the Beijinger

Beijing hotels, like so many aspects of the Chinese economy, are wildly variable in quality and value. I’m sure you can all think of some horror* stories! Well, it turns out the the capital is in fact home to what has been voted the best hotel in the country – and that includes Hong Kong and Macau. Under the auspices of Tripadvisor, the holiday/hotel review website, the annual Traveler’s Choice Awards saw 60,000 hotels throughout the Middle Kingdom voted on. Fairmont Beijing, in Jianguomenwai Dajie, came out top – well done for them!

Head to agendabeijing.com for more on Beijing's best and worst and to share your own experiences of hotel hijinks.

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Having clothes made to measure has so many benefits over buying off-the-shelf, but it can be difficult to know who to trust or even where to begin. Here’s our list of recommendations for arriving at the perfect fit.

Step aside Santa: Whether it’s the latest Western toy fad or a vintage antique, Beijing’s got plenty of stores selling a wide variety of toys for kids of all ages. Selection and quality vary widely, but here's a run down for that last-minute Christmas shopping.

Xidan‘s consumer blitz of multitudinous mega-malls is the stuff of Beijing shopping legend. Here’s a quick field guide.

Lace up those skates and hit the ice at these cool spots around town.

Halal cuisine – food prepared according to Muslim dietary laws – plays a surprisingly big role in Beijing’s food scene, particular in the areas populated by the Hui Minority. Halal foods must be free of alcohol, and meats may only come from non-carnivorous animals that were slaughtered in a humane fashion, something that often makes halal meats a safer and more delicious alternative to regular meats. Many of those living in Beijing are familiar with the flavors of Hui cuisine from their visits to Xinjiang restaurants, but the following places can open up your culinary landscape to many new and wonderful dishes.

To the delight of its fans, this Italian restaurant, formerly of the now destroyed Super Bar Street, has reopened on Dongzhimenwai, across from the Australian Embassy. With the same management team in place, service remains attentive, but now that it occupies a two-story space, Abella is able to offer both smoking and non-smoking dining environments.

Love is in the air and on your plates this February. While restaurants around town dazzle diners with indulgent feasts and free-flow champagne, some places remain simply romantic, no matter what the occasion. Agenda gives us the rundown on Beijing's most romantic restaurants.

Few excuses for avoiding a trip to the dentist sound more convincing than “I’m living abroad; I’ll do it when I go home for Christmas.” Fast forward a few years down the line, and you never quite managed to squeeze that check-up in between catching up with family and friends. Sound familiar? Make up for lost time by making an appointment at one of these dental clinics.