Hyatt Regency Jing Jin City Resort and Spa is a place for people to explore their sense of fun and joy. Xu Xiao reports.

Urbanites in Beijing and Tianjin looking for a luxurious family getaway now have a good destination not far from home.

Hyatt Regency Jing Jin City Resort and Spa is part of a mixed-use real estate development called Jing Jin City. It is 100 km southeast of Beijing and 70 km north of Tianjin, just 60 to 90 minutes driving time along major highways linking the two cities.

"It is a perfect location to build a resort," says John Lee, the resort's general manager. "What we are trying to do is to offer our guests an ideal weekend of enjoyment away from city life"

Like an ancient royal palace, the resort seems to rise from the middle of nowhere. It features minarets, archways and waterways, lush gardens, courtyards and natural geothermal hot springs, creating a unique oasis that dominates the surrounding landscape.

The five-star international conference resort has 793 well-appointed guestrooms and suites that feature private balconies and other five-star facilities and services. The 5,000-square-meter meeting and conference center includes a ballroom that can accommodate 1,200 people, a lake view garden and 23 other small halls for cocktail parties, receptions or other events.

The resort offers various dining options. The Garden Chinese restaurant features 13 private dining rooms ideal for family gatherings. The Glass House international buffet restaurant presents guests with Western, Japanese and Chinese cuisine offered from seven cooking stations. The delicately designed Ichiba Japanese restaurant with 17 tatami-style private rooms offers a unique atmosphere, similar to dining in a market village.

Jing Jin City is well known for its hot springs. The Yi Outdoor Hot Spring is an extraordinary oasis for a winter escape. Guests can bathe in the outdoor hot springs, while 14 fully equipped private hot spring suites cater to lovers who want to spend a quiet winter day. The Balneum Spa of the resort combines healthcare services from both traditional Chinese medicine and popular European water therapy.

Young parents do not have to worry about their children in the resort. They can join Camp Hyatt, for children aged from 4 to 16. It offers supervised activities while parents get away for golf or a spa.

"The Camp Hyatt is not only for entertainment, but also for education," Lee says. "Guests can learn to paint, make pottery and other things while spending time with their young companions."

Newlyweds can pamper themselves with the romantic touch of the resort and take keepsake pictures of the palace-like facility.

(China Daily 10/22/2011 page13)