Beijing's Sketchy Tours: Seriously, DON'T DO IT!!!!
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Hi everyone! Beijing is such a charming city, and I've been thinking about bringing my parents and other family elders here. My parents somehow heard from somewhere that we have a distant relative who runs a travel agency in Beijing. We asked about costs and itinerary arrangements. I should've looked at more tour operators for comparison and read those "how to avoid trip scams" posts!
There were three adults and one child in my family. With all inclusive discounts for a three-day trip, it cost 1,280 RMB per person. I've already paid a 100 RMB deposit. But, not until a day before departure did they tell me which hotel I would stay at!
Living space – What a surprise!
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They told me before departure I would stay at a “business hotel” with a “family room”. Upon arriving at the hotel, I found out it was really terrible (if only there were pictures here, you'd understand how disappointed I felt!). I immediately told my relative I wanted to change to another room. But he said he could only switch us to another room the next night.
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After spending a whole day out, we returned to the hotel hoping for a resolution. But no luck – the front desk had received no notice at all!
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My temper flared up! I instantly called the travel agent and told them I'd complain to the Tourism Commission if this wasn't resolved within 15 minutes. And two minutes later, they replied saying they would change hotels – it's only that the new one is located in a shabby area 11 kilometers away from the original one (“城中村” in Chinese usually refers to relatively backward communities in the city where infrastructure and services are poor, similar to a village at the urban edge.)
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Tourist advisory: What to do when the booked hotel doesn’t meet expectations?
- Communicate immediately: If the booked hotel does not match expectations, communicate immediately to the tour operator or the online platform for booking.
- Keep evidence: Take photos or videos as proof.
- Be insistent: If the agency delays, insist on your demands clearly (such as changing rooms or refunds). As a last resort, communicate that you will appeal to relevant authorities, which may gain their attention.
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Then came the hidden pitfalls within the trip:
- At the hotel, the salespeople asked everyone to pay extra fees for “accident coverage,” as well as sign a paper contract with pre-filled shops and activities. No explanation was provided but instead, they just handed us the papers to sign.
- What they didn’t tell you: In fact, these so-called “covering fees” are very misleading! After the trip, when I asked them for insurance policies, they did not produce them - proving they never bought anything. I managed to get my money back! (I found an entry for complaints over “doubtful payments” on my WeChat Pay orders. Also, keep requesting from the tourism agency incessantly to better protect your interests!)
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Tourist advisory: Unusual charges and contracts
- Insurance uncertainties: A standard tourist group includes basic insurance. Ask about what kind of additional insurance is required and request terms and final invoices.
- Carefully review contracts: Read each clause of the contract carefully before signing, especially parts about additional charges and shopping points. Refuse to sign on already-ticked off items without your consent. Don't be intimidated by signing blindly.
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Furthermore, the nature of the group tour was different from what was said.
- They didn't clearly specify it originally, and I wasn't familiar with it either (since I joined a group tour last year and had a good experience, I didn't scrutinize much this time). Previously, my relatives told me groups are typically composed of 3-5 families, with space left even during holidays. It was a full car!
- “Loosely-packed tours” means joining strangers into a large group, with tight schedules and less flexibility.
- They didn't clearly specify it originally, and I wasn't familiar with it either (since I joined a group tour last year and had a good experience, I didn't scrutinize much this time). Previously, my relatives told me groups are typically composed of 3-5 families, with space left even during holidays. It was a full car!
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I decided to leave the group and have a pleasant trip!
- When faced with such conditions, I quickly left with my parents! We went to nearby Tianjin City to play for several days.
- During our stop in Tianjin, I contacted a recommended travel agency for another arrangement in Beijing: choosing customized tours, and had tickets arranged in advance.
- Customized Group Experiences: We were the only family in the custom-made group, thus leaving on our own schedule, traveling freely with nobody else around for company (or annoyance).
- A designated representative adjusted itineraries based on our demands such as health status and points of interest; we were allowed to make real-time alterations based on dissatisfaction at places (service attitude is superb!)
- Cars were business vans, spacious, and comfortable, with seats adjustable to half-recline (my brother was very pleased to claim he was sleeping like being on bed!). Sanitization is top-notch, with no peculiar smell (saving me from motion sickness!)
- Upgrade accommodations with cleaning, noise-proofing that I'd prefer to stay at. Accessible to metro stations and snack stalls nearby too, to die for.
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Final Words:
- Customized group trips are okay for family visits to Beijing ✓.
- But quality varies widely among agencies online. Be sure to dig deep and select wisely.
- Taking into consideration my adjusted Beijing trip, it was a huge success! This city has impressed, I'm looking forward to coming back again! #touristicpits #travelguide #visitforbiddencity #tourismagencies #tourisminquality
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You were so smart! I got totally ripped off, and it ruined my mood.
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Don't ever tolerate that! If something like this happens, it's a good idea to just head somewhere else for a bit and then come back to enjoy Beijing.
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Anyone need my Beijing tour guide? He'll tell you if the day's drive is long and even help you find restrooms everywhere, haha! There are absolutely no hidden fees. He'd find local specialties for us to try and tell us to just sample them if possible instead of buying. He'd also warn us about which souvenirs are scams and remind us of the normal prices for food and entertainment at tourist spots to avoid getting ripped off.
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Yes, please! Share the recommendation, sweetie!
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Could you send it to me?
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Oh, I wasn't recommending; I was just asking.
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You could also call this a 'how to avoid scams while trying to save a bit of money' post.
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For independent travel in Beijing: if you're unsure about anything, just ask. Definitely say no to group tours, especially those that make you sign a contract upon arrival.
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Went there during the May Day holiday. Independent travel was nearly impossible. It has its pros and cons.
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So useful!
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Thanks, sis!
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Never sign up for group tours, no matter where you go. You'll always get ripped off. I got scammed on a group tour in Sichuan as well.
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Can you recommend one?
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Sis, could you share the recommendation with me?
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There's an endless supply of gullible people to be scammed, like leeks that keep growing back. It's useless trying to warn them!