Originally Posted by Snoopy
Come on Stimpy, this is Beijing we are talking about, not Urumqi or Wuhan! I would also expect staff at an airport hotel in a major international city to speak a minimum of English. I certainly don't know how to say "my toilet bowl is filthy", "please clean up the hair balls" and "Can I please have some toilet paper?" in all the languages of countries that I visit on business. Strangely enough, my little Berlitz pocket guide doesn't seem to be much help either....
Can you say bu-how? It's pretty simple and if you point at the filth when you say it the point should get across.
It's not city center. There are plenty of other low-end hotels around Beijing when you get outside the central part. Another lesson is to not have expectations when visiting China.