How to party like a Gongti VIP
For as much time Beijing expats devote to learning to speak like a local, few and far between spend any time learning to party like one. Yet, the green tea and Chivas elixirs, the Gongti megaclub with the 4 sq. meter dancefloor, the fireworks clipped to Champagne bottles, the stop-your-heart strobes, non-stop laser shows and the VIP rooms with complimentary fruit plates are, however, as much a uniquely Chinese experience as jiaozi or Peking Opera.

“Gongti megaclubs differ from clubs in New York in a few key ways,” says Wes Chen, DJ of The Park on Hit FM. “The good points are that there's no dress code, better service, affordable bottle service, and the clubs don't shut down at 2 a.m. As the term megaclub implies, these places are often a bit corny, but my only real problem with the clubs is the music: The managers and clientele tend not to know music well, and as a result, DJs play the same stuff over and over again.”

Indeed, cutting-edge tech from Berlin's Mitte District rarely makes it to the Gongti dancefloor, where locals mostly groove to remixes of hip-hop and R&B. Here, the scene is more about out-of-this-world décor, table service and VIP rooms equipped with giant karaoke systems.

Getting into the blazing lights of Gongti's West Gate is easy. Most of the clubs have no cover, and drinks are affordable, but the authentic local experience requires table booking, as well as green tea and Chivas drink sets with large, elaborately cut, fruit sculptures. While some clubs have English speaking staff, it's best if someone competent in Chinese calls to book a table and negotiate a drink deal. Cheaper drink deals can often be negotiated with table booking. In clubs that usually don't have any place to sit down, table service means you'll always have a place to keep your stuff and sit your friends, as well as take a new “friend” to in case you meet someone on the dance floor.

When partying with larger groups, it's nice to have a private VIP room, where you can escape the disco din and deluge of lasers. VIP rooms typically run between ¥4,000 on a weekday and up to ¥10,000 on a weekend. Bottle service (and fruit plates) is often included in these deals.

It's understandable why expats and tourists often find Beijing's megaclubs overwhelming: the music is blaring, there aren't many places to sit down, and the procedures of table booking in Chinese might be intimidating. But with a little effort, you too can party like a Gongti hotshot.

Blake Stone-Banks