Beijing hotel rates cheaper during Golden Week than after??
 

Does anyone know why the rates for some of the high-end hotels in Beijing drop dramatically during Golden Week (Oct. 1 - 7), and then go way up after? I thought Golden Week was supposed to be a terrible time to travel to China, and that cities like Beijing were supposed to be crowded. Or is it that everyone leaves Beijing during that week, and that other parts of China are crowded?

If one were to go to Beijing during that week, would most businesses in Beijing be open? Or would it be more like a ghost town?

Thanks.

My guess is that those hotels cater to international business travelers. Since there's no business to tend to that week in China, no business travelers, and therefore cheaper rates.

Thanks for the quick response, rkkwan.

As far as retail establishments in Beijing, do most of those close as well? Or would I find most things open within the city?

You will find most businesses and restaurants will be open. As the holiday is a political celebration and a religious one (other than some minor religious affiliation with the mid-Autumn festival which happens to be occurring on Oct 7 this year) no one has family obligations, so the well-heeled head out of town; however it is the mass Chinese tourist who descends upon the capital in busloads, as his factory in Shanxi Province has closed for the week. He is not staying at the top-end hotels. Just try going to the Forbidden City on say October 3 if you want to see and feel the crush of the crowd.... The Ming Tombs are jammed as well. Do not go to the Badaling access point on the Great Wall (but you wouldn't want to go there even in quiet times). If you can avoid the major tourist sites or time your visits there correctly, you would be OK as Beijing is a big city and can handle crowds on public transport, etc, wish I had some advice on how to do the latter that week....

Business people who do business in the PRC don't travel that week because they know that no one in the government is working and most other businesses are closed too (other than tourist businesses like restaurants and shops, I am referring to offices and factories). As noted above, that is another reason the top-end hotels are less crowed.

Thanks so much for the detailed response, Cicerone. I have a much clearer picture of what it would be like during that week, and I appreciate it.