[dwarm]

When did everyone start making their travel arrangements?
Did you start when you got your referal or when you wait till you finally got your TA?
Also did you make your own travel arrangements or use a travel agent?
If you used an agent who did you use?
I know many people like to stay at the White Swan but are their any other recommendations?
At least this gives me some things to research before we finally get our referal.

Thanks
David
LID 8/24/05
Traveling from MI

[Lissa]

When did everyone start making their travel arrangements?You really can't make arrangements until after you have your TA and your consulate appointment scheduled.

Also did you make your own travel arrangements or use a travel agent?I used a travel agent. They were incompetant and they ended up getting our reservations cancelled because of that incompetance! 30 hours before we were suppossed to leave for China we were scrambling for a way to make it there. I suggest doing it yourself.

If you used an agent who did you use?
We used Delight Travel and my agent's name was Yen Fogarty. (A name I will NEVER forget and NEVER trust again.)

I know many people like to stay at the White Swan but are their any other recommendations?
There is another hotel on the Island...I think it's the Victoria, but someone please correct me if I'm wrong. I stayed at the Dong Fang as we travelled during the Trade Fair and the Swan was booked. It was a nice hotel, but I would have really prefered The Swan.

[Trace7]

We cannot make our arrangements until after we get our TA, as we will need to know the dates we will be meeting our baby and our Comsulate appt. before we can make any arrangements.

Since my brother lives in Hong Kong, we will be going there for a week before we meet our group in Beijing (we are with a large agency). We will make our own arrangements from the U.S. to HK, and then we will also have to get from HK to Beijing by making our own arrangements. Once we are in Beijing, our agency will take over by arranging all our hotels and flights throughout China [hotel in Beijing, flight from Beijing to Province, hotel in Province, flight from Province to Guangzhou, Hotel in Guangzhou, flight from Guangzhou to Beijing (for us) and Guangzhou to Hong Kong (for my brother - since he and his wife and daughter will be traveling us to get our baby)].

[VAMom2Be]

We had to wait until we had TA and Consulate Appt confirmed. We made our own arrangements to get to China. (Used NW miles on Continental - Newark to Beijing/Hong Kong to Newark) Our agency handled all in-country arrangements - we had to pay in cash (travelers checks) upon arrival in Beijing. We literally went from the airport to the travel agency to make the payment!

In country arrangements included hotels, guides, drivers, admission to all sights (in all three cities) and intercountry flights (Beijing to Wuhan/Wuhan to Guangzhou/Guangzhou to Hong Kong). All hotels included breakfast buffets.

[roseofchina]

Our agency made all travel arrangements for us. We just had to tell them the international airport that was closest to us. We received our referral July 27 and traveled Sept. 13.

SHaron
dh - David
dd - Whitley

[KarenInCa]

You can also compair rates once you have TA and get a quote from your travel agency. Northwest has a discount on their "last minute flights costs" which ends up costing about the same as the regular rates, if you get in a pinch.
We were going to use Eva Air, as they do not have regular rates vs last minute rates. But we ended up having to fly into Shanghai and out of Hong Kong. Eva Air only goes to and from Hong Kong.
However, if in your case, you are not going to Shanghai, you can try Eva Air. They also have an upgraded coach that is only about 200 more and worth the added costs.
I would also strongly suggest booking a flight back for your child and not doing it as a lap child ticket. The cost of our child's ticket was around $700 and a lap ticket would have been around $200. The extra space from that, and the ability to have her lay down was well worth the extra cost.

Victory is the name of the other hotel, Lissa. However, Victory is more historic than WS. I'm not exactly sure, but I think that Victory also does not have the brunch buffet in the mornings. They are a little less expensive (around 30 dollars less per night) but for the added conveniences, we chose the WS.
During the brunch buffet, you can snag an extra yogurt and some muffins...and fruit for baby's lunch/snacks. I also filled up on apple juice in her bottle daily during the brunches there.
Don't do the dinners at WS, the dinner buffet is around $20 per person, and not worth it. Room service is also very VERY pricy there. We ordered in one night, and the cost was around 65 bucks for the two of us. That's more than we would pay going out to dinner at a moderate restaurant in the USA.
Consider also giving your child congee in the mornings, or even at dinner. Out of all the couples we traveled with, the only couple that did that had a child with regular bowel movements from the second day. It is what the babies are used to eating, and every restaurant has it.