China

[Debs75]

DD is studying Chinese and will get to go to China for 9 months in 2 years.
Obviously I will miss her and she will be missing the whole families birthdays, Christmas and Easter.

Soo I want to visit her for a week. I have done a quick google search for flight prices and hotel prices and know how much I will need but how do I find the best place to stay where an English speaking middle aged woman won't be completely out of her depth?

I have worked out I can afford about £25-45 a night hotels and it looks like that will get me a premier inn type hotel in Beijing (have only checked Beijing but don't know where she will be) Will that have some English speaking staff? DD is trying to teach me Chinese but it is bloody hard.

Any advice would be great

Depending on her University they will probably have an Exchange programme, so she can find out the possible Universities.

We went to Beijing in 2008 as a couple and had a very enjoyable time but I did book a couple of local guides to take us to places. It's a long way to go for just a week!

In 2008 we were stopped a lot in the street by people who wanted to talk to us and speak English, but a lot of them also wanted to sell us things so be careful.

I lived in China for a few years and managed with no language skills to start with. I found people to be generally really helpful.

I agreed that it's a long way to go for a week, given the flights and visa will be the biggest expense/most hassle, could you not stay for longer?

Your DD will be able to get a better idea of hotels for you when she is there, we/ our visitors stayed in some nice hotels that we wouldn't have found without local knowledge.

My 70-something year old gran came to visit me and had a great time!