2020 Graduation Trip: Fun Offbeat Destinations, Graduation Season Travel Guide, and Where to Stay in Historic Baoding

In my memory, Hebei is a place steeped in revolutionary history. It has a glorious revolutionary past, and red tourism is a major draw here.

When it comes to northern China, the cities that usually dominate travel guides are Beijing, Tianjin, and Harbin. But Baoding, with its deep historical roots, has its own reasons to visit. If you're tired of those popular cities and want to avoid the crowds that can spoil a trip, give Baoding a try.

In any city, exploring is important, but so is where you stay.

I remember spending a long time choosing a hotel on Ctrip. I wanted somewhere close to the train station and also near sightseeing spots. In the end, I picked Lejia Boutique Hotel. It's near Baoding Station and close to the former site of the Army Officer Academy. It perfectly met our needs.

Hotel: Lejia Boutique Hotel (Baoding East Station & Hebei University Branch)

Address: 618 Fengqi Street, Qiyi East Road, Lianchi District, Baoding (near Baoding East Station, Hebei University New Campus, and Baoding University)

What a pleasant surprise: since it was still quite cold in the north at that time, the front desk lady offered us a cup of hot tea. The staff were all incredibly warm, with sweet voices and beautiful smiles. While we were checking in, another guest—a mother with a child—was also there, and the front desk even had toys and candy for the kid. So heartwarming!

Breakfast here was a real surprise. I had assumed it was just an ordinary hotel and didn't expect much from the food, but they offered both Western and Chinese options—fried eggs, boiled eggs, all kinds of breads and pastries, Chinese stir-fries, cold dishes, salads, fruit, noodles, wontons, stuffed buns, fried dough sticks, coffee, milk... the list goes on and on. There was so much I couldn't even count.

[Hotel Environment]

The hotel has a business-like decor. We stayed in a movie-themed standard room, and the bed was so comfortable that all the day's troubles melted away as soon as I lay down. They used high-quality Plante series bedding, comparable to that of star-rated hotels, and the toiletries were from AFU—the very brand I use at home!

There's also a book bar and a self-service laundry room, each with a poetic name: the book bar is called Bamboo Residence and the laundry room is called Dust-Free. The owner must be someone of refined taste. There's also a gym, a chess room, and a tea room. Staying here felt just like being at home—never a dull moment. An environment like this really added to our happiness on the trip.

[Nearby Attractions]

The hotel is surrounded by schools: Hebei University New Campus, Baoding University, Baoding Foreign Language School, Software College, Baoding Radio and TV University, and more. If you're feeling nostalgic for campus life, a stroll around here will bring back a flood of memories.

And another reason I chose this hotel: the former site of the Army Officer Academy is just an 8-minute taxi ride away.

The Whampoa Military Academy and Baoding Military Academy can be said to have pioneered modern, systematic military education in China, laying the foundation for military education and playing a key role in pushing forward the course of Chinese history.

I walked through the site with a sense of reverence. If you enjoy historical attractions, you could easily spend more time in this city. My vacation wasn't long, so I only stayed in Baoding for two days. When I left, the hotel left a deep impression. Even after I'd checked out, as I sat in the lobby waiting for a friend to come down, the staff still offered me attentive service—warm greetings and a perfect cup of hot tea.

If you come to Baoding, I can't recommend this hotel enough.