Travel and Tourism

From Beijing with grace

January 15, 2012 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - To live is to travel and find your sweet spot. My definition of a sweet spot when traveling is that unique destination where luxury synergizes with a sense of place, of belonging, where everything I am searching for can be found in one sublime nirvana.

Beijing is one such place. In nostalgic and modern Beijing, I stumbled on my unique gem-of-a-place called Grace Beijing, a romantic boutique hotel in the middle of a flourishing art district. Being here is synonymous with finding what you have been looking for, like falling in love, and being comfortable with the experience.

The Grace Beijing is part of Grace Hotels, the award-winning luxury boutique hotels brand that has uniquely located properties in the Greek islands, the US and China. At present, there are four Grace Properties open — Grace Beijing, Grace Mykonos, Grace Santorini, and Vanderbilt Grace. Other Grace properties planned to open are Cafayate in Argentina, Panama, Kea in Greece, and Riverside Inn in Maine, USA.

Heavenly Grace Suite: Each of its 30 lavish rooms and suites resembles a precious jewel with its own unique brilliance.

The opening of Grace Beijing marks the group’s first entry into the Asian market. Though every Grace hotel possesses a distinct character and imbibes the nature of its surroundings, all visitors can expect the exemplary Grace standards of quality, luxury and comfort. For 2012, top trends in travel include experiencing forward-thinking boutique hotels that offer high-impact experience on top of luxe pampering.

Mike Mina, our creative consultant for Miladay Jewels, once worked for the special projects division of the magnificent Empire Hotel in Brunei where his boss was Philippe M.E. Requin. It was serendipitous when Mike found out that Requin was actually the CEO of Grace Hotels. We learned that Grace Hotels, part of the family-owned Libra Group, will have more Grace Hotels in the Asia Pacific region over the coming years.

Since Beijing is lovely to visit all year round, anytime you enter the exquisite Grace Beijing, you inevitably soak up the ambiance. From the moment I laid eyes on the red-bricked brownstone edifice, flanked by towering lush trees, there is this infectious charm that seizes your senses. The lobby is warm with subdued earth tones and displays artwork with a distinct local flavor.

Grace Hotels CEO Philippe M.E. Requin says: “The 798 Art Zone is the perfect environment for Grace Beijing and we are sure that our signature luxury, elegance and simplicity will offer everything people could want and more.”

The hotel has 30 lavish rooms and suites. Meticulously selected modern art and contemporary furniture with allegiance to the aesthetic of the Ming Dynasty brings a surreal experience to this unique setting. Nostalgically, the zone which the Grace Beijing occupies used to be part of the crystal factory industrial park, a very successful joint venture project in the 1950s that was funded by the Chinese and utilized strict standards of German technology. The Bauhaus architecture that withstood strong earthquakes in the past provided the very robust backdrop for artists to create their mind-boggling masterpieces defying all traditional norms. What we have here is the democratization of art and culture. The 798 Art Zone has the potential to act as a model for the development of Chinese contemporary art and ultimately the urbanization process in China. The art district heralds the vitality of Beijing’s urban life and epitomizes the creativity of art, culture and global fashion for the world to witness and appreciate.

I have never experienced the progressive and dynamic synergy of China’s imperial and modern art culture this way. “The 798 Art Zone is the perfect environment for a Grace hotel and we are sure that our signature luxury, elegance and simplicity will offer everything people could want and more,” said Philippe Requin.

798 is a cultural landmark, a symbol of urban change in China where Maoist themed sculptures like these are a sight to behold

I have been to China many times in the past, always aboard my favorite Air China from Tibet, Shanghai, Guilin, Chengdu, Jiuzhaighou, Yangtze River, Shenzhen, Guangzhou to, lately, Beijing.

Yves Godard, general manager of Grace Beijing, who first came to Beijing as a son of a French diplomat in 1993, shared: “China, the buzz and style of Beijing, and a Grace hotel provide a terrific combination and offer any visitor a unique experience in one of the most dynamic corners of Asia.”

This is where the Grace Beijing derives its empathy of place — like a chameleon that adopts from and adapts to its surroundings.

It isn’t just the art that has evolved here; even the epicurean cuisine is something to boast about. The new Yi House restaurant offers modern Mediterranean and Asian cuisine with an extensive wine cellar. Try their delightful dim sum, fresh seafood and their superb rendition of black cod. At the hotel’s popular Bar 798, guests can enjoy delicious cocktails from an extensive list.

Another feather in their cap: Grace Hotels launched Bespoke by Grace, a refreshing concept that enables guests to customize numerous aspects of their hotel stay before they arrive. “The art of every great hotel is to know its guests, to understand their needs, then to meet them in a very efficient and personal way,” Requin said.

Let’s meet at the popular “Bar 798” at Grace Beijing for sumptuous brews and cocktails.

To make your stay more meaningful, you can request initial-embroidered bathrobes, fresh flowers of your choice and use of a mobile phone pre-loaded with useful local numbers. Bespoke in-room options include choice of pillows, fragrances and minibar contents. Infants and young children also have access to a full range of child-friendly products. “Grace guests know that we cater to their every need and now the principle extends to a new level with personal touches added even before they arrive.” Requin adds.

I can honestly say I live to travel. The Grace Beijing offers a distinctive and uplifting boutique hotel experience as it graciously showers you with thoughtful attention to the little touches that truly matter. Here, it gently whispers rather than shouts.

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For more information about Grace Beijing, log on to www.gracebeijing.com. Air China flies direct to Beijing from Manila daily except Wednesday and Friday. For more information, please contact Glenn Pineda through +6325674679 or mnlsales@airchina.com. Email the author at miladay.star@gmail.com.