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Welcome to the Perfect Inn – The perfect place to stay
Extremely high quality service in an ancient palace of the 1500s with Boutique style furnishings and located in the heart of the historic center of Beijing, a stone's throw from Bell Tower and all the most interesting places for art and culture.
An unforgettable stay in an elegant, welcoming and typically Beijinger environment, for a holiday dedicated to comfort and relaxation.
The Beijing Perfect Inn where comfort and service sit in perfect harmony to create a homely, very relaxed feel. Where service is determined by the customer rather than by the clock. Where the customer, not the shareholder or the balance sheet, is king!
And where conventional rules of departmentalisation, and standardisation so often found in large town and city hotels are transcended by a customer focused, service driven culture.
Our promise to you is a complete hospitality experience - a telling blend, a delicious balance of all that is good about food, drink, accommodation and comfort, skilfully and delicately fused by and nurtured by that most important factor, the personal touch. Creating synergy. A delicate yet very potent mix which is our hallmark.
The Perfect Inn characterizes the charming image of contemporary luxury living and legendary Chinese hospitality that showcase everything for a perfect stay today, tomorrow and beyond.
With a prestige location on Guloudong Dajie, Perfect Inn places residents in the heart of one of Beijing's major business, shopping and entertainment districts.
All rooms command panoramic city views, Drum Tower views and are elegantly decorated in contemporary style and furnished for the utmost comfort. In addition, rooms are equipped with the internet, satellite TV and other high-tech amenities.

Daily American breakfast, daily newspaper and welcome drink and fruit basket, as well as impeccable service at all times, further ensure the perfect home in Beijing.



• ROOMS
• A harmonious blend of contemporary design, the hotel's elegantly appointed guest accommodation in subtle terracotta and green hues combined with natural materials create a unique atmosphere and perfect balance between luxury and homely familiarity. Facilities in all rooms include a walk in Shower & separate bathtub, king-size or twin beds, individually controlled air conditioning / heating, satellite TV with pay movies and play-station (payable), broadband internet connection, safe, mini-bar, coffee & tea making facilities, baby monitoring service via the telephone. There are rooms for the disabled with roll-in showers and some for non-smokers
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• Superior room - Spruce Accommodation in the Eternal City
• A Superior Double Room recalls the time when luxury and courtesy were a way of life for wealthy Beijingers. This is a King-bedded room filled with fine fabrics and antique furnishings. Each welcomes you with the soft embrace of stylish individuality.
With king size beds. Real bathrooms , power showers , air conditioning , black-out curtains and Venetian Blinds , Satelite TV Channels, personal fridges with space for your own drinks and naughty nibbles , complimentary toiletries and bathroom accessories , phone line with automated wake up call , interesting and original furnishings and 18 hour room service. Interesting and Original Accommodation in Beijing – Perfect Inn
• 42” plasma television
• Direct dial telephones
• High speed broadband internet connection
• Large working desk
• CD player
• In house movies
• International News Service
• 4 foxtel channels
• Complimentary morning newspaper
• Bathrobes and slippers
• Fully stocked mini-bar
• In room safe
• Tea & Coffee making facilities
• Hair dryer
• Iron & Ironing board
• International Power points
• Individually controlled heating and air conditioning
• Valet dry cleaning and laundry service
• Voice mail messaging system
• In room facsimile on request

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• Executive room - Ideal for Friends
• For more room and even more of the Perfect Inn's opulent fabrics and furnishings, choose a Executive Double, Twin, Triple, Family Room. We've created space for a desk and a small seating area and filled your luxurious bathroom with fragrant toiletries. If this feels like home, it's because we've chosen the furniture and materials that we would choose to live with.
• Executive Double, Twin, Triple or Family Bedrooms in Beijing are the ideal type of accomodation for anybody looking to come to visit the Eternal city with a friend or business colleague. All of the Perfect Inn Executive Bedrooms contain King sige beds or 2 seperate beds or Three separate bed or one King and one single bed plus telephone, direct dial telephone, en suite bathroom (i.e. bathroom in the room), plus satelite tv. Please use our online booking system to book your room - All rates include breakfast.
• 42” plasma television
• Direct dial telephones
• High speed broadband internet connection
• Large working desk
• CD player
• In house movies
• International News Service
• 4 foxtel channels
• Complimentary morning newspaper
• Bathrobes and slippers
• In room safe
• Tea & Coffee making facilities
• Hair dryer
• Iron & Ironing board
• International Power points
• Individually controlled heating and air conditioning
• Valet dry cleaning and laundry service
• Voice mail messaging system
• In room facsimile on request

Deluxe room Hotel Double or Twin Bedroom Beijing
Hotel Deluxe Bedroom Beijing - Looking for a Double or Twin room in Beijing then the Perfect Inn Beijing is the only choice for you. Enjoying a super central downtown location the Perfect Inn could not be closer to the attractions if it tried
• Deluxe Double or Twin Bedrooms in Beijing are the ideal type of accomodation for anybody looking to come to visit the Eternal city with a friend or business colleague. All of the Perfect Inn Deluxe Bedrooms contain one Queen or 2 seperate beds plus telephone, direct dial telephone, en suite bathroom (i.e. bathroom in the room), plus satelite tv. Please use our online booking system to book your room - All rates include breakfast,
• Flood Screen Colour television
• Direct dial telephones
• High speed broadband internet connection
• Large working desk
• In house movies
• International News Service
• 4 foxtel channels
• Complimentary morning newspaper
• Bathrobes and slippers
• In room safe
• Tea & Coffee making facilities
• Hair dryer
• International Power points
• Individually controlled heating and air conditioning
• Valet dry cleaning and laundry service
• Voice mail messaging system
• In room facsimile on request
Location:
The Perfect Inn is in an extremely strategic position: Right in the Gulou Dong Dajie, a couple of steps from the Bell Tower and 5 minutes on foot from At, Drum Tower, where you can admire the architectural masterpieces.
It will take about 20 minutes to TianAnMen Square by subway, about 10 minutes to Bei Hai Park, Hou Hai bar street, the Palace Museum, JingShan park and Yong He Lamasery by bicycle.

How to get here:
From airport:
To reach the Perfect Inn from the Beijing Capital Airport,
Please take A line of the airport shuttle bus to DongZhiMen, and then change subway to the GuLouDaJie station, from exit B to south 500m walk you will arrive top of the road then turn left walking 100m you will see right site Diananmen street but not turn right walking straight more 100m left site you can find Beijing Perfect Inn.
From train station:
When you get to the Beijing railway station,
Please take subway line No.2 (circle line) from Beijing train station to the GuLouDaJie station, from exit B to south 500m walk you will arrive top of the road then turn left walking 100m you will see right site Diananmen street but not turn right walking straight more 100m left site you can find Beijing Perfect Inn.
More transportation details:
There are many bus lines around hotel, which includes 5,44,60,107, 204,380,721,800,809,820,839,834,909.

Address: No.281 Gulou Dong Dajie, Dongcheng District, 100009 Beijing, China
Phone:86-10-84020887
Fax: 86-10-84022832
Email?perfectinn@live.com
http://www.beijingperfectinn.com

Service:
-Stunning historical architecture.
-Welcome drink on arrive.
-Outstandingly Good Value.
-Excellent Location.
-Complimentary Breakfast.
-Walk up call on request.
-Room service.
-Superb Cleanliness.
-Internet Access.
-Ideal for small meetings, special events and memorable occasions.
-Travel information of Beijing and beyond
-General assistance in English
-Flight confirmation
-Postcards and letter sending
-Interpretation
-Bicycle hire
-Car hire
-C D burn
-Tours and activities
-Check-in 24 Hour
-Check-out 11.00am (late check out upon request)
-24 hour reception
-Concierge service
-Internet Point - Wi-Fi
-Courtesy bar
-Complimentary afternoon tea
-Bar service
-Laundry and ironing service
(from Monday to Saturday inclusive)
-Private car parking
-Chinese and international newspapers
available to guests
-Fax and printer service at the Reception
-Pets welcome
-Adjacent restaurant

Breakfast
We think we offer a good choice for breakfast and so do our customers.
Such an important meal oft forgotten in the incessant, relentless drive so prevalent nowadays, towards gourmet lunch and evening dining and complex gastronomy!
We learnt the importance of breakfast from our customers, not from the pundits and culinary press, and we treat it with great priority.
The feel good factor of a delicious, well presented freshly prepared breakfast presented with a smile each morning is immense, especially for those of us with a heavy day of work and challenge ahead. No travel inn stripped out service here.
A fresh, crisp, relaxing and fulfilling experience to prepare and set you up for the day ahead

Food & Drink

Invites you to savour an interesting, lively and extensive range of bistro style menus, including light snacks, bar meals and a full dinner/evening menu. It has a really vibrant yet very relaxed, easy going contemporary atmosphere. Great food is served from 11 a.m. until mid night. every day, drinks till later, and residents till late.
A rather charming, soft, ambient restaurant offering international cuisine with a clear Scottish twist and bias, in impressive a la carte menus equalling those of the finest restaurants around, exquisitely complemented by a carefully chosen, comprehensive list of wines from all over the world. Enjoy informal evening dining 7 - 9.00 p.m. daily.

Perfect Coffee
our real 'piece de resistance' - an exciting street facing concept, classy, split level, deliciously ambient, light, bright and airy, and beautifully decorated. It features a wide and varied café bar style light bite and healthy snack menu complemented by speciality teas and coffees, liqueurs and liqueur coffees, beers, lagers and wonderful wines. Open from 7.30 am until mid night . this really is the ideal location to sit and watch the world go by. A real place to be in and be seen in - and wonderful for ladies especially ladies who lunch! There is such an easy relaxed feel you really want to linger on for hours here and soak in the atmosphere.

Besides being its ancient capital, Beijing is the economic, cultural and political centre of China. This fast growing city houses over and above of 14,000,000 people and was host to the Summer Olympics of 2008. If you intend on working or studying in this wonderfully multifaceted city we at NextStepChina recommend that you learn Chinese language in Beijing. Besides the fact that Beijing offers some of the best language school in the country, the city has other factors that make it an ideal environment for learning.



Culture and heritage



Our team will be sure to tell you that while Beijing is one of China?s fastest growing cities it represents all that has changed over the decades that have gone by. Today this city is not only abreast with global trends but is also a leader in some of them. If you decide to learn Chinese language in Beijing you will find that along side you can also discover China. For a wholesome learning experience we would recommend that you explore the culture and history of this country as well.



Easy access to the rest of the world



Being the travel hub of the country is another very good reason to learn Chinese language in Beijing. The city is China?s second largest and is connected to the rest of the world via an excess of flights that are international. Within the city too, there are plenty of railways, motorways and roads connecting all ends of the city. As a student or a traveler you are guaranteed never to feel alone. You will find plenty like yourself in the teahouses, malls, clubs and bars.



International cuisine



Being an international traveler, we understand that food can be your biggest worry. This is another excellent reason to learn Chinese language in Beijing. Our services also include giving you vital information to help you find your way around Beijing, food is just one of them. You will find that the city is home to many international food chains like Pizza Hut and McDonalds. If you want to be a little adventurous you could also try out the Japanese, Korean and Thai cuisine.



Serenity and respite



Despite the hustle and bustle of the busy city, you will find that Beijing also has its quiet spots. Gardens, parks and temples located in peaceful natural surroundings make them perfect spots for a quite afternoon or evening. This aspect adds the final touch to the city making it a great idea to learn Chinese language in Beijing.

The capital of the People's Republic of China, Beijing is a municipality directly under the control of the central government of China. Situated on the eastern coast of the country on the Pacific Ocean, with the Taihang Mountain to the north and the Yanshan Mountain to the west, Beijing is one of the largest metropolitan areas of trade and finance, and is the center of politics and international exchanges.

The city's history as the capital of the country dates back to more than 800 years, during the reign of Yuan Dynasty. Beijing is endowed with a variety of historical as well as awesome attractions, which are further mentioned in this article.

The greatest of all the attractions in Beijing is the Forbidden City, which is the most magnificent as well as splendid architectural palace complex in the country. Constructed between 1406 and 1420, the Forbidden City is also known as the Palace Museum, and is one among the top five palaces in the world.

Another remarkable attraction in the city is the Summer Palace, an amazing imperial palace that once served as the summer resort of the Qing Dynasty. The highlight of the palace is a royal garden, which stands as a stupendous example of imperial garden in classic Chinese style.

Beijing is also home to the Great Wall, the only man-made structure that is visible from the moon. Equally worth mentioning is such historical sites as the Temple of Haven, where according to legends, the Ming and Qing emperors carried out solemn rituals for plentiful harvests. Built in 1420, the temple is the largest of its kind in the country.

Top attractions in Beijing also include Beihai Park, an exquisite destination spread across more than 65 hectares of land, of which half of the area is occupied by water. One of the oldest Chinese gardens, the park once served as the imperial gardens of dynasties including Liao, Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing. The highlights of the park are categorized into four sections: Qionghua Islet, Circular City, the northern bank area, and the eastern bank area.

Occupying an area of about 40 sq mt is a group of mausoleums of 13 Ming emperors as well as their empresses, which are collectively referred to as the Ming Tombs. Of the Ming Tombs that are open to the public are Changling and Dingling, which in turn is an incredible underground palace. Beijing also has to its credit the world's largest city square - Tian'anmen Square, located in the center of city, covering an area of 400,000 sq km. The focal point of the square is a towering monument, which commemorates the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the welfare of the country.

Other top attractions in the region are the Sacred Way - the main road leading to the Ming Tombs; Lama Temple - the largest lamasery in the city; and Hutongs, which are a kind of lane lined by courtyards consisting of compound houses on either side.

No visit to Beijing would be complete with out taking a trip to such landmarks of the city as Ancient Cliff House, also known as Guyaju; Baiwangshan Forest Park, surrounded by beautiful plants and flowers; Beijing Aquarium within the Beijing Zoo; Beijing Botanical Garden, containing a rare species of plants and flowers; Memorial of Jiaozhuanghu Tunnel Warfare Site; Jiufeng National Forest Park; Shihua Cave, acknowledged as the 'Underground Pearl of Beijing;' and Zhangfang Ancient Battle Tunnel, which was erected during the reign of Emperor Song Zhenzong of the Northern Song Dynasty.

A good number of museums can also be found in the city, such as, Beijing Ancient Architecture Museum, China Printing Museum, Museum of Dabaotai Han Tomb, China Bee Museum, Xu Beihong Museum, and Museum of West Zhou Yandu Relics.

Beijing is a venue for a plethora of exciting festivals, including Lantern Festival, Beijing Spring Festival, and Longqing Gorge Lantern Festival. The city also hosts a range of international events like the International Entomological Conference and the Asian Games.

With these umpteen attractions, Beijing is visited by people year-round. Hence, Beijing comes with a variety of accommodation choices to cater to every taste and pocket. Many of the resorts and hotels are within easy reach of almost all attractions and facilities of the city. Some hotels even provide packages inclusive of accommodation, dining, and facilities for sightseeing.

Labels: Beijing, China

China, a nation in East Asia, is home to world's oldest continuous civilizations. With Beijing as its capital, China holds a total geographical area of 9,596,960 sq. km. Its climate is tropical in south to sub-arctic in north.

Tianjin, Shanghai, Shenyang, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Harbin and Chengdu are some of the major places of attraction. Han Chinese is the largest ethnic group in China who comprise around 91% of the total population. Zhuang, Manchu, Hui, Miao, Uygur, Yi, Mongolian, Tibetan, Buyi and Korean are some of the other ethnic groups which dominates the area.

The Republic of China was formed on 1st January 1912 which leads to the end of Quing Dynasty. Sun Yat-sen, belongs to National Party, was declared as the president of the new republic.

China is almost same size as the United States of America and the eastern part of china is surrounded by the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea. China shares its border with India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam to the South; Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to the West; Mongolia and Russia to the North and North Korea to the East.

China is home to several world famous tourist attractions including Great Wall of China, Tibet, Silk Road, Hainan island and tropical paradise. It also holds dozens of UNESCO World Heritage sites. Most of the places in China have famous Buddhist arts. Yungang Grottoes, around 1500 year old, in Sichuan province has more than 51,000 Buddhist carvings.

You can see art and manuscripts dating back to the 4th century in the Mogao Caves situated near Dunhuang in Gansu province. Dazu Rock near Chongqing and Longmen Grottoes near Luoyang hold carvings which date from 5th to 13th century.

China has several sacred mountains which attract tourists in large number. Mount Tai, Mount Hua, Mount Heng, Mount Heng and Mount Song are the five great mountains associated with Taoism: The country also holds four sacred mountains associated with Buddhism and three main sacred mountains of Tibetan Buddhism including Mount Emei, Mount Jiuhua, Mount Putuo, Mount Wutai, Mount Kailash, Kawa Karpo and Amnye Machen.

Beijing, literally means Northern Capital, is the capital city of China - the most populous county in the world. Untill the fomation of the Republic of China in 1911, Beijing was the seat of Ming and Quing dynasties. It holds several places of historical importance ans government institutions. Famous for its uniformity and standard construction, Beijing has only one hill in the city limits. Beijing has concentric rectangular ring roads which run around the metropolis.

There are many tourist places which attracts lot of people around the world. The Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, Hutongs, Beijing Zoo, Beijing Botanical Gardens, Beihai Park, Yonghegong, Fragrant Hills, Hutongs and Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution are some of the major places of attaction in Beijing.

Also known as the Palace Museum, Forbidden City is really the spot to value the strength and splendor of the Imperial Chinese court during the height of its power in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Built by Mao, Tiananmen Square is the largest square in the world. The square is surrounded by Soviet-style monuments and government buildings. It still remains as an amazing place and a place to stay behind and see visitors from all over the world.

Temple of Heaven, situated to the south-east of Qianmen and the Tiananmen Square, is a marvelous sight for tourists. The temple was the place where the king prayed every year for superior harvests and good weather. Summer Palace houses widespread gardens and the ruins of palaces constructed by the Qing emperors in the ancient era. Beijing Zoo has an aquarium which is one of the biggest in the world, and extremely remarkable.

Beihai Park consists of big island and white pagoda which was built in the 17th century. Also known as Lama Temple or Palace of Peace, Yonghegong was built by Chinese emperors in the ancient time. Many Tibetan and Mongolian monks lived and taught here over the years. The temple houses an 18m statue of Maitreya Buddha carved from a single piece of sandalwood. Situated to the east of Tiananmen Square, Legation Quarter was famous for Boxer Rebellion. Now it is occupied by government offices and army offices.

Labels: Beijing, China

Trip to Lhasa are the most highlights in my fabulous 9 days china vacation. My trip starts from Beijing. After 4 days traveling there and a wonderful Beijing Duck dinner, we fly to Lhasa and rest at Xiongbala hotel
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Many people would like to describe Lhasa as the "Roof of the World" and the "Third Pole of the Globe". Yes, it is true. Walk into Tibet, look at the clear azure sky and explore this exotic land full of diverse culture, you will have unique lifelong memories. This article presents my four days highlight journey in and around Lhasa. It's more than the journey.

Day 1: Morning flight to Lhasa, a Buddha holy land. We arrived at Lhasa airport as schedule and were met and escorted to our hotel by our tour guide, John. He is a handsome guy and has a good sense of humor. We have a pleasant time together in the following days in Tibet.

Day 2: Today we went to Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple. Potala Palace is the symbol of Tibet. This palace is sacred in Tibetan people hearts. With its majestic splendor, the Potala Palace would impress the inhabitants of any world capital. Thus the humble Tibetan pilgrim, who has always lived in a yak hair tent, must view the Potala Palace with great reverence. It is hard to believe that this 13-storey edifice containing 999 rooms was built on a steep mountain as long ago as the seventh century. Touring it just like a huge labyrinth.It makes you keep going and going. It is hard to find the way out if let you wander alone there.

Jokhang monastery: The temple built in 647, is the earliest wood-and-masonry structure still existing in Tibet. It is the center of the Tibetan Buddhism and the sacred land of Buddhist followers. Thousands of pilgrims come here for worship everyday. Many of the pilgrims were crawling on the ground. Apparently, on their pilgrimage from their homes, pilgrims prostrate themselves on the ground after walking two steps and then repeat the process again and again. Many others were spinning prayer wheels.

Day 3: Early in the morning, we start to explore Drepung Monastery which was one of Tibet largest monasteries and monastic universities. It is located in the hills on the northern outskirts of Lhasa, and was established in 1416 as an institute of higher Buddhist education by Khenpo Lekden. Khenpo Lekden is a direct disciple of Lama Tsongkhapa (1357-1419), founder of the eclectic Geluk. The First Dalai Lama was also a disciple of Lama Tsongkhapa, and the Second Dalai Lama built a residence in Drepung, called the Ganden Potrang, which remained a hereditary seat of all subsequent Dalai Lamas.

After that we visit the Sera Monastery in the afternoon. The Sera Monastery is known as one of the three great monasteries of Tibet along with Drepung and Ganden. All of the aforementioned belong to the Gelukpa Sect which was founded by Tsong Karpa in the early 15th century and all are within Lhasa. I was told that monks gather here to have debates on the Buddhist scriptures at 3 pm everyday. I can't understand Buddhist scriptures, but looking the life and studies of the monk gives me a vivid impression.

In late afternoon, we visit another site on the World Heritage List: Norbulinka, the Dalai Lama former summer palace. It was constructed in the 18th century. It is the biggest garden in Tibet and a masterpiece of Tibetan art. Every wall in every building was covered with murals. It is well worth visiting since it is a combination of feudal palaces, natural scenery and a structure with a role in Tibetan religious.

Day 4: In the morning we drive to Yamdrok Tso. Yamdrok Tso (4441 m), one of the three holy lakes in Tibet and the largest habitat of waterfowls in south Tibet. From there you will enjoy the unforgettable vista of Yamdrok Tso's spear-shaped expanse of turquoise water, with the mysterious Mt. Donang Sangwari (5,340m) on the peninsula beyond, and the snow peaks of Nojin Gangzang (7,191m) in the distance.

The lake and the Yarlungtsangpo River (3570) are separated by a mountain and the shortest distance between them is only 6 kilometers. The 800m-high difference contributes a rich water resource to this region. Many Tibetan people believe that the life of Tibet will no longer continue when the lake dries up.

On the way driving back to Lhasa, we were invited to visit one of the local families just roadside. The family we visited lived in a traditional wooden home, which was beautifully painted. It was very colorful, and had religious decorations everywhere. The home is very simple and have not much modern conveniences, but it is beautiful and comfortable.

The Tibetan people are very hospitable. We were already told by our guide that presenting Hada (or Khatag) is a traditional practice in Tibet to show respect and hospitality. When we entered the house, the lady of the owner presented the Hada to us. And she treated us hot butter tea, barley beer and the other Tibetan snacks we could not tell the name. We did not prepare all these food taste so good. We were impressive to see the lady to make the butter tea. We had never seen anything like this. She put boiling tea, salt, and butter into a thin churn, and then churned it all together. She is a so sweet lady and we left some gifts for gratitude before we leave.

Recommended tours: Beijing: Day 1: Arrival in Beijing. Day 2: Beijing city tour to the Forbidden City & Temple of Heaven Day 3: Explore the Mutianyu Great Wall. Day 4: Beijing Hutong tour; half day free.

Lhasa: Day 5: Arrival in Lhasa. Day 6: Lhasa city tour to Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Street Day 7 : Have a whole day trip in Lhasa City of Tibet Museum, local Tibetan family visiting and Sera Monastery after lunch Day 8: drive down to Yamdrok Lake and take a visit. Be transferred back to Lhasa Day 9: The time before transfer to the airport is free on your own arrangement. Bid Lhasa a fond farewell as board the flight or get on the train to your next stop.

The Beijing Olympics was the most-viewed event in American television history. It was also a watershed event in Chinese history.There were other significant milestones achieved during the event. It was the largest construction projects ever in China since the construction of the fabulous Great Wall of China . The Chinese Olympic Team also achieved a domination over US, with China winning 51 gold medals while the US won 36 gold medals.

It was truly a big China "coming out" party. And what a party it was! International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogue said "Thank you to the people of China. ..... these were truly exceptional games".


Beijing Olympics was a case of triumphant strategy execution, an excellent case study of how a strategy should be executed.

All Strategy Execution Projects begin with a Big Dream

For the Chinese, the Beijing Olympics were not about making serious money.

It was about re-energizing the nation, rallying one of the oldest civilization around a cherished cause : earning international respect and admiration for China. As Chinese economy galloped at double digit growth and its cities transformed into international metropolis, China still coveted for international recognition as a Great Power. A great power capable of destroying anyone who offends the powerful Han regardless of the distance.

That dream that had gone sour when some Westerners called a proud and an ancient civilization -the sick man of Asia. Beating the west at its own game definitely has a lot of meaning for Chinese people. It was Chinese way of sweet revenge, of getting back to the west .Play western sports and beat the west fair and square.

Strategy Execution Begins with a Robust Planning Exercise done by an Empowered Steering Committee

Having studied the earlier Olympic Games, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games (BOCOG) outlined in detail the vast resources and requirements that were essential to create an infrastructure that could support such a massive sporting event. They carefully researched what worked and what did not with the Olympics, especially the Olympics at Sydney & Atlanta.

To integrate the activities of key central government ministries, the Beijing Municipal Government, and BOCOG, the Chinese government created a high-level steering committee. Creation of a steering committee is essential to successful execution of any strategy since the committee steers the project in the right direction and is empowered to make decisions. The Chinese appointed then-Executive Vice Premier Li Lanqing as the leader. The key driver of the Olympic project, Li Lanqing was empowered to take quick decisions and solicit top leadership support.

Chinese understood the need of having careful coordination among IOC,BOCOG, and Beijing city . The were lessons to be learned from poor coordination at Atlanta games, where the city was not adequately in the loop .BOCOG was staffed therefore staffed adequately with Beijing Municipal Government officials.

Buy-in of the bottom of the pyramid critical to success

Although they may give an impression of being immersed in themselves , the Chinese covet global recognition. The Olympic event stoked Chinese nationalism , and spoke to the very fabric of a proud nation. The Chinese were determined to make the Olympics a big success. Every Chinese was involved and engaged so much so that one may need to go into back of beyond to find a Chinese who did not have an awareness of or interest in the Chinese Olympics. The Olympics rings were everywhere, on the billboards in Beijing, on TV stations, even on mountain goats in the Tibet . So it was no surprise then that there were 100,000 Olympics volunteers, 400,000 city volunteers and a million social volunteers serving the Olympics and Paralympics.

Chinese have a vast human resource, and in its quest for greatness would never run short of an endless base of over a billion Chinese.

Construction of the Olympic City: Of Chinese Ingenuity, Western Design & Breathtaking Execution

To understand the whole process of how the strategy execution, we will understand two specific case-lets where the task was a gigantic one, and how it was executed to plan. We will study the making of "Bird's Nest" and the results of a certain "Project 119".

No stranger to grandiose and mammoth construction feats -the Great Wall, Grand Canal and Three Gorges Dam among them- China's $42 billion Olympic building and infrastructure binge created a massive ( $3 billion) airport terminal and 19 breathtaking Olympic venues.

While a lot is made out of best practices and benchmarking, most transformation teams spend a lot of time re-inventing the wheel. This wastes a lot of time and resources. It is often cheaper to buy best practices and world-class experience. It is easier said than done. However the Chinese were objective enough to acknowledge that.

The Chinese are however good at using foreign talent. Most major projects, in the last few years, have been designed by foreigners. Chinese demand innovation. By turning to foreigners the Chinese are buying 30 to 40 years of experience they didn't have.

Chinese stuck to what they knew best. Throughout history, China's leaders have drawn on the ingenuity of China's massive population to realize some of the world's most spectacular construction projects. China's low wage workers gave the foreign architects the freedom to design structures that would be prohibitively expensive to build in a western city .

Foreign architects, on their part, used technology that could be handled by crews working round the clock and at a massive speed. The buildings prefabricated window were snapped together rather than cut on-site, as they would be with more highly trained workers.

This helped the foreigners to complete most Olympic venues in a remarkably short time, often within three to four years.

And what an Olympic city the Chinese created. When the westerners got down to new international airport terminal here they were astounded by the massive architectural feat that greeted them. It was not just the space or the size, not just the infrastructure or the amenities. It was walking into a different world. And the air terminal designed by Norman Foster was just the beginning . Different Olympic venues outdid each other with their scale, the power of imagination and the brilliance of execution . The egg-shaped National Theater, the bird's nest National Stadium , the National Aquatics Center, and Rem Koolhaas' headquarters for the CCTV television authority surpassed many other architectural feats in recent history.

The Olympic city not only created a stunning architectural marvel, it transformed Beijing. It forced Beijing to shed its old skin. Strategy well executed invariably transforms the organization and in so doing, becomes changes the very organism that gives birth to it. Also the sheer scale of transformation , enables the change agents to provide a stimulus for fast-track completion of mega infrastructure projects, often overcoming routine organizational and bureaucratic hurdles.

Project 119 : Of Soviet Systems & Processes, Superb Focus & Great Execution

Like the Construction project , the Chinese approached the task of dominating the Olympics with top-down military style disciplined execution. The Chinese outlined their objectives, planned a program, invested considerable resources , acquired state-of-the-art technology and imported world-class foreign talent.

An estimated $6 million was spent on each medal-winning sportsperson. The Chinese Olympic program successfully copied and adapted the systems and process used by the Soviets. The Chinese handpicked and trained two hundred thousand kids in state-run sports schools. It's the same system the Soviets used to train gold medalists. The systems and processes are tested and robust.

However to give a necessary focus and an emotional appeal to the sporting program, the Chinese branded the project , Project 119 . Launched in 2001, Project 119 was named after the number of gold medals then offered in track and field, swimming and other water-based events like rowing, in which China was traditionally weak.

Unprecedented systemic discipline, high sport budgets, state-of-the-art foreign technology and proven international coaches have all been incorporated into Project 119. Thirty-eight foreign coaches were hired to help train China's teams, often with the explicit understanding that they produce gold-winning athletes. The coaches focused on individual events in lieu of team sports because it is easier and efficient to invest in individual talent rather than build a team.

China won gold medals in 16 of 28 Olympic disciplines, up from 14 four years ago in Athens and 10 at the 2000 Sydney Games. While China targets greater glory in London 2012, Project 119 is not going to end anytime soon as nine-year-old Zhang Huiman is training for the Olympic gold, running 20 miles a day preparing for the games of 2020.

Every organization has its own culture and its own way of being. The Chinese approach to strategy execution will work well in big, top-driven and somewhat hierarchical organizations.

Some organizations tend to be chaotic , democratic and flat. The Chinese top down approach may not work very well there, but principles will remain the same. Get a big dream, create a team and a leader to drive it, communicate and create a buy-in of front-line staff and use robust systems and processes to execute. Do not be afraid of using outside help, brand your projects well, allocate good resources and keep the faith.

Labels: Beijing Olympics

Constricted streets or lanes are commonly known as Hutongs in China. Conventional patio mansions form lines of siheuyan which are lanes or hutongs in Beijing. Localities were shaped by unification of several hutongs which in turn were formed by linking several siheuyan. These neighborhoods are sometimes referred to as hutongs.

From the middle of the 20th century the hutongs decreased in numbers since they were being pulverized to give way to new road stead and constructions. But lately, some hutongs are been marked as protected areas so that they can be preserved as Chinese cultural history. The most preserved hutongs are the ones near the Bell Tower and Shichahai Lake. Some hutongs which are hundreds of years old have been attracting tourists for a long time.

The emperors of China during its dynastic periods had designed Beijing city. They had organized the housing areas based on social classes of the Zhou Dynasty. The Forbidden City was in the center and it was encircled by the Inner City and Outer City. People who had higher social status lived closer to the Forbidden City and the aristocrats lived to the east and west of the Forbidden City. Rich people had siheyuan which were quite big. They were beautifully decorated and had breathtaking painted roof beams and pillars. These residences had well planned landscapes. These hutongs were in an order with rooms which were spacious. Away from the palace, lived the common people, the laborers and the artisans. The siheyuan of these common people were not very big and simply designed and the hutongs formed were narrow.

Hutongs also used to form the lowest rank in the geographical division of a city in ancient China. In fact, hutongs are the cultural elements of Beijing city. Beijing has a long history which has housed six dynasties and each and every hutong in the city has a small but interesting story behind it. Some hutongs are linked to historic events as well. Actually, the hutongs are in contrast to the elite culture of Beijing. The Forbidden City, the Summer Palace and the Temple of Heaven all reflect the rich life of the people of China, but the hutongs represent the grassroots culture of Beijing. Even now, the hutongs form the heart of old Beijing.

Ancient Beijing is very intriguing for travelers, because China has such a rich history. If you are visiting Beijing, remember to book your Beijing hotel in advance, especially during the peak tourist season. A luxury hotel in Beijing is also a good accommodation option for the travelers seeking a bit of pampering during their stay in Beijing.

Labels: stay in Beijing