Help Needed

Looking to redeem to tour china in April/May time. Currently looking to redeem:

CPH - PEK on SAS in C. (Z2 - Z8)
(Living in the north of England means a cheap flight to CPH from MAN)

Question 1.
Debated flying from UK but the APD is off putting would mean a stop in ZRH/FRA/LIS and i would like the open jaw of the flight to be PEK so we can fly on to Xian/ Lhasa etc. Would you agree with the choice to save miles and cash even though the beds are not 180 degrees and i will slide off the bottom?

Question 2.
Once we have taken the train and other internal flights around china. Thinking of flying from PVG to HKG and then HKG to LHR using HKG as the open jaw. Looking at options flying back upper on Virgin looks excellent - Never flown Virgin - (thoigh have used their clubhouses - last one was in Johannesburg - which was excellent - was flying/ redeeming LX F) how do i look for availability - I use ANA to find all flights then when i have found the 'right' flights i ring the ICC, yet ANA does not show Virgin - how do i find availability?

Question 3.
We have alot of miles approx 200K and are happy to spend more to fly quality - any suggestions how we could 'enhance' the trip?