Our Philosophy

The Imperial Way

Our Philosophy

As if you had close family members introducing you to a country they love.

Offering exclusively China and only the best, Imperial Tours is unchallenged in the quality of service we offer our guests. When welcoming you to the Middle Kingdom, it is our goal to make you feel immediately comfortable, as if you had close family members introducing you to a country they love.

Luxury Travel to China

We create bespoke China itineraries based around what fascinates you about China, what lures you to this exotic land. Based on this we get to work to ensure you are taken care of every step of the way. When you contact us you will be matched with one of our expert Itinerary Designers who will facilitate and refine an itinerary that has been developed to match destinations, hotels, restaurants and other experiences to your unique tastes and interests. As soon as you land, you will enjoy the finest services, through handpicked local guides as well as a western, bilingual China Host or alternatively a western ‘virtual’ concierge. We believe that China is a country of possibility; we wish to share with you the romance of her past, the underlying reality of her present and the unprecedented potential of her future.

Beyond providing you with the finest service and dream holiday in China, we believe in doing our part and giving back to the country we cherish. Beyond showcasing the beauty and wonder of China to influential guests, our Corporate Social Responsibility program incorporates donations to charities assisting young learners within China as well as working with governmental tourism bodies to promote China as a compelling luxury travel destination.

Imperial Moments

Imperial Moments was a term coined by some of our first guests to describe the feeling of wonder that accompanied their travels through China. From the sheer delight of being introduced to unexpected beauty, it describes equally a range of Wow! experiences that introduce a site in its best possible light or illuminate an otherwise obscure aspect of Chinese life. Each Imperial Moment nested within our destination itineraries is designed to elaborate the innate character of a destination. In addition, we have a wide selection of Imperial Moments in our optional activities, which are used to embellish your itinerary, making it fully responsive and reflective of your interests and style. More often than not, the instinctive curiosity and excitement a guest brings to such an experience opens the moment to a combination of serendipity and intimacy so that its enjoyment becomes both memorable and invaluable. This is the effect of an Imperial Moment.

Private Touring

In the same way a tailor would customize the finest garment so that it hangs elegantly off your shoulders, we need to know as much as possible about your travel preferences to design the perfect bespoke itinerary for you. When you make an inquiry with us, we will ask you to complete a short questionnaire to help us discover the destinations, hotels and Imperial Moments that are right for you. We offer two high-end private tour programs each geared for different types of guests. On our Ultimate China tour you are accompanied by a China Host, a western Chinese-speaking traveling concierge, as well as a Chinese guide and driver to receive unparalleled service throughout your journey. Our China Escapades service maintains the same quality standards, but with a guide, driver and virtual concierge only. We are keen to learn what inspires you about your trip to China. We will listen carefully and work to customize the ideal itinerary for your interests. Please inquire for more information on our two luxury tour options.

Custom Itineraries
Imperial Tours takes pride in individually crafting each private tour itinerary to match your particular traveling style, interests and pace of travel. Our customized itineraries can range from multigenerational trips, to romantic indulgent holidays for two, to gastronomy inspired tours tasting the many culinary regions of China. Wherever you desire to go in this beautiful country, you can rest assured we will hand craft an inspiring, safe and comfortable journey for you. For first time visitors we recommend visiting China’s most famous destinations – Beijing, Xi’an, Guilin and Shanghai, but we are more than willing to discuss other destinations for you to explore. We will customize your itinerary based on your must-see destinations and other travel interests. This is why we encourage you to complete our brief questionnaire so we can better create your bespoke journey. For ideas on destinations you may wish to explore our Help Me Decide Page.
Luxury accommodation
As you will read on our destination pages, a plethora of world-class luxury properties grace China’s first tier cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Over the past five years, secondary cities, such as Xi’an, Hangzhou and Chengdu have been following suit, and now can accommodate the most demanding luxury visitors also. At less-frequented destinations such as Lhasa, Lijiang, Guilin, Huangshan and Shangri-la, we will introduce you to smaller hotels that are one-of-a-kind treasures inspired by the unique regions in which they are situated.

Since most destinations now boast a range of hotels, our role is to help select the hotel most suited to your needs, interests and traveling style. We hold each of our affiliate properties to the highest standards to ensure you receive the best white glove service in a safe, relaxing and clean environment.
Fine Dining

China has been fast developing an exciting food culture as a result of wealth and international influence. Besides the rich array of traditional, regional cuisines, in major cities one can also sample a fine selection of Western restaurants as well as those conjuring up an eclectic fusion of east and west. From Michelin Stars to Mandarin Chefs, we aspire to amaze you with our hand-curated selection of gourmet restaurants. In Beijing and Shanghai our western restaurants include establishments of the caliber of Temple, Mr and Mrs Bund, Otto e Mezzo and others, many of whom have been featured in well-known luxury travel magazines and guides. At the finest Chinese restaurants across the nation, we will incorporate any dietary requirements you might have into customized menus plotted over the course of your trip so that you have the opportunity to try out the best regional dishes in the destinations you are visiting. However, your fondest memories may be of privately catered banquets we organize at various cultural sites.

Shopping

For many years China was known only for low-quality souvenirs and cheap designer knockoffs. Of course these items are still available, but the world’s second largest consumer market has now fostered much more choice and many more purchasing options of significantly higher quality. Both foreign and local designers have incorporated traditional skills and materials in innovative new products from couture to furniture to homeware. Similarly, a new crop of Chinese designers are making waves on the catwalks of the US and Europe with repercussions in Chinese design spaces. It is Imperial Tours’ strict standard that our guides, China Hosts, local partners and drivers do no accept commissions on any products you purchase. This policy frees us to take you to places that offer high quality products and good value for money. Apart from traditional items sourced in China, such as silks, ceramics, pearls, lacquerware, ink-brush paintings, and more, our team can design bespoke shopping tours incorporating designer boutiques and galleries. We can even arrange a personal dress fitting at the home or studios of some of China’s top couture designers.

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