Never in my entire career would I have thought I’d be writing about how the St. Regis Hotel offers an affordable playtime for kids, but here we are.
With the travel restrictions and requirements for nucleic acid tests before and after you arrive in Beijing, many, many people, myself included, are choosing to stay put in the city. But that doesn’t mean I’m content just staying home or going to parks every day with my kid. Just because I can’t travel doesn’t mean I don’t want to enjoy being waited on hand and foot while enjoying all the amenities of a 5-star hotel.
Staycations aren’t a new thing, but the St. Regis Hotel has recently introduced its Daycation package. This allows you to check into the hotel and play there for the whole day without actually spending the night. And to be honest, it’s better than a one night staycation because there’s a lot less stuff to bring.
The first time I stayed at the St. Regis was over two decades ago when I was barely a teenager. My mom, a germaphobe who would never let anyone touch a hotel bathtub, made a huge deal about long baths there. I didn’t understand the significance back then, but I do now.
The St. Regis is one of the oldest luxury hotels in Beijing, and even though it’s been around for 30+ years, it’s aging gracefully, and when you walk down the halls you feel the history of the place proudly standing strong. During its construction, the St. Regis received a special permit to dig 1,500 meters below for their very own hot springs – making it the only hotel in the city that has this feature. Needless to say, the water at the St. Regis is magical. After one daycation there my skin felt soft and smooth from head to toe.
The Daycation deal at the St. Regis is RMB 888 for full use of a Deluxe room for the entire day from 9am to 6pm, and includes either a lunch, afternoon tea, or dinner for two in the room. You get full, unlimited access to their well-equipped gym, pool, and private garden all day long.
With a deal this good, we brought our 1.5-year-old little girl to try it out. I thought I would have to sheepishly sneak her firetruck pool floatie into the hotel, but after seeing two different families walk around the lobby with their ducky floaties, I realized that the St. Regis is shockingly kid-friendly and we’ve been missing out on the fun this whole time.
A stroll in the hotel’s private garden was the most peaceful walk I’ve had in ages in Beijing. We were the only guests there, and the beautiful cherry blossom trees and freshly cut green lawn brought about a wave of serenity. My husband and I got to enjoy a coffee while our daughter explored. It was utterly idyllic.
Following a quick nap in our room, we headed out to the pool and hot springs.
The hot springs are located inside both locker rooms. There are three pools with various temperatures. It’s amazing! Unlike most hot springs that are popular with the locals, these at the St. Regis are still hidden gems, which means that even during the Qingming Festival long holiday, I had the hot springs at the St. Regis all to myself.
Pro tip: In Beijing, everyone who goes in the pool need to wear a swimming cap. Babies are no exception.
The pools are also a treat for both parents and kids. There’s a big lap pool with natural lighting for confident swimmers, and a small kiddie pool for kids to splash around in. There are plenty of lounge chairs and towels available, and the pool had two lifeguards on duty. One of them even made the effort to move closer to my daughter and I after he found out that it was my first time taking her into a pool by myself – a gesture that I sincerely appreciated.
Following our swim, I wrapped my little girl up in the kid-sized hotel bathrobe, and she proceeded to spend the good part of an hour entertaining herself by kicking water around in the sink – something I never let her do at home.
Before heading home after a long daycation, we dined on a fantastic three-course meal prepared by the room service team but served downstairs in the restaurant for us because we needed a high chair. A starter of smoked salmon, a main course of either halibut or braised beef, and a healthy dessert of fresh-cut fruits were the perfect way to end our non-stay at the St. Regis.
For those who don’t feel like going home after a long day, the hotel offers guests the option to spend the night for an additional RMB 700.
Pro tip: I’m trying my best not to give my daughter salt or sugar before she turns two, so if you’ve got a strict diet plan for your kids, either bring food for them or order waimai. The hotel’s restaurants are not open all day.
Currently, the Daycation deal is only available until the end of April. It’s truly an awesome time for a luxury day with the family, or to call up a mommy friend for a playdate with the kids in the pool and then split the bill. Surprisingly enough, if you do the math, a day of pool, garden, dining, and relaxation at the St. Regis ends up costing you less than some 30-minute baby swimming classes. What a deal!
Give the St. Regis a call to book your daycation.
Find it:
21 Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District
朝阳区建国门外大街21号
Tel: 6460 6688
Images: St. Regis Hotel, Mina Yan, Billy Jin
