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Summer Palace (Yiheyuan) vs Chairman Mao Memorial Hall (Maozhuxi Jiniantang)
Both are endorsed by expert reviewers. On balance, Summer Palace is the choice of most professionals compared to Chairman Mao Memorial Hall. Summer Palace is ranked #1 in Beijing with approval from 7 publications like Concierge, Afar Magazine and Michelin Guide.
Summer Palace (Yiheyuan)
Fodor's
Concierge
Travel + Leisure
Michelin Guide
Travel + Leisure
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19 Xin-jian-gong-men Rd, Haidian District, Beijing 100084
From $0 /night
Fodor's
"The greenery provides a welcome relief from the loud, bustling city. It also teaches a fabulous history lesson."
Full review
Concierge
"Once a warm-weather retreat for the Qing dynasty's imperial court, the Summer Palace... is a lovely place to escape the urban smog."
i
Arrive early to avoid crowds, or dodge them with a stroll around the water, as the Qing Empress Dowager Cixi might have done in the 19th century.
Travel + Leisure
"It must have been quite a schlep for emperors of old—who traveled in slow-moving palanquins along with hundreds of courtiers to get to this beautiful, serene lakeside palace."
Full review
Michelin Guide
3 Stars
"This summer palace was restored at great expense at the end of the 19C by the empress Cixi."
i
This enchanting site... should not to be missed.
Travel + Leisure
"Considered a masterpiece of Chinese landscape design, visitors can avoid the crowds by packing a picnic, renting a boat, and exploring some of the lesser-known halls and pavilions."
Full review
Chairman Mao Memorial Hall (Maozhuxi Jiniantang)
Fodor's
Michelin Guide
National Geographic
Atlas Obscura
Frommer's
Tiananmen Square, Dongcheng District, Beijing
From $0 /night
Fodor's
"You'll be guided into a spacious lobby dominated by a marble Mao statue and then to the Hall of Reverence, where his embalmed body lies in state."
Full review
Michelin Guide
1 Star
"The centre of Tiananmen Square is permanently thronged with visitors... who queue here for a very quick glimpse (no stopping is allowed) of the mummified remains of Mao."
National Geographic
"Two-story marble mausoleum open Tuesday to Sunday mornings and afternoons only, with inevitable lines."
Full review
Atlas Obscura
"The embalmed remains of the communist leader lie within a custom crystal coffin. "
Full review
Frommer's
"This is one of the eeriest experiences in Beijing. The decision to preserve Mao's body was made hours after his death in 1976."
Full review
