Shopping in Beijing
Expert Journey Advisor has a particular fondness for the Panjiayuan Antiques Market in central Beijing, not far from the Temple of Heaven. Its warren of stalls attracts both locals and tourists who come to collect, well, everything from hand-made paint brushes to acres of urns; from ancient scrolls to rooms full of decorator furnishings, from carpets to original art, and from authentic antiques to reproductions.
These are the sorts of treasures that come with stories, because you're often buying directly from the artisan and his family. While most of the market is cash-and-carry, some merchants can handle shipping—good to know if you discover an antique cabinet that has “our foyer” written all over it.
Don't be surprised if, as you turn the corner, you encounter a decorator recently mentioned in Architectural Digest or the like. Prowling this territory is as important in the design trade as checking out the better flea markets on Paris’s Rive Gauche.
While a guide and private car are not required for the market per se, you'll have a better time if you arrange them. It makes ferrying your purchases back to the hotel easy. And, if you find yourself bargaining for something on the expensive side, you'll have a local ally for the negotiation.
We like to shop Panjiayuan in the winter. It's cooler, but there is less competition for the good stuff. To improve bargaining, leave your Rolex, rings, and designer handbag in the hotel, and carry plenty of cash (yuan, not dollars) divided among multiple pockets, so you can pull out a little at a time. The market is open daily.
If you seek something upscale, you can find Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Valentino and dozens of other designer stores on the Arcade level of the Peninsula Hotel, virtually next door to the Beijing Department Store. Remember that, unlike the antiques market, these boutiques have prices based on euros.
If you're among those for whom there is never enough shopping, Beijing's premier shopping district, Wangfujing Street, is just two minutes' walk from the Peninsula Arcade.