China is vast and, to many, mysterious. The republic’s cities remain unknown and unexplored – other than in the digital realm – by most world travellers. And yet, ancient alleys in Beijing, colourful arcades in Xiamen, dizzying skyscrapers in Shenzhen and sights such as the IM Pei-designed museum and the Lingering Garden in Suzhou city, are cultural totems of a modern China, crying out for real-life immersion and exploration.
Across five time zones and an area of nearly 9.6 million square kilometers, Renaissance is rooted in China’s urban communities.
At its portfolio of hotels, from Haikou to Huizhou, Nanning to Nanjing, its teams connect with local creators, makers and retailers to help visitors get closer to the real China. During the hospitality group’s annual, Global Day of Discovery, Renaissance Hotels in Beijing, Tianjin, Xiamen, Shenzhen and Zhuhai take a deep dive into each municipality's heritage, creativity and culture, inspiring a journey of imagination and exploration that slowly unfolds before the eyes of travelers.
Compelling designs by artisans and brands from Chinese communities are gathered on R FINDS – Renaissance Hotels’ global, digital marketplace featuring locally sourced treasures from neighborhoods across 20 countries, created to empower creative economies and
elevate the stories of small businesses all over the world.
Curated for cultural insight, R FINDS redefines the concept of “souvenirs”, building bridges between customers and communities and making tangible memories and lasting connections.
The Global Day of Discovery is a chance for R FINDS curators to connect travelers with a city and its creators. Through an array of fascinating community stories, unique products, and authentic experiences, guests embark on an adventure.
Beijing
Renaissance Beijing Capital Hotel is located to the east of the city’s central axis, with panoramic urban views from its multiple stories. From the hotel, guests can head to the South Second Ring Road to discover Panjiayuan Flea Market, full of antiques, crafts, and collectibles, including old postage stamps, and a hunting ground for R FINDS curators. To help urban explorers discover more market booty, Renaissance Beijing Hotels has launched a “Beijing Central Axis Imprint” stamp-collection manual on the R FINDS site. Travelers are encouraged to take it to Panjiayuan Flea Market, where limited-edition stamps can be collected and the thrill of treasure-hunting experienced at first hand. Over at Renaissance Beijing Haidian Hotel, the Hanfu Beijing community recently presented a night of inspiration and traditional Chinese clothing spanning ancient and modern times.
Tianjin
Renaissance Tianjin Lakeview Hotel in the city’s He Xi district, has collaborated with community partner Zhu Bingren Art Museum to present an introduction to traditional Chinese Copper artistry. Arts and crafts master Zhu Bingren, the fourth generation of the Zhu Mansion Copper Art family of Shaoxing, is the originator of a new school of copper sculpture. Find examples of his works and tools on R FINDS.
Xiamen
Renaissance Xiamen Hotel is located in Tong’an, a thousand-year-old Minnan city acting as gatekeeper to the art and craft of lacquer thread carving, passed down from generation to generation by its people. To enable visitors to experience Tong’an culture in person, Renaissance Xiamen Hotel is working with its cultural community partners in Xiamen Qibaozhai to introduce ingeniously crafted, lacquer thread carving artworks from the museum. Travelers can also find lacquer thread treasures and souvenirs on R FINDS.
Shenzhen
Shenzhen is a young, modern city buzzing with creativity. Located in the core area of Nanshan CBD, Renaissance Shenzhen Bay Hotel is just a ten-minute drive from Nantou, a historic urban district founded over 1,700 years ago during the Jin Dynasty. It’s also home to Heyo Music, China's leading vinyl record brand. Here, people can experience vinyl culture through live music events and art performances that are always on the Heyo HQ schedule.
In collaboration with Heyo Music, Shenzhen Bay Renaissance Hotel has created a special, co-branded record player, now available on Renaissance’s R FINDS platform. Based on Heyo Music’s original HYM-Seed deck, this oak-finished, turntable/speaker integrates old-school vinyl and modern technology, embodying the design, innovation and creative spirit of contemporary Shenzhen.
Zhuhai
At the Renaissance Zhuhai Hotel, interior design takes inspiration from the ocean: blues, greens and greys evoke the sea; the three-dimensional wave artwork on the lobby’s ceiling recalls fish scales; the staircase imitates the structure of a fishing boat; the outdoor terrace refers to a ship’s deck; and pearl motifs abound. Embracing marine culture and oceanic civilisations, Renaissance Zhuhai Hotel has invited local community partners to create customised shell jewellery and present their collections on R FINDS. Designs use modern perspectives and traditional craftsmanship techniques to bring new vitality to the beauty of nature and explore the potential of the humble shell.
Nanning
Renaissance Nanning Hotel is located in the heart of Wuxiang New District, and its interior is a showcase of exquisite, dramatic style; evidence of local, traditional craftsmanship, such as Zhuang brocade, is everywhere. To explore the essence of Zhuang culture and design,
Renaissance Nanning Hotel has launched a range of accessories on R FINDS. Typically, Zhuang brocade features geometric, plant and animal patterns, hand-woven in silk and cotton. The hotel collaborated with designers from community partners to combine the distinctive patterns with contemporary fashion elements, so that each accessory is infused with local colour.