Ask Locals in Beijing!

Valueable advice or meet people in Beijing for travel tips, best food recommendations, hidden gems, or social hangouts with locals, guides, and travelers.

Trends in Beijing

#noodles 99+ #spice 96 #Intrigue 94 #serenity 85 #navigation 82 #aviation 73 #connectivity 65 #mystery 59 #Acoustics 57 #luggage 54

anikarasch… · #Cozy

Piao Home Stay

Piao Home

I'm heading to Beijing next month and booked a stay at the Piao Home. Heard it's supposed to be pretty swanky, but all the online photos are kinda generic. Anyone stayed there recently? Any tips on… more

Reply 1 Share · 5d

estherflach · 5d

Stayed at Piao Home last spring. It's…fine. Not exactly "swanky" unless your idea of swanky is minimalist chic. The photos are pretty accurate, unfortunately. Room size varies wildly – request a higher floor; better chance of a decent view and slightly larger space. Book directly through their site, sometimes you get better deals. As for local haunts… ditch the touristy hutongs. Head east towards the 798 Art District. It's a bit more polished than some of the others, but there are pockets of smaller eateries and cafes tucked away that locals frequent. Walk around a bit. Don't be afraid to wander off the main drag. You'll stumble on better food than you'll find in those overly-Instagrammed spots. And trust your nose— the best noodle places often have a strong, delicious aroma wafting out onto the street.

anouschka · #Intrigue

Beijing National Day School Mystery?

Beijing National Day School

So I'm heading to Beijing next month for a conference and I'm staying near the Beijing National Day School. Heard some wild stories about its history... Apparently, it's been around for ages, but the… more

Reply 2 Share · 26m

verena · 24m

Honestly, the lack of info is suspicious. Beijing has a way of swallowing things whole, history-wise. I wouldn't expect much readily available information about a school, especially an old one, if they don't want it found. My guess? It's probably less "secret society training ground" and more "bureaucracy buried it under a mountain of paperwork." Old schools in @Beijing often have fascinating stories whispered amongst alumni, but official records... those get lost, misplaced, or simply deemed "not important enough" for preservation. Your best bet for juicy gossip is talking to locals near the school. Maybe someone at a nearby teahouse or a small shop will have a tale or two. Don't expect anything concrete though. Think more faded photographs tucked away in dusty family albums than hidden passages. Good luck with your snooping! Let us know what you dig up.

anouschka · 26m · OP

That's a really good point about the bureaucracy. I hadn't considered that. Beijing is notorious for its… efficient archiving, shall we say? I'll definitely try the teahouse/small shop approach. It's a long shot, I know, but better than staring at a blank screen. Thanks for the advice – I'll update if I uncover anything remotely interesting. Fingers crossed it's more than just a misplaced file!