Timeout from the City
2016-05-21 03:20
Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong...Three amazing cities with everything you need for a meeting or incentive. But sometimes it's nice to be able to take your group away from the hustle and bustle of a city without a flight or a lengthy journey to get there. 
Destination China introduces you to some great options to give your delegates a "timeout" from the city...
 
Timeout from Beijing...
The Commune by the Great Wall. Made up of a clubhouse, 11 private villas each designed by a different Asian architects, a world class Spa, meeting facilities and a hotel. And just one and a half hours from downtown Beijing.
Looking down the valley to a section of the Great Wall Commune has won numerous international design awards. With every room in the Clubhouse creating a different sense of space like the Reading Room, adorned with Peacock feathers to the Villa's each of which reflects the styles and philosophies of the architects that designed them.
Bamboo House
Gunther Homerlein, Destination China's General Manager sees each Villa as a different opportunity for Executive or Corporate retreats. The Suitcase House is ideal for small formal meetings with a rooftop where coffee breaks can be taken while looking over the Great Wall and the Bamboo House where the serenity inherent in the design creates a sense of seclusion which allows for delegates to brainstorm, work through ideas and think outside the box.
 
Timeout from Shanghai...
Jinshan Farmer Paintings Village. Just a 1 hour drive from Shanghai's city centre offers a great opportunity to understand a very unique art form influenced by Chinese folk arts in rural Shanghai from the 1950s and developed in the 1960s-1970s in to its current stylized form.
Instead of exploring modern urban reality, traditional rural themes such as fishing, cloth dyeing, spinning, and farming scenes are preferred. Figures and objects are usually drawn in a simple forms.
Fengjing Water Town
On visiting the village, delegates can also take part in a painting class to learn the techniques involved, learn how to make some local snacks, eat a local lunch and can include a visit to Fengjing Water Village (just 10 minutes' drive from the Painting Village).
Fengjing is the best-preserved and the largest ancient water town in the Shanghai region. A network of waterways cover the whole ancient town, and there are 52 bridges, with the oldest one: Zhihe Bridge, having a history of more than 700 years.
 
Timeout from Hong Kong...
Some places just ooze charm...
Po Toi O. A tiny working fishing village in Clearwater Bay that has retained its authenticity despite of its proximity to Hong Kong. As you walk through the village, the locals go about their daily business, drying the freshly caught seafood and seaweed, burning incense at the local Taoist Hung Shing Temple and...just fishing.
Why do we bring guests? For one of the best seafood meals that they will ever experience. With fresh seafood taken straight from the tanks, deftly cooked and served in large sharing plates and washed down with tea or local beer (or wine we bring in ourselves). No frills, but you don't need it with a stunning natural view of the bay and the lush country park surroundings... which creates another lifestyle option of pre or post lunch hike along the High Junk Peak Walking Trail.
"Destination China's knowledge of Hong Kong in assisting us locate the Poi Toi O fishing Village was a master stroke as this luncheon proved to be the group's No 1 highlight!"
- Anthony Nay, Incremental Marketing (Australia)