carberrie

Can any PLATs claim if they have been lucky with up upgrades to Renewal Suites (vs. Renewal Rooms) during their recent stay? I'm considering staying here at the end of this week and was curious if the hotel is no longer generous with suite upgrades for PLATs.

nologic

Based on 4-5 stays here last year, I have never been upgraded to a Renewal Suite and 2-3 times had to make special efforts to get a Renewal room.

nologic

I find the Westin Financial Street is very good with suite upgrades.

moondog

As is the St. Regis.

VanMan

Upgraded to Renewal Suite on last two stays.

Good luck!

newbluesea

Last two stays Oct 2009 and Oct 2010 both got upgraded to a Renewal suite
pretty cool with a flat screen which came up from the cabinet at the foot of the bed.
Also they allowed us to take breakfast in the main restaurant (lounge was also quite decent) since we were staying with friends and I was able to get my two friends the breakfast buffet for 500 starpoints/day.

hungarianhc

For anyone interested, I just had a GREAT two stays at the Westin Chaoyang. I wrote up a full review here.

schley

Holy cow is this place awesome! Close to airport and I'm very impressed with the ambiance and technology. Was upgraded to a renewal suite and it rocks. As others have said the massage chair, huge bathroom (you also have a 1/2 bath), the TV's throughout which includes the one that comes out of the cabinet are awesome.

Have 3 nights here and I will be looking forward to them all.

BTW the club lounge here is huge and for dinner it has if not the best, one of the best spreads possible. Great plus.

SKvH

I just checked in and was given a Renewal Suite -- very nice!

In total it's my eigth time at this property and so far the upgrade record has been ok (I always book a basic room)
-- 2x Renewal Suite
-- 4x Renewal Room (corner room, which I actually almost like better than the Suite)
-- 2x Executive Room on the club floor

Overall it's one of my favourite SPG hotels because staff is great, lounge is excellent, and the rooms are spacious and nicely decorated.

schley

Had the breakfast this morning and I really like the fresh juices and smoothies in the glass bottles ready to take. I had about 5 minutes this morning and made good use of it.

BTW I had the Tenderloin 300g for room service tonight and it was awesome. Granted it was almost $50 but it was done to perfection IMO. Still liking what I'm experiencing. Tomorrow ill try the spa and head to the great wall and forbidden city. ^

moondog

Your spa $ will go significantly further if you venture outside of the hotel.

schley

If I didn't have a gift cert I would cosign.

rendezvous

Data point:

I've been to this hotel twice (both stays in summer of 2010) and booked C&P for both stays. As a gold, I was upgraded to a renewal room twice, so I'm 2/2 on room upgrades.


This is one of the best SPG hotels I have ever visited.

ehe123

I have not seen any direct comparisons between this, the Westin Financial, and the St. Regis, although I have read many positive comments for all three. We will be in Beijing as tourists in September (SPG Platinum), so will have great freedom to choose.

nologic

The most relevant difference is location. Beijing is a geographically HUGE city. Even the blocks are huge and the main streets are often 5-6 lanes wide on each side with a barrier in the middle and you cant cross many streets in the middle of the block. While taxis are cheap, traffic sucks. Much depends on where you are going and what you are doing.

Think of BJ as a watch dial. The Westin Financial Street is at 9:00. The Westin Chaoyang is at 2:00. The St. Regis is at close to the center of the dial, a little to the left towards 9:00, but more to the center. Places like Tienneman Square and the Forbidden City are in the middle of the dial.

Chaoyang is near the airport, which is also in the 1/2:00 range, just further to the NE. This hotel is cool, especially if you get a big room (the standard rooms aren't so cool), but it's not too well located unless you are doing business in that area, which I think has many IT companies in the area. The hotel itself is also usually busy with conferences. Because it is located near the airport (20 minutes?), I like to stay there upon arrival and before departure. The club lounge is very nice and the food in the club lounge may be the best of the three. The service may be the worst of the three (except in the lounge), because it is bigger and newer. For what it's worth, I think the steak house in the hotel is very good, and sometimes the hotel offers deals on meals in the hotel.

But to get from there to Financial Street, if you have any meetings with the major of financial institutions that are located there, can easily take an hour in traffic.

The Westin Financial Street is the dowdiest of the group. The club is nice and the I have been upgraded to some nice suites, and the Chinese restaurant is excellent, but it is a little "old" and tired, IMO. But it is very centrally located for doing business on Financial Street and doing business in the financial district. I don't think the night life is too good there...but I may be wrong.

The St. Regis is in the Embassy area and is the most central. It is also on the subway line that runs East to West to Tienneman Square, etc. The rooms are also somewhat stodgy, IMO...the service is excellent. The platinum recognition is good; I think I have always been upgraded to a Statesman Suite (which is a little small, as suites go) and once to the next larger suite (not much bigger). Free happy hour drinks and hors d'oeuvres in the bar for plats are nice and the free breakfasts in the main dining room are also very good. The buzz in the lobby bar is good and this is a nice/impressive place to meet clients or friends for drinks.

My two cents...hope this helps.