Outdoor Pool Day at Guoce Int'l Conference and Exhibition Center

There’s no better way to escape the sweltering heat in Beijing than to take a dip in a pool. However, since moving to Beijing, I’ve learned that outdoor pools and splashing in the water for fun are not really a thing here. There are some pretty cool indoor pools, I must admit, but nothing comes even close to enjoying the warm sun from a swimming pool with nothing but the blue sky above. Just the thought of a summer evening with the sun casting its rays into the water … it’s just what summer is.

So last weekend I decided to take the kids somewhere for a swim and we ended up in Shunyi. There’s this outdoor swimming pool there that has been mentioned and recommended in some of the WeChat groups, so I wanted to check it out. It’s located on the grounds of Guoce International Conference and Exhibition Center.

When I mentioned it to my husband, he was like, ”Shunyi?!” But I’ve never been lazy for fun stuff and the distance to Shunyi has never been an issue for me, so I didn’t mind the 45-minute ride northeast. The manager of the center, Linda, sent me the scan code for purchasing the tickets, and we packed a change of clothes for ourselves plus some baby food and hit the road. A family ticket for two adults and two children costs RMB 398, but there are other options available: RMB 328 for two adults and one child, RMB 198 for one adult and one child, RMB 258 for two adults, and RMB 158 for a single adult ticket.

We got to the pool around 1 pm, and as soon as we arrived, I could tell that it was going to be a great day. The changing rooms and showers are located at the entrance to the pool, and that’s where you can get clean towels from. We quickly changed and headed to the available lounge chairs that were comfortably resting in a good amount of shade. It was Saturday, but the  place was far from overcrowded. The water was clear and just the perfect temperature. We all got in and were ready to start our family day at the pool.

The kids had loads of fun with all the inflatable pool toys that people could use free of charge. We especially enjoyed a little clear plastic boat that was so much fun to ride for kids and adults alike.

As for food and drinks, you’re not allowed to bring in your own (I asked if I could bring my baby’s food, though, and they were fine with it), but there are both Western and Chinese food options available. We went with French fries and the German roast sausage plate that came with a garden salad and mashed potato and it was quite tasty. There are also kids’ meals available, although if you have an infant or a very young toddler I would recommend still bringing your own food for them.

Beer is around RMB 45/glass, but you can purchase a free-flow package for RMB 158/6 hours (10am-4pm or 4-10pm). There are also soft drinks, sodas, smoothies, and other refreshments available, as well as coffee and ice cream.

Other than the ones in the changing rooms, there are poolside bathrooms available and they are kept clean.

More people came as the day progressed, but the pool never got overcrowded.

We were having such a great time that we decided to stay the night. The manager, Anne, was very helpful with finding an option for an overnight stay for us and booking us a room, even though we only had photos of our passports with us (as we hadn’t planned on staying overnight). She personally came to the pool and explained the options to me.

We got the package for RMB 988 that included a one-night stay with 3 breakfasts and tickets for the outdoor pool for the next day, so we got pretty excited to spend another day having fun in the sun. They do offer two other outdoor pool plus room packages: one for RMB 1,088, which includes activities such as 5D cinema experience, bike rides and gym, and the other for a night in a family suite with six breakfasts and six outdoor pool tickets for RMB 2,288.

When the kids got tired, we went to check in, and there we had to work through the issue of not having the passports with us, but the duty manager was quick to come up with a solution.

The room we got was really spacious and tastefully decorated, and the bed was so comfy that a nice shower was all we needed to lull us to sleep.

The breakfast buffet had a big variety of options with separate serving stations offering everything from porridge, cereal, oatmeal with fruits and nuts, croissants, smoked chicken, duck, salami, and cheese, to the usual Chinese breakfast options. There was also a station where kids could get cotton candy. I mean, it’s not really a great breakfast choice, but it was a nice touch.

What I really, really liked is that there is a nice play area right there at the restaurant where the kids can play and have some fun. It’s not too big, but it has everything they need – a climbing structure, a ball pit with a slide, a trampoline and other toys to keep them busy.

Since the rain on Sunday morning ruined our plan to spend the day at the outdoor pool, we headed to the indoor pool instead and splashed around for a few more hours.

Guoce International Conference and Exhibition Center was really a great experience for us, and since we didn’t get the chance to use our pool tickets on Sunday, we’ll definitely be back soon. It’s really worth the drive.

Images: Sanja Stojkov

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