Update, probably the last: The Beijing end of the trip went off like clockwork. No problems anywhere. The taxi driver knew exactly where the hotel was from the printout of its name. (No opportunity to learn, let alone practice, saying it before that point.) The trip cost 89 yuan on the meter plus 10 for the airport toll, at the low end of the expected range. The Kerry is very nice, a step or two above the places we usually stay! Among other things, this is the first time I've seen a toilet with a motion-activated night light!
(The trip itself was pleasant, too. The flight was delayed five hours, first for a mechanical problem, then to find another plane, and finally to round up a replacement crew, but our upgrades eventually cleared and we got 5,000 AA miles each as compensation for the delay.)