 17.75

White

1. SAS
Tim Adams Semillon 2007, Clare Valley, Australia
Score: 18.5

2. Cathay Pacific
Moët Hennessy, Green Point Reserve Chardonnay 2005, Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia
Score: 18

3. ANA
Weinguter Wegeler, Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Kabinett 2007, Mosel, Germany
Score: 17.75

4. Qantas
Peter Lehman Wines Eden Valley Riesling 2005, Barossa, Australia
Score: 17.5

5. Air New Zealand
West Brook Marlborough Riesling 2008, Marlborough, New Zealand
Score: 17.25

Fortified / Sweet

1. Lufthansa
Vinhos Niepoort Late Bottled Vintage 2004, Douro, Portugal
Score: 18.5

2. Singapore Airlines
Graham’s Late Bottled Vintage Port 2003, Douro, Portugal
Score: 18

3. Air New Zealand
Dr John Forrest, Forrest Noble Marlborough Riesling 2008, Marlborough, New Zealand
Score: 17.75

4. Delta
Chambers Rosewood Vineyards, Muscat a Petit Grains, Rutherglen, Australia
Score: 17.5

5. Qantas
Baileys of Glenrowan Founder Series Liqueur Muscat, Glenrowan, Australia
Score: 17

Best business class cellar

1. Cathay Pacific
2. LAN
3. Qatar Airways
4. American Airlines
5. British Airways

First class

Sparkling

1. Lufthansa
Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Rare, Champagne, France
Score: 19

2. Qantas
Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 1999, Champagne, France
Score: 18.5

3. Qatar Airways
Laurent Perrier Grand Siècle 1996, Champagne, France
Score: 18

4. Emirates
Dom Pérignon 2000, Champagne, France
Score: 17.75

5. JOINT: ANA, Singapore Airlines
Krug Grande Cuvée Brut, Champagne, France
Score: 17.5

Red

1. Qantas
Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier 2005, Canberra, Australia
Score: 18.75

2. JOINT:
Emirates
Felton Road Pinot Noir 2008, Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand
Korean Air
Château Léoville Poyferré 2004, Saint-Julien, France
Score: 18.5

[Editor's note: Singapore Airlines used to serve this wine and it is indeed a great wine]

4. JOINT:
American Airlines
Chapoutier Coteaux Tricastin 2006, Rhône Valley, France
American Airlines
Château Lynch-Moussas 2006, Pauillac, France
British Airways
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 4 Pinot Noir 2007, Marlborough, New Zealand
Score: 18

White

1. TAM
Michel Picard Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chalumeaux 2006, Burgundy, France
Score: 18.5

2. British Airways
Albert Bichot Meursault 2007, Burgundy, France
Score: 18.25

3. British Airways
Salomon Lindberg Reserve Gruner Veltliner 2007, Kamptal, Austria
Score: 18

4. Cathay Pacific
Wente Riva Ranch Reserve Chardonnay 2006, Livermore Valley, San Francisco, US
Score: 17.75

5. Qatar Airways
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 18 Snap Block Sauvignon Blanc 2008, Marlborough, New Zealand
Score: 17.5

Fortified / Sweet

1. Qantas
Morris of Rutherglen Old Premium Liqueur Tokay, Rutherglen, Australia
Score: 18.5

2. Emirates
Château Rieussec 2003, Domaines Lafite, France
Score: 17.75

3. ANA
Taylor’s 20-Year-Old Tawny Port, Douro, Portugal
Score: 17.5

Best first class cellar

1. Qantas
2. American Airlines
3. Qatar Airways
4. British Airways
5. Cathay Pacific

OVERALL BEST-PRESENTED WINE LIST

1. Qantas
2. Air New Zealand
3. JOINT: ANA, Qatar Airways

CONSISTENCY OF WINES ACROSS BUSINESS AND FIRST CLASS

1. Qatar Airways
2. JOINT: American Airlines, Cathay Pacific
3. Qantas
4. British Airways
5. ANA

Useful video to learn some basic Bahasa Indonesian survival phrases

Should you be visiting Indonesia soon, you may want to visit the Travel Linguist site on YouTube as it contains numerous resources to help you learn some Bahasa Indonesian words or phrases. In this video, you will learn the following useful Bahasa Indonesian survival words:

Hello - Halo

Goodbye - Selamat tinggal

How are you? - Apa kabar?

Very well, and you? - Baik sekali dan bagaimana dengan anda?

Thank you - Terima kasih

You're welcome - Terima kasih kembali

Do you speak English? - Apakah anda berbicara bahasa inggeris?

What is your name? - Siapakah nama anda?

Excuse me - Permisi

Where is the bathroom? - Dimanakah kamar kecil?

Knowing the above Bahasa Indonesian words or phrases will make even a short trip to Indonesia much more easier!

Chinese business etiquette videos

Relationships and proper etiquette are extremely important considerations when doing business with the Chinese as they are renowned for being skilled and patient negotiators. Hence, its always important to put your best foot forward and to know what to expect when you meet with potential Chinese business partners for the first time.

In this first short video, the proper way to greet someone at the beginning of a business meeting is addressed:

In this second short video, viewers are walked through an entire business meeting between a Westerner and her potential Chinese business partners:

Price comparison: The i2 Segway

Since their unveiling back in roo1, the two-wheeled self-balancing electric Segway have had some success in certain niche markets or as a novelty item. Hence, the Asian Wall Street Journal’s weekly Arbitrage column has recently conducted a survey of prices for the i2 Segway in various cities in Asia and around the world. The survey found that prices were highest in Bangkok – in fact, nearly double in comparison to New York where i2 Segway prices were lowest. Nevertheless, having a i2 Segway would probably not make much of a difference when navigating through Bangkok’s notorious traffic jams!

Price Comparison*

Bangkok	399,000 Baht	US$12,025
Frankfurt	€8,530	US$11,651
Shanghai	75,000 Yuan	US$10,976
Tokyo	981,750 Yen	US$10,927
Paris	€6,650	US$9,083
Sydney	A$9,450	US$8,464
Rome	€5,988	US$8,179
London	5,200 Pounds	US$8,175
Brussels	€5,595	US$7,642
New York City	US$6,215	US$6,215

* Prices are based on foreign exchange rates as of Feb 16, 2010.

How to use chopsticks videos

For westerners who are accustomed to eating with silverware, using chopsticks for the first few times can be intimidating and tricky. Luckily, learning how to use chopsticks is not that difficult with a little bit of practice.

In this first video, Hiu Yau, a home chef and caterer, first explains the different types of chopsticks and what they are used for:

In this second video, the basic Chinese method for using chopsticks is explained:

Finally, this last video explains how to pick up rice with chopsticks:

Asia's top amusement parks

Should you be visiting Asia for pleasure or you are based in the region with your family, a recent article on Forbes.com that listed Asia's top amusement parks is well worth reading. According to Forbes, the following are Asia's top theme parks based on attendance figures:

1. Universal Studios in Singapore
2. Everland in Seoul
3. Ocean Park in Hong Kong
4. Happy Valley in Shenzhen
5. Sea World Gold Coast, Queensland
6. Sunway Lagoon in Petaling Jaya (Malaysia)
7. Essel World in Mumbai
8. Disneyland in Tokyo
9. Dunia Fantasi in Jakarta
10. Lac Cahn Dai Nam Van Hien in Ho Chi Minh City
11. Siam Park City in Bangkok
12. Janfusun Fancyworld in Douliu (Taiwan)

However, don’t expect to have any of the above theme parks to yourself during a visit as according to the article, members of Asia’s growing and increasingly affluent middle class are flooding these 12 popular theme park destinations. In fact, it was noted that PricewaterhouseCoopers has predicted that Asia’s amusement park market will be worth nearly US$8.5 billion by 2012 - up from US$6.4 billion in 2007.

Useful video to learn some basic Japanese survival phrases

Should you be visiting Japan soon, you may want to visit the Travel Linguist site on YouTube as it contains numerous resources to help you learn some Japanese. In this video, you will learn the following useful Japanese survival words:

Hello - Konnichiwa

Goodbye - Sayonara

How are you? - Ogenki desu ka

Very well, and you? - Genki desu anata wa?

Thank you - Arigato

You're welcome - Do itashimashite

Do you speak English? - Eigo ga hanasemasu ka?

What is your name? - O namae wa nan desu ka?

Excuse me - Sumimasen

Where is the bathroom? - Ote arai wa dochira desu ka

Knowing the above Japanese phrases will make even a short trip to Japan much more easier!

The top 10 destinations to celebrate Chinese New Year in

The year of the Tiger is upon us and in case you are not in China and still want to celebrate the Lunar New Year, Travelfront has recently posted an article listing the top 10 places to celebrate Chinese New Year and some of these places may surprise you. According to the article, the top 10 Chinese New Year destinations are:

1. Singapore: If you are not in China, this cosmopolitan Chinese city state is by far the best place to ring in the New Year complete complete with fireworks, music and the “Parade of Dreams.”
2. Sydney, Australia: Sydney boosts the largest celebration of the Lunar New Year outside of Asia with over 600,000 people, including Jackie Chan, celebrating it in 2009. Celebrations this year will also include a Chinese New Year Twilight Parade.
3. London, UK: If you are in the UK, Leicester Square, China Town and Trafalqar Square are the places to be and expect to see plenty of fireworks, lion dances and much more.
4. Paris, France: On the continent, millions of people will watch the parade of dragons, dancers and musicians who will parade through the streets of Paris.
5. Helsinki, Finland: You may be surprised to learn that there is a Chinese community in Helsinki who will put on a show with plenty of fireworks and live performances.
6. Los Angeles: The Lunar New Year has been celebrated in Los Angeles for some 110 years and the Golden Dragon Parade will attract will over 100,000 people this year.
7. Hong Kong: Another place to be, Hong Kong will celebrate the Lunar New Year with plenty of tradition – including gift giving.
8. San Francisco: Since after the Gold Rush years, the South-West Airlines Chinese New Year Parade has been a San Francisco tradition that now attracts 100,000s of visitors to the city. 
9. New York City: Celebrations in New York will include a Firecracker Ceremony and Cultural Festival in Columbus Park and the 11th Annual Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade and Festival.
10. Numerous Places in UK: Major UK cities such as Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Kent, Liverpool, Manchester and Edinburgh will also put on their own Chinese New Year celebrations to match those of London and anywhere else in the world for that matter.

As an added bonus this year, the celebration of Chinese New Year will also include Valentine’s Day as well.

Single Chinese rent dates to appease parents during Chinese New Year

Single Chinese have come up with an innovative way to please their parents during the annual Lunar New Year holiday - they are renting fake dates. According to the AFP (“Chinese rent dates to appease parents”) and already noted by other bloggers, advertisements have been posted all over popular web portals like Baidu.com by young Chinese singles seeking to pay other young men or women to come home with them for the Spring Festival – the most important family holiday in China. One such ad posted on Baidu.com under the headline, "Looking to rent a girlfriend,” read:

500 yuan (73 dollars) a day, you don't have to sleep with me, I can sleep on the floor in the same room, but you have to be a good actress.

Another ad posted on Chinaren.com under the headline, "desperately looking for a girlfriend to go home with me for Chinese New Year,” read:

I haven't yet found a suitable girlfriend and my parents are pushing too hard… I'm searching for a girl around 23 years old (and not more than two years below or above that), 160 to 175 centimeters high, average looking is OK.

To all of the ad posters and single Chinese out there, we would like to simply say: Gung Hay Fat Choy! (and good luck to those who did not find a date!)

Price comparison: A Tiffany diamond ring

Valentine’s day is this weekend and perhaps you have considered buying something very special for someone. Hence, the Asian Wall Street Journal’s weekly Arbitrage column has recently conducted a survey of prices for Tiffany diamond rings in various cities in Asia and around the world. The survey found that prices were highest in Tokyo – in fact, by several thousand dollars compared to the next highest priced city. However, prices were considerably lower in other Asian cities, some European cities and in New York.

Price Comparison*

Tokyo	2,600,000 Yen	US$29,200
Rome	€16,085	US$22,146
Paris	€15,205	US$20,934
Sydney	A$23,700	US$20,769
London	€12,800	US$20,077
Hong Kong	HK$136,000	US$17,506
Brussels	€12,200	US$16,797
Manila	775,000	US$16,717
Frankfurt	€11,800	US$16,246
New York	US$16,100	US$16,100

* A brilliant-cut, one-carat round diamond (VS1 clarity, E color) set in platinum. Prices are based on foreign exchange rates as of Feb 10, 2010.

The most livable cities in the world

Once again, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has released its rankings of the world’s most livable cities and to no-one’s surprise, a couple of Australian cities made the top 10 along with a couple of Canadian ones (However, I am not sure how many readers want to be in those Canadian cities during winter time!). According to the EIU, the following are the top 10 most liveable cities as ranked by The Economist:

1. Vancouver, Canada
2. Vienna, Austria
3. Melbourne, Australia
4. Toronto, Canada
5. Calgary, Canada
6. Helsinki, Finland
7. Sydney, Australia
8. Perth, Australia
9. Adelaide, Australia
10. Auckland, New Zealand

Meanwhile and to no-one’s surprise, the bottom 10 cities included some of the usual suspects:

1. Harare, Zimbabwe
2. Dhaka, Bangladesh
3. Algiers , Algeria
4. Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
5. Lagos, Nigeria
6. Karachi, Pakistan
7. Douala, Cameroon
8. Kathmandu, Nepal
9. Colombo, Sri Lanka
10. Dakar, Senegal

The survey had ranked 140 cities on 30 factors that include healthcare, culture and environment, and education and personal safety and these rankings are often used by employers when assigning hardship allowances as part of expatriate relocation packages.

The top 10 Valentine’s Day destinations in Asia

Valentine’s Day is almost here and in case you are living in the Asia-Pacific region and you are wondering where you should go for a quick romantic escape, MyDearValentine.com has posted the Top 10 romantic destinations in Asia Pacific. According to them, these romantic destinations include:

• Malaysia – Picturesque coasts, mountaintop vistas and great cuisine.
• Bangkok - Boat rides amidst the canals of the city.
• Maldives - Coral islands with white sand beaches, scuba diving and snorkeling.
• Tokyo – Plenty of historical attractions, beauty and culture.
• Taipei – Rich Chinese history and culture combined with awesome scenic beauty.
• Bali - Sunny beaches, expansive rice fields and beautiful natural scenery.
• Singapore – Everything you would expect of a cosmopolitan city from museums and temples to chic pubs, elegant eateries and plush shopping malls.
• Gangwon – One of Korea’s most colorful destinations.
• Hong Kong – Spectacular natural and manmade scenery, elegant shops and malls and plenty of entertainment.

Of course, Valentine’s Day this year also happens to fall on the same weekend as Chinese New Year and hence, some of the destinations above may not be as viable this time around!

Useful video to learn some basic Mandarin survival phrases

Should you be visiting China soon, you may want to visit the Travel Linguist site on YouTube as it contains numerous resources to help you learn some Mandarin. In this video, you will learn the following useful Mandarin survival words:

1. Hello - Nin hao
2. Goodbye - Zai jian
3. How are you? - Nin hao ma?
4. Thank you - Xie xie
5. You're welcome - Bu ke qi
6. What is your name? - Zen me cheng hu nin?
7. Do you speak English? - nin hui shuo ying yu ma?
8. Excuse me - Dui bu qi
9. Where is the bathroom? - Xi shou jian zen me zou?

Knowing the above Mandarin phrases will make even a short trip to China much more easier!

Top 10 destinations for 2010

US based travel company Gate 1 Travel has recently come up with a list of what it believes will be the top holiday destinations for 2010. Their top picks:

1. Italy
2. Egypt
3. Greece
4. Turkey
5. Peru
6. Oberammergau, Germany
7. Israel/Jordan
8. China
9. India
10. Costa Rica

For China, Gate 1 Travel suggested visiting the Great Wall, Beijing’s famed Temple of Heaven, the ancient city of Xian which is home to the Terracotta Army and of course Shanghai which will host the World Expo this year. For India, Gate 1 Travel suggested visiting Delhi to see Hindu Temples and Qutub Minar, the world’s tallest free-standing brick minaret, and of course no trip to India would be complete without stopping in Agra – the home of the Taj Mahal.

Meanwhile and late last year, Lonely Planet named its top 10 holiday destinations for 2010 as the following:

1. El Salvador
2. Germany
3. Greece
4. Malaysia
5. Morocco
6. Nepal
7. New Zealand
8. Portugal
9. Suriname
10. The USA

For Malaysia, Lonely Planet suggested visiting both cosmopolitan Kuala Lumpur as well as the wilds of Borneo and pointed out that Malaysia has everything, including beaches, coral reefs, shopping malls and plenty of delicious food from India, China and from throughout the region. For Nepal, Lonely Planet naturally suggested trekking in the Himalayas – a trip that will stay with you a lifetime.

Price comparison: Winter Olympics tour packages

In a couple of weeks, the Winter Olympics will begin in Vancouver. Hence, the Asian Wall Street Journal’s weekly Arbitrage column has recently conducted a survey of Olympics tour packages in various cities in Asia and around the world. The survey found that prices were highest in European cities and lowest in Asian cities. However, the tour packages from Asian cities did not include a ticket to the opening ceremonies which, along with the shorter distances, contributed to the lower prices.

Price Comparison*

London	8,696 Pounds	US$13,909
Brussels	€7,870	US$10,988
Frankfurt	€6,925	US$9,688
Paris	€6,215	US$8,677
Rome	€5,472	US$7,639
Tokyo	586,830 Yen	US$6,484
Hong Kong	HK$36,808	US$4,733

* Package includes round-trip business-class ticket to Vancouver plus two nights in a four star hotel (February 11 - 13; per person, double occupancy). Prices are based upon foreign exchange rates as of February 3, 2010.

Dress codes for China

If you are traveling to China, you may be wondering how to dress appropriately and how the dress code in China compares with other countries you have visited. Hence, the Conde Nash Dress Code Guide (which is available on the Conde Nash website and is also downloadable in pdf format) offers a very handy and useful reference guide for how to dress appropriately in a number of countries around the world.

According to the guide, dress codes for meetings in China consists largely of homogenous suits and ties – no matter what the weather conditions are outside. Businesswomen will tend to go without makeup and jewelry while everyone in general tries to shy away from conspicuous consumption in order to demonstrate that they are focused on business.

On the street, the arms, chest and back should remain covered and women generally dress conservatively. However, dressing unconventionally will not offend anyone so long as one presents him or herself in the best light. Moreover, Chinese women will tend to not wear any footwear without straps as such foot wear will reveal to much of the foot and have a tendency to resemble flip flops – which are seen as cheap.

And finally, party goers should be aware that exaggerated styles and silhouettes monochromatic palettes by Comme des Garçons, Martin Margiela, and Yohji Yamamoto are now considered to be hot.

Beijing travel videos from Lonely Planet

As the capital of the most populous country in the world that is also one of the world’s oldest civilizations, Beijing has plenty of sites to offer both tourists and business travelers with extra time on their hands. In this Lonely Planet video made just before the Olympics, Eilis Quinn explores both the modern and traditional side of Beijing:

In this second video produced for Lonely Planet, the sites around Beijing are explored. This includes the Summer Palace, the Great Wall and the Lao Shan Mountain Biking Area:

In this final but very short video from Lonely Planet, Michael Kohn offers a quick snapshot of Beijing’s nightlife – including a visit to the night markets for some deep fried scorpion: