No visit to Beijing is complete without spending at least 3-4 days there. I completely whiffed on that one, spending a total of about 40 hours in Beijing. But another thing everyone says you have to visit is the Forbidden City. Located in the middle of Beijing, just north of Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City is a massive complex of almost 1000 buildings, countless artifacts, and some sweet roofing (see above). My last morning in Beijing began pretty early. I had adjusted to the time difference well, thanks to my go-to sleep aid (I’m not a doctor, this is not medical advice). My hotel, based on a thorough 4 minutes on TripAdvisor, was the Red Wall Garden Hotel. It’s the #1 rated hotel for Beijing, and I completely agree with this ranking. The rooms are classically Chinese but with modern touches (very fast wifi) and friendly service. The rates are incredibly reasonable and included breakfast. I believe if you book 3 nights or more with them they will include free pick-up from the airport (I’m not a travel agent, this is not medical advice). A lot of readers complain that the bed in my hotel pictures is always unmade. The above is for you. The hotel has a fabulous courtyard, belying the size of the hotel. From the street/hutong, it doesn’t seem very big, but it’s a fairly large complex. There’s a great courtyard with a fabulous restaurant with dining options outside, but seeing as it was winter it was... read more