Originally Posted by Shigernafy

I've stayed at both.

JW Marriott Beijing --

This is one of the best hotels I've stayed at in seven years of traveling around Europe and Asia. It is a little on the older side just by years, but the decor is still tastefully modern, the room sufficiently spacious and warm, and amenities top notch. The other benefit of age is experience: the staff here are well-trained and friendly and know what they're doing. As a plat, if you spend much time in the lounge and are at all social, in a few days all the staff will have learned your name and possibly your drink preferences. The only real downside I can cite is that it is usually packed, so can feel crowded during prime times.. but that can add a sense of dynamism if you are a social type. Well, and its right next to a power plant, so your view might be of a smokestack if you get a room on the east wing, but I think I only had a room there once in probably two dozen stays.

The location is decent; it is fairly straightforward to get to from the airport and will cost about 100 CNY in a taxi. You can also take the train without too much effort. There is a large upscale mall across the street with a good food court and grocery store in the basement and a few restaurants at the top. There's not much tourism in the immediate neighborhood, but there is a metro station a short walk away (on the far side of the mall). If you're getting out of town, this hotel is probably faster than the other, but its further from downtown attractions. In the general area, you can walk up to a nice park with a german beer garden, go see the pants building, or visit Beijing's tallest tower (with a swanky bar at the top, good for a sunset cocktail) if you want a stroll.


JW Marriott Beijing Central --

The Central is of course much newer, so it may seem a bit "shinier," but I don't think of it as having nicer amenities per se. The gym is not as well-equipped as the other JW, though its possibly a bit larger and is on the top with a view rather than inside on the mezzanine level. The rooms are slightly larger but I can't say they're any better. The hotel restaurant is larger but has the same food; I actually think I liked the layout of the other JW restaurant better, for breakfast anyway, just because its all in a smaller area that's easier to get around. The lounge is maybe slightly smaller but is less densely packed and has higher ceilings, so has a nice airy feel to it, plus there's a small balcony patio space from which you can (barely, if the air quality is good) see the Forbidden City. The fun bit of the lounge, which the other JW lacks, is they have a bartender who will make you a special drink of the night a few nights of the week. I had a good mojito and martini that I can recall offhand.

The location is more central to downtown, as you'd guess from the name. Its also a short walk, just over a block I think, to a metro station. You can also walk to Tienanmen and the Forbidden City in less than 30 minutes. There's a mall next door, but I didn't spend as much time exploring it -- it didn't seem very popular when I did briefly walk around. I vaguely recall a few fast food type places (including a Starbucks, as noted above) but don't remember specifics. I don't think of the immediate neighborhood as being interesting on its own. The airport is probably 20 minutes further away and I think the taxi fare was about 130 CNY. If you're exploring Beijing, this may be the more well-connected and positioned hotel.


I stayed at the JW Beijing for years (before the Central hotel opened), so it has a special place in my heart, but I hesitate to give you a definitive recommendation -- preferences are always variable depending on our interests. In the end, they're both very nice, high quality hotels at which I'm sure you'll have a lovely stay.

If you have more specific questions or features you want to compare, post a follow-up message and I'll offer what I can.