Live Your Best Lives
I remember seeing a quote a while ago that said, "Friends aren't the ones who come first or have known you the longest, but the ones who come and never leave."
So I consider myself very lucky. Over the years, people have come and gone, but the few best friends I met during my student days and after entering the workplace have always been by my side. We laughed and cried together, striving to live our ideal lives, yearning for freedom, ease, happiness, and liberty. A sale at the mall, a new restaurant opening, a bad day after an argument with the boss, or hearing about beautiful weekend weather...any reason, just a call in the group chat, and we'd gather from all corners of Beijing and become the most cheerful and boisterous presence in the room that day.
Slowly, as time went on, everyone's lives changed, especially after several of us had children. The days we used to be available at each other's beck and call became increasingly rare. I complained about how hard it was to see each other, and they lamented how exhausting it was to raise children, yet we both missed each other dearly. Is there no way to combine a get-together with friends and a stroll with the kids all in one place?
Now, that wish has finally come true! Club Med Joyview Beijing Yanqing Resort, this hidden gem, has brought us back to our original connection. Bathed in the summer sun, we headed here, ending the pain of not seeing each other for so long, even though we're both in Beijing.
Club Med Joyview is one of the three major product lines under the Club Med Group. It offers short-distance vacation packages specifically targeted at the Chinese tourism market. Therefore, its key feature is its proximity. In just a few hours, you can escape the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy the embrace of nature.
Club Med Joyview Beijing Yanqing Resort is located in Zhangshanying Town, Yanqing, just a 1.5-hour drive from the city center. The lack of mountain roads made the drive easy for a group of female drivers like us. Parking is free within the resort.
Backed by the Songshan Nature Reserve and surrounded by acres of flower fields and vineyards, this charming hotel offers a perfect setting for those who are hesitant to travel far due to the pandemic but still want a family getaway.
Several vehicles arrived at the hotel. As soon as we got off the bus, a staff member greeted us and directed us to the front desk for check-in. Although it was a weekday, there were quite a few people visiting, and the check-in line was quite long. I heard that the hotel is fully booked from the next day until the weekend. It seems that we Beijingers have been really bored during this period...
The guest rooms were already prepared and were very considerately located next to each other. The rooms were spacious and comfortable, the bedding was clean, the pillows were soft and firm, and there was fresh welcome fruit on the table.
The hotel offers two options: one with breakfast included, and the other, the classic Club Med all-inclusive package, which includes three meals, unlimited drinks at the bar, and all the hotel's activities.
A vacation is all about enjoying life, and convenience is key with children, so we naturally opted for the all-inclusive package. This proved to be a wise choice. Guests on the all-inclusive package receive a green wristband upon check-in (yellow for children). This little wristband grants unimpeded access to every area of the hotel, allowing us to enjoy our meals, drinks, and entertainment without leaving the house.
I'd previously visited the Club Med Joyview in Beidaihe and was immediately impressed by its exceptional family-friendly atmosphere. This feeling was even more profound at the Yanqing location. It boasts China's largest indoor playground, the Playground, a haven for children.
A dazzling glass corridor connects the main hotel building to the Playground. The soft-plastic flooring ensures that running children won't get hurt even if they fall.
At the end of the corridor, the automatic doors slowly opened. What awaited us?
Kids' Club
Located on the second floor of the playground, this brightly colored playground features several play areas with slides, wooden horses, trains, and large building blocks. All facilities are soft-padded to prevent children from getting hurt while playing. This is where the kids get excited and scream, and quickly start having fun.
This also makes me, an old aunt who doesn’t have a baby but is a baby in her heart, feel deeply moved. The childhood of children nowadays is too happy!
The music academy has a variety of musical instruments that can produce pleasant sounds. The children picked up wooden mallets, beat drums and played piano, and expressed their satisfaction with their own musical works.
Walking into this place feels like traveling in outer space.
Games are indeed a favorite of men of all ages...
Sports Paradise
The spiral staircase is like a time tunnel, taking us from the children's paradise to the sports field on the first floor.
The space here is wider and divided into different activity areas.
Football billiards. Yes, I wrote that correctly. It's billiards played with your feet. My friend's baby was so determined to get all the balls into the hole.
High-tech VR games, always with long lines.
Another popular attraction is the flying trapeze. Unfortunately, there was a long queue of children waiting to try it, otherwise I really wanted to give it a try.
During the soft archery, I was the only older kid there… My first two arrows missed the target, but luckily I managed to hit the 8th ring with my third, just as good as the two kids next to me…
The small theater plays cartoons during the day, and many parents watch movies with their children, spending quality time with them.
Every night, there's a fantastic performance on the theater stage, and the GOs bring all the kids along for the ride. Every GO at the resort has unique skills, and the kids are all amazing too.
Mini Club Custody Service
A parent-friendly perk at Club Med is that children aged four and above can be left with a GO, who will take care of them and organize various activities for them.
Daily care hours are 8:45-11:45 and 14:00-17:00 daily. Parents simply need to pick up the registration form and sign the care agreement in advance at the Kids Club entrance. Then, they can rest assured and leave their children with the professionally trained GOs, where they can completely relax.
My friend's baby is under 4 years old and was unable to experience this. We met these "fostered" babies along the way. Each one was carefully cared for by GO, without making any noise or fuss. They seemed much more well-behaved than when they were with their parents~
Outdoor Area The little windmill on the lawn is a must-see!
Pine Cone Paradise is filled with laughter and has become a favorite haunt for my friend's children these days. Each little one is like a nimble squirrel, treating the park like a sheltered pine forest, scrambling up and down.
Nearby are various outdoor sports venues, including football, basketball, and tennis. Sports equipment can be rented from the hotel.
The sun in the suburbs of Beijing isn't as scorching as in the city. Here, you can work up a sweat and feel the refreshing after-workout feeling, which will melt away all your worries and stress. The train parade takes place at every hour. The starting point is on the right hand side of the entrance on the first floor of the amusement park, facing the outdoor area. We took a small train around the resort, which took about 50 minutes. Along the way, we passed by flower fields, grape picking gardens, wineries, vegetable picking gardens and other places.
This trip wasn't just about taking the kids out for some fun; it was also a rare get-together for me and my besties. We chose Club Med Joyview because it's not only a place for the little ones to have a good time, but also a great place for us older kids to enjoy our vacation.
A wonderful afternoon tea
All drinks are free-flowing at the two bars in the playground and the hotel lobby. Order a cup of coffee and chat about long-held gossip and inner thoughts. Finally, it feels like our friendship is not so plastic.
After watching it once, the baby learned to order by himself. He climbed up the high chair to order a glass of juice from the staff and didn't forget to say "thank you" when he received it.
Pretend to be in the South of France
The resort is home to a vast sea of flowers. On a lush summer day, endless geranium petals sway gently in the sunlight.
The center of the romantic flower sea is a wooden church with a very stylish design, and there is also a glass cafe next to it.
Wander along the wooden plank path among the flowers, or swing gently on the small swing in front of the cafe, smelling the faint floral fragrance wafting on the wind, and feeling the scattered sunlight from the shade of the trees fall on you.
What a dreamlike feeling it is to be on a French holiday.
Get some exercise
The hotel offers a wide range of activities every day, many of which are suitable for adults, such as cycling, yoga, fitness training, etc. You can bring older children to participate, or you can experience it yourself after leaving your children in childcare.
Unfortunately, I was tied to my bestie and her 3.5-year-old child the whole time, so I didn't get to participate (actually, I just don't want to admit my laziness).
Xunwei Restaurant is located on the first floor of the hotel. The restaurant is spacious, with tall floor-to-ceiling windows that make the entire environment spacious and bright. The hotel elevators and other places have notices about peak dining times, suggesting that everyone dine during off-peak hours. This is very thoughtful.
A diverse array of food is served here for all three meals daily. The Western section offers bread, salads, roast chicken, and the children's favorite, fried chicken and fries. The Chinese section offers rice, cold dishes, various stir-fries, and sliced noodles. The dessert section also boasts a wide variety of ice cream and cakes.
My friend's baby used to be a bit of a picky eater. He usually needed to be fed at home, but now he's become independent and enjoys eating on his own. He sees the food on the other kids' plates and asks to try it himself, eating a lot of food he wouldn't have eaten before.
Hmm, he's grown up a little bit! My friend has the heart of a mother. I saw she was so happy she almost cried.
The hotel strictly implemented epidemic prevention directives and implemented eight major epidemic prevention measures, including temperature checks, health code verification, hygiene and safety training, and regular disinfection. Tissues and hand sanitizer were placed near each elevator to ensure a worry-free travel and a peaceful vacation.
1. Hotel rooms are very limited during peak season, so we recommend booking in advance! Book in advance! Book in advance! I can't stress this enough~
2. The temperature in Yanqing is lower than in downtown, with a significant difference between morning and evening. Bring appropriate clothing and wear sunscreen during the day as UV rays are strong.
3. Water activities will reopen in August, so remember to pack a nice swimsuit.
4. There's currently a promotion for all-inclusive packages; please check with the hotel in advance for more discounts~
"Long time no see!" My bestie and I stayed here with our baby for a full three days and two nights. The kids were having so much fun, and even after chatting all night, my bestie and I still felt unsatisfied. Life is like that: no matter how hard we try, there will always be things that don't go our way. Fortunately, we all know what we want, and we know that even with achieving it, there will be regrets. But so what? For those of us who love shopping and traveling, thanks to a treasure like Club Med Joyview, shopping becomes a stroll through a sea of blossoming flowers, and gatherings become a comfortable vacation. This kind of life has achieved a different kind of beauty that we all yearn for.
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