Beijing Travel: WARNING!! 🚨 Local Tours? HARD PASS! ❌

[Robyn Monahan]

Well, it all started like this: I was looking for recommendations on a community forum for reliable tour groups in Beijing. Within just a minute, my cell phone was flooded with almost 100 private messages!

At first, I thought the moderator had replied to me, so I gave one person my contact information. At that time, without any price query, the other side convinced me, making me feel excited. Later, I asked about the price, and because it seemed quite affordable, I directly made the reservation. Everyone mustn't easily believe someone like I did! Please be cautious!

I'm not very good at speaking, so many details might be difficult to explain comprehensively. If you want to know more, feel free to ask me personally for more details.

• Disappointing Accommodation:

  • The pictures they showed were a world apart from where we actually stayed! They claimed we would be housed "within the inner third ring road" (which is quite centrally located in Beijing with convenient transportation), while instead, we were situated right next to the "fourth ring road," just shy of a fifth! How desolate!
  • Each time we needed to go play close to downtown, it cost us about 60 to 80 RMB (similar to the U.S.'s Uber or Grab) for a ride via "Didi." I was mad as hell! 🤬
  • Moreover, there were no slippers provided at the hotel! Remember to bring your own.

• Unappetizing Food:

  • Their brochure images were luring with the aroma of Beijing roasted duck and crispy fish with sweet and sour sauce (a famous dish).
  • Reality? We were served tofu, vegetables, and thin soup every day! The worst part is that some meals went bad and started to spoil!

• Exploitative Costs:

  • Take cautious notice that the customer service reps repeatedly stressed there would be “no extra expenses.”
  • Upon arrival at the hotel, however, they said that some additional expenses were required, and this was referred to as "optional" spending. A contract was then signed – with only the tour operator retaining a copy – which left us clueless until the following day.
  • Upon a morning of tours, a new guide demanded that additional fees of over 400 RMB from us, citing travel charges from location to location.
  • Furthermore, he would threaten by saying that if we declined payment, it was up to us either pay, wait indefinitely, or walk ourselves across, none of which were options we had initially been aware of!.
  • I queried whether it was possible to be transferred into downtown accommodation or upgrade to better service upon witnessing the poor conditions, but I was immediately rejected saying “No such option available.”

• Disappointing Itinerary Experience:

  • Initially advertised as a relaxed experience with ample time for photo-taking and exploration.
  • Turns out, every single day requires waking up early before dawn! We are also forced to leave earlier each day because the lodging is so far away!
  • Early morning departure at 2 AM just for the flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square (which is quite a special part of Beijing) is one thing.
  • But we also have to gather at 6 AM daily to proceed with touring!
  • To see the grand complex of the Forbidden City (the ancient imperial palace), we would only get in around two hours before being urged to leave without having enough time to explore properly.
  • Before entering the Forbidden City, we were made to spend many hours shopping at a designated shopping center until the afternoon.
  • We were pushed out of this site as early as four in the afternoon for a visit to Qichahai (a recreational area with a lake), not to mention that the guides went on to promote and coerce to buy photos they took the day before with us as subjects.
  • Every day we return to the lodging place past 7 PM, with no more time and even much to transportation fees for further exploring if we wanted to go on our own since nothing was around the hotel except for some suburbia.

• Forced Shopping:

  • The reason given for avoiding the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong or Tiananmen City Wall (which likely refers to important large events such as meetings) was that significant political figures were visiting Beijing.
  • This excuse led us nowhere but to a jewelry market!
  • They would often scold us for spending money by saying, "A woman who wears jade bangles indicates happiness and fulfillment. If you don't purchase anything today, think about it yourself..." Such remarks led me to feel very enraged.

Finally, the itinerary issued in advance differed significantly from what we finally went through, excluding visits to the top universities Tsinghua and Peking University. These are places that one goes out of their way to look up, let alone visiting. We can only hope to take photos as far as the main gate of Tsinghua University at best, before boarding the bus back once again.

The Great Summer Palace (also ancient) only offered entrance into its main gate but not allowed entry into its core viewing areas, such as the ruins of Yixilou (many like taking photos there).

Everyone must be vigilant to avoid falling into such a trap! It would be better to conduct your own exploration trip where you can check available tickets online beforehand and make hotel reservations after that since it usually doesn’t result in overbooking hotel rooms (unless during Chinese holidays).

[Samuel Kihn]

I was planning to join a tour group next month to take my parents to Beijing, but seeing all this makes me a bit worried.

[Stacey Kulas]

I'd suggest booking your own accommodations and going independently. Otherwise, it might be too tiring for your elderly parents.

[Sonja Schroeder]

Haha, our tour was a rip-off too! 2500 RMB for two adults and one child. First, they made us pay 100 RMB per person for accident insurance – even for our 20-month-old baby! Then, while the main attractions were included, there were 'optional' inner attractions costing an extra 390 RMB per person (100 RMB for kids). Haha, so we ended up paying again!

[Franklin Weimann IV]

Is it one of those tours where they ask for a 100 RMB deposit upfront?

[Karen Zulauf]

What hotel did you stay in?

[Priscilla Marquardt IV]

Beijing one-day tours are super convenient. Why bother with these package tours? You could just book a one-day tour to get them to secure Forbidden City tickets, and then leave the group once you're inside.

[Dr. Danny Bayer]

I didn't book a one-day tour. It was more of a spur-of-the-moment trip, and we were worried we wouldn't be able to book all the attractions ourselves, so that's why we signed up for a package tour.

[Garrett VonRueden PhD]

How is Beijing Shengxia International Travel Company?

[Dr. Israel McLaughlin]

Terrible.

[Jeannie Parisian]

I just paid the deposit. Has anyone booked with this company before? Please share your experience.

[Lewis Larkin]

They're unreliable.

[Lewis Larkin]

Uh oh... I've booked with them too. Feeling nervous now .

[Beulah Koelpin]

Maybe you booked a good one ! Just remember to think twice about any extra charges, and definitely don't buy those '100 yuan for 5' or '100 yuan for 3' roast ducks from street vendors.

[Ethel Morissette]

Anyone booked with Beijing Ruixiang International Travel Agency?

[Abraham Kris]

I'm speechless! Everyone says to avoid 'Huo'er Travel,' but when I scanned the QR code to pay the deposit for 'Ruixiang Travel,' damn, it turned out to be Huo'er's company!

[Lindsey Jerde DDS]

What about Beijing Wanxin Travel?

[Helen Gleason]

Same question about Wanxin.

[Theodore Wiza]

Is this the one?

[Guadalupe Barton]

This is their attitude before you've even paid? That's actually good – you've dodged a bullet early on!