Beijing Hotel Tips by FreeCloud

Hao Yuan Hotel: Best located traditional courtyard hotel

I have not stayed there yet, but will.

My friends who stayed there call it a 'great experience'.

See details in the hotel's official website.

My friends tried two types of rooms.

Unique Qualities: Classical Chinese courtyard setting with a rich history.

Best located among all this type. Walking distance to Wangfujing shopping center. If fit, walking distance to the Forbidden City, Tian An Men Square and few other major tourist sites.

Easty to access, take Airport Shuttle and alight at Ya Bao Lu stop, then either take a taxi or 20 minute walk.

Address: 53 Shi Jia Hutong, Deng Shi Kou, Dong Cheng District

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: From East Chang An Ave, turn north onto Dong Dan St, then right (east) to Shi Jia Hutong.

Other Contact: haoyuanbinguan@sohu.com

Phone: 86-10-6512.5557

Price: US$20-40

Theme: Hotel

Website: http://www.haoyuanhotel.com/

Beijing Bamboo Garden Hotel: Traditional Beijing Residential Courtyard Bamboo Garden Review

I have never stayed there, but it is one of the few such type which I am interested.

Details in its website.

Unique Qualities: Located in a traditional residential neighborhood.

A traditional Chinese courtyard garden setting. Rooms furnished with traditional furniture.

Luxury in mind setting, peaceful, serene atmosphere, but not luxury in terms of facilities.

Address: 24, Xiaoshiqiao, Jiugulou Street, West City District

Comparison: less expensive than average

Phone: 86-10-64032229

Price: US$20-40

Theme: Hotel

Website: http://www.bbgh.com.cn/

Lu Song Yuan Hotel Lu Song Yuan Review

<font color=blue size=+1> Lu Song Yuan Hotel</font>

The following website is NOT the best booking place that you should go but its travelers' review gives you some idea about the hotel:

http://www.asiahotels.com/hotelinfo/Lu_Song_Yuan_Hotel/

Lu should be pronounced as lyew. Lu means companion, song = pine tree.

Unique Qualities: Another small hotel with traditional quadrangle courtyard hotel with rooms furnished in traditional Chinese style.

Address: NO.22, Banchang Lane, Kuanjie Beijing, China

Comparison: less expensive than average

Phone: 86-10-64040436

Price: less than US$20

Theme: Hotel

Prime Hotel

See its website for room type and search online reservation service for discount rates.

We booked a superior room (according to the photos on hotel's own website, it seems that a duluxe room has 2 full size bed instead while the superior, a king-size) with RMB 548 for late August (rates increases gradually in September).

The reservation was made via www.elong.com (all in Chinese). For those of you who do not read Chinese, www.ctrip.com with an English version page, offers the same rates.

When we checked in, they were out of the type, so we were upgraded to the Executive Floor ('Royal Executive'? Isn't everything in Beijing called 'royal' if not 'imperial'?). The room was large, and comfortable, with a street view. When it is not too hazy, one can also see the Forbidden City to its west. However, it is kind of worn, the carpet has stains (travelers and/or staff do not take good care of the property). The bathroom is of a fair size.

The breakfast and dinner buffet were okay, about average. Later we found out, it actually provides more varieties than few other hotels we stayed. One morning, we had to walk a bit from other hotel (i.e., Wangfujing Grand Hotel) to Prime for breakfast. We were once too tired to dine out so we tried its Italian dinner once, the food was so-so, we were the only customers there.

The staff of the Prime is definitely better trained than their peer at the Wangfujing Grand, though still not sufficient. Comparing to the staff at the St.Regis/Shanghai, both 5-star hotels, the standard is much different. If one rates St.Regis as 5-star, Prime could be only maximumly 4- - regardless its 'luxury' classification.

This is apparently a 'tourist' hotel. We ran into many German tourist groups there.

Unique Qualities: One of Steigenberger Hotels and Resorts (SHR) First-Class hotel.
<BR>
<BR>Its location.
<BR>
<BR>Was told it has the largest standard room size among all Beijing hotels. We will see later.
<BR>
<BR>The Chinese name means 'Overseas Chinese Mansion', one could tell that originally, before all the western hotels built, this was a main place where overseas Chinese stay when they go to China for a visit. Now this may have been changed.

I would not mind returning to this hotel at all, being at its location. To many, the location means its closeness to Wangfujing pedestrian street, one of the major shopping areas in Beijing. To me, location means close to friends' places.

Another location convenience. If you do not have much luggage, the Airport shuttle is right accross the street for you to take. It is RMB 16 (was told) one-way instead of a taxi of around RMB 100+RMB 10 toll (the toll is just reduced from RMB 15).

More details later.

Address: <BR>2 Wangfujing Avenue, Beijing

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: Conveniently at the N of the Wangfujing street, thus a perfect place. Many ways to get there from anywhere else. However, traffic conditions could be a problem.

Phone: 86-10-6513.6666

Price: US$20-40

Theme: Hotel

Website: http://www.srs-worldhotels.com/peoples_republic_of_china/beijing/hotel_pekreg.html

Prime Hotel Beijing: The Great Wall Sheraton Prime Hotel Beijing Review

<font color=blue size=+1> The Great Wall Sheraton</font>
See official website. For a discount rate, search online reservation service, or become a 'Starwood' member.

Unique Qualities: The first, if not one of the few, first western luxury hotel built in 1980s in Beijing since 1949.
<BR>
<BR>As its name, part of its wall mimics the Great Wall of China.
<BR>
<BR>Later

Address: 2 Wang Fujing Avenue, 100006 Beijing

Comparison: about average

Directions: <BR>10 North Dong San Huan Road, Chaoyang District
<BR>Beijing, 100026, China
<BR>
<BR>On third ring road/beltway. Still considered in the city 'core, though not centrally located but next door to a f

Phone: 86-10-6590.5566

Price: US$40-80

Theme: Hotel

Website: http://www.starwood.com/sheraton/search/hotel_detail.html?city=beijing&stateProvince=&country=CN&postalCode=&streetAddress1=&hotelLocationType=&pOI=&a

NOT recommended: Wangfujing Grand Hotel Wangfujing Grand Hotel Review

Self-claimed 4-start hotel, but the service quality, especially staff training and management is far from a 3-star hotel we have stayed.

More later

Unique Qualities: If you get a room facing west, you will see the old Hutong, traditional residential areas below (soon will be demolished), and a bit far, the Forbidden City.

More later.

Address: 57 Wangfujing Street, Beijing

Comparison: about average

Directions: South of Wangfujing and Wusi Dajie intersection, 200 m from the Prime hotel.

Phone: later

Price: US$20-40

Theme: Hotel

The Westin Pacific Beijing

<font color=blue size=+1> The Westin Pacific Beijing</font>

Unique Qualities: A newly opened (July, 2001) 5-star luxury hotel.
<BR>
<BR>Claimed to have the 'best hardware/facility in Beijing', best service, and provides 'Luxury Royal French' deco in spacious guest rooms/suites.

Comparison: most expensive

Directions: At the third beltway and Hang Tian Bridge. Close to the new financial district.

Other Contact: Later

Theme: Hotel