Our Philosophy

Bespoke Luxury Travel

We conjure bespoke itineraries based around what fascinates and lures you to these exotic lands. And we 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 your unique tastes and interests. As soon as you land, you will enjoy the finest services through handpicked local guides.

China and South Korea are dynamic countries of possibility; we wish to share with you the romance of their past, the underlying reality of their present and their future potential.

Beyond providing you with the finest service, we believe in giving back to the countries we love and cherish. Our Corporate Social Responsibility program incorporates donations to charities assisting young learners and orphans.

Imperial Moments

Imperial Moments was a term coined by one of our very first guests to describe the feeling of unexpected wonder that accompanied their travels. 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 light or illuminate an otherwise obscure aspect of life.

There are three categories – “Dreams” devise experiences that respond to people’s archetypal desires like meditating on a Tibetan mountain top. “Depth” furnish a specialist activity or lecture. For a family, could be a K Pop dance lesson in Seoul or a museum group might get private access to an Imperial kiln site in Hangzhou. The last is “Destination”, which introduces a site that might not have been known to you, but that responds perfectly to your interests. This could be in the form of an unknown Ming dynasty fresco in Beijing or an arrow-maker near Andong.

Each Imperial Moment is designed to elaborate the innate character of a destination and respond to your interests. 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.

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 sampling culinary regions and even going back in time to the food of bygone dynasties.

Wherever you desire to go , you can rest assured we will hand craft an inspiring, safe and comfortable journey for you. The first step is to complete “our brief questionnaire” so we can better understand you to create your bespoke journey.

Visitors to China, should consult our China Help Me Decide page for ideas on where to visit, while South Korea-bound travelers, are invited to peruse the South Korea Help Me Decide page.

Luxury accommodation

As you will read on our destination pages, a plethora of world-class luxury properties grace China and South Korea’s first tier cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Seoul. Over the past five years, secondary cities, from Xi’an to Busan and have been following suit, and now can accommodate the most demanding luxury visitors also. At less-frequented destinations such as Shangri-la or Gyeongju, 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

Both China and South Korea have well-known and exciting food cultures. Whilst China’s regional kitchens have long been acclaimed, South Korea’s chefs and culinary heritage are very much part of halyu or the K-Wave sweeping the globe.

Besides a rich array of traditional 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. Unless you specify otherwise, we will sprinkle western and fusion meals across your itinerary so as to strike a balance between exploring new local tastes and accommodating comfort foods. From Michelin Stars to Mandarin Chefs, we aspire to amaze you with our hand-curated selection of restaurants, gourmet or casual as suited to your preference.

As a result of their different eating habits, our approach to dining in South Korea and China differs. Whist China’s regional cuisines will tend towards regional specialties, the premise of ordering food here is to combine a variety of dishes and flavors in one meal. As a result, within one restaurant, it is perfectly possible to accommodate contrasting dietary requirements. By contrast, South Korean restaurants will typically excel in one or two dishes, accompanied by a range of banchan or side-dishes that accompany the main dishes. Subsequently, restaurant choice here needs to be more specifically tailored than the menu. Whichever destination you select, we are mindful of tailoring each and every meal to your dietary requests.

Shopping

For many years China (and South Korea before it) were known only for cheap designer knockoffs. Of course these items are still available, but both countries now foster much more choice and many more purchasing options of significantly higher quality.

Local designers have incorporated traditional skills and materials in innovative new products from couture to furniture to homeware. A new crop of designers are making waves on the catwalks of Paris and Milan with repercussions in local design spaces. And indeed, now that many of Hong Kong’s malls close at 10pm, Seoul is one of the few places in Asia and the world where it is possible to shop at retail outlets 24/7. (There are night markets for those in need of retail therapy at 3am.)

It is of course Imperial Tours’ strict standard that neither our guides, local partners nor drivers 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 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 top couture designers.