China
Where the past and future meet
Perhaps no other society has advanced as rapidly and dramatically as China has in the past few decades. Yet in many ways, the country’s values remain much as it has been for millennia: national pride, connecting with nature, nourishing the body and soul. This is the Middle Kingdom, the vast heart of Asia that stands as proud as a venerable dragon and rises phoenix-like towards the future.
In a country as vast as China, variety is a given. Languages and landscapes, cultures and cuisines… even the traditional calendar is diverse, with 24 solar terms, or mini seasons, bearing poetic names like ‘Awakening of Insects’ and “White Dew’. Grand Mercure hotels, found in cities across the country, look forward to sharing their locale’s distinctive flavours, rituals and stories – all revisited for today’s travellers in a modern, confident China.
Our hotels
Taste of Place
Taste of Place tell the story of a multifaceted China. Rice dishes in the wetter and warmer south. Wheat noodles and buns in the drier and colder north. Crab and fish along the coast. Mutton and Islamic influences in the far western regions. What they have in common is the ability to evoke memories, create new ones and feed both body and soul – a delicious and satisfying way to (re)discover the local way of life.
Breakfast culture
For the Chinese, residents and expats alike, no food says ‘home’ more than congee. Toast and coffee are fine for a quick breakfast, but rice porridge is the morning meal that truly comforts and satisfies. The beauty of congee is that it serves as the base for countless savoury sides – fried dough, scallion pancakes, preserved eggs, crunchy greens… Dive into a warm bowl of pure energy, nutrition and happiness.
Brew culture
The birthplace of tea, China has had millennia to perfect this brew and incorporate it into society. Healing medicine, soothing beverage, a symbol of hospitality, the basis of rituals and ceremonies. Chá also brings global cultures together. At Grand Mercure, we both honour and modernise this tradition. Served alone, with pairings or as an unexpected ingredient, discover all the creative ways to prepare and experience tea.
Local Bites
Snacking is a much-loved tradition across China. In this large and diverse country, the Local Bites of each Grand Mercure hotel are as distinctive as the place it calls home. Tiny balls made of local grains. Mini cakes stuffed with the region’s signature fruits. Dried seafood nibbles. Roasted nuts or seeds with a tantalising spice blend… Regardless of the snack, each bite is a window into the local culture.
Signature dish
From tiny villages to Tier 1 cities, the streets abound with vendors hawking local delicacies. What’s more, this culinary theatre transforms with the seasons, such as roasted sweet potatoes after ‘Frost Descent’ or cold noodles during ‘Big Heat’. The Signature Dish of each Grand Mercure hotel in China pays tribute to its locale’s favourite street foods and reinterprets it for today’s cosmopolitan travellers.
Scentorial Immersion
The majority of Chinese may be city dwellers, but their hearts are never far from the countryside. Endless fields of tea or rice. Rustling bamboo forests. The scent of summer rains. Mists curling above mountain crags. To satisfy this longing, many people bring nature indoors. Wood furnishings, unique rock formations, bubbling fountains, songbirds and singing crickets… these natural elements soothe and inspire the urban soul.
Tea
There is not just one scent of tea; China alone has six main types. And depending on when the leaves are harvested and how they’re dried, a tea’s notes can be a combination of herbal, floral, clean, sweet, malty, tannic, woody or humid. Stepping into a Grand Mercure hotel in China is an immersion into the art of tea. Smell its subtlety, admire its colours, taste its complexity.
Our cities
Beijing
Skyscrapers rise beside centuries-old temples on the broad boulevards of the Chinese capital. A new creative culture thrives along hútòng alleys, while world-class dining and high-end shopping define modern life in the
Dongguan
An intriguing blend of laid-back charm and pulsating energy, Dongguan sits on the Pearl River Delta. The catalyst for the Opium Wars is fast becoming an eco-destination, thanks to the necklace of greenery wrapped around its heart.
Foshan
With a seamless blend of modern energy and ancient customs, Foshan is a 21st-century powerhouse backed by 5,000 years of history. As well as being the city of Bruce Lee, it’s also home to rich musical and creative traditions.
Guangzhou
As a bright star in China’s economic boom, many people come to Guangzhou on business, but return to explore its traditional shopping streets and incense-infused temples, or sample Cantonese yum cha eateries at their best.
Jinan
Jinan is known for its artesian wells, many of which are set in serene parks, but it’s also a gateway to China’s spiritual heartland. The home of Confucius and the country’s most sacred mountain are close to the “City of
Pingdu
A gateway to scenic wildlife areas and mountain trails, manufacturing hub Pingdu lies at the heart of Shandong’s productive agricultural belt, so it’s no surprise that residents enjoy fine teas and cuisine using local
Qingdao
The thought of Qingdao brings beer and beaches to mind, but scratch beneath the surface of this Yellow Sea resort, and you’ll find delicate cuisine featuring locally caught seafood, cute colonial streets and revered mountains.
Shanghai
A thriving cultural, culinary and commercial centre, Shanghai is the engine room of China’s economic boom. The pulsating metropolis is a place where ancient sites like Jing’an Temple sit comfortably beside ultra-modern towers.
Shenzhen
A new economic powerhouse with an eye to the future, Shenzhen has risen at breakneck speed beside the Pearl River. Peep behind the gloss to rediscover a city that continues to cherish its Buddhist heritage and Cantonese cuisine.
Wuhan
The capital of Hubei province, Wuhan draws crowds with its Yellow Crane Tower, a replica of the Qing-era marvel, but hidden wonders await in this huge city.
Xi'an
Best known for its terracotta warriors, Xi’an once marked the eastern end of the fabled Silk Road. Brimming with historic landmarks, from the Bell and Drum Towers to the Great Mosque, the ancient city also embraces modern China.
Xiamen
While well known for the Nanputuo Temple and its verdant gardens, along with the historic Hulishan Cannon Fort, the cosmopolitan oasis of Xiamen is fast becoming popular for its blend of beachside charm and modern city living.
Zhengzhou
Tree-lined avenues and restaurants serving Henanese cuisine set the tone for modern Zhengzhou. Yet kung fu and Bronze Age artefacts also come to mind when you think of the city, with its Shaolin temple and ancient ruins located
Ürümqi
Central Asia and China are juxtaposed in Ürümqi’s lively bazaars and shopping malls, Silk Road ruins and modern skyscrapers, and its minarets and pagodas. Uyghur heritage lends the city and its cuisine a unique flavour.
